I read this week a very disturbing statistic. It had to do with children and digital usage, but it wasn’t what we usually see. It didn’t have to do with children’s development mentally and socially.

It had to do with faith development.

Here’s the statistic. If your 17 year old attended worship every weekend for all of his 17 years (almost impossible for that to happen), he would have spent 33 full days in learning of God and His Word.

On the other hand, your 17 year olds’ digital engagement across all of his devices and platforms would be 2,708 full days (statistics from Pure Flix Alliance).

These statistics astounded me. Faith development takes a very small place in a child’s overall life.

What must we do?

First, we must keep on doing what we know to do. We must not become weary in well doing, and we must not give in to the pressure of our secular culture. We must do what Jesus often said, ” Watch and pray.” Therefore, be wise about the ways of the world and what it is trying to do to our children and to ourselves, and seek God.

We must “contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3).

Second, as parents we must take control of our children’s worldview, and we must remember that we can’t take them where we have not been. For this reason, you must be growing earnestly in the Lord, learning His Word and following His guidance.

Third, we must take the mission of the church seriously. We must do what we have often said, “We want to reach the next generation for Christ.”

Fourth, we must take advantage of every opportunity to reach and teach our children. Those 17 years go fast. Don’t waste a Sunday or any opportunity to tell your children as “you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up” (Deuteronomy 6:7).