No presentation of Jesus by a parent can be effective without living one's own calling before the Lord, day by day. Our eldest son came to love the Lord at a very early age; may we be found faithful parents of both our boys, like those who raised us.

I. A Daily Blessing. Each morning, I place my hands on top of each child's head and say or sing a short blessing, such as this:

May the Lord bless you and keep you; May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious; may the Lord lift up the light of His countenance upon you, and give you His peace.

Even our one-year-old listens in peaceful silence while he's being blessed. This helps provide perspective and a sense of worth. Our kids know that God created them, died for them, and calls them to spend eternity in heaven.

II. Worship Services. Our 1 and 3 year olds have attended Sunday worship services from a very early age. Sure, we sit on folding chairs in the rear lobby, which is well-equipped with speakers that pipe in sound. But one cannot be sure when children begin to understand. Recently, our one-year-old folded his hands in prayer when the pastor said, "Let us pray!" Teaching how to worship a holy God is essential for presenting Jesus to children. It's also important to teach the importance of setting aside Sunday as the Lord's Day - a day of worship, rest and time spent with the family.

III. Mealtime Bible Reading. After breakfast we read from The Beginners Bible. We encourage our three-year-old to explain in his own words how Bible stories fit together, like how Adam and Eve's sin in the garden ties in with Christ's death on the cross, and so forth. Sometimes I act out familiar stories dramatically or lead the family in singing a song about the lesson such as: "Go down...Moses, way down in Egyptland. Tell old Pharoah, 'Let my people go.'"

IV. A Framework of Discipline. Our system of discipline is based on mutual respect. We have family laws, responsibilities, and privileges. Unless the children know what's expected of them, they will do whatever is necessary to find that out. So we teach them about responsibilities, about manners, about caring for those who need help. From this framework, they are able to be taught about the Lord, who is the Creator and Sustainer of all things. Unless kids learn to respect Mom and Dad, they'll never learn how to be obedient to God's commands as set forth in His Word.

V. No Questions Are Ignored. Any parent of an inquisitive child has heard "Why, Daddy?" a million times. We've presented Jesus best in response to questions:

Tell me about God and the Bible.
How did Jesus die?
Isn't He still dead?
How did God make us?
What happens to people after they die?
Why do we go to church on Sunday?

VI. Pray Without Ceasing. We've prayed outside with our children on family walks or before taking long trips by car. At breakfast, our son leads family prayers at the meal table; sometimes we use a prayer calendar to help us recall those in need. When our family suffers a setback, we pray for God's forgiveness and peace of mind. Children need to be taught firsthand how to pray, how to have a personal relationship with God.

VII. Bible Memorization. We sing Bible songs together as a family. In this way, our children have learned the ten commandments, the books of the Bible, the Lord's Prayer, the fruit of the Spirit and so forth.

VIII. Closing. There is no greater responsibility of parenthood than that of presenting Jesus to one's own children. Bless them, take them to church with you, read God's Word together, discipline them in love, answer their questions, pray, and memorize scripture together. Matthew 21:16 says, "From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise."