When is the best time to talk to your kids about God and the end of the world without scaring them?

Question

I remember when I was little going to church and the choir used to always sing a song that went "What you gonna do when the worlds on fire..where you gonna run...where you gonna hide? Rain down fire its gonna rain.." Anyway that song used to give me nightmares. As a kid I had dreams about that song and also dreams about being chased by the Devil. I guess my question is for those who have children and even those who dont, how old were your children when you talked to them about God and what all did you say? Those who dont have any children what age is best to start talking to your kids about God?? I think every kid should go to church and learn about God but I think there are some things kids shouldnt hear until they get older.

Answer 1

When they are old enough and mature enough to handle not only the horrors it shows are coming but the promise of Heaven that follows. Certainly not until probably age 10. I do not know many younger than that who can grasp any of the scripture without it being edited a whole lot and toned down for smaller minds.

Answer 2

Why are Christians so obsessed with the end of the world.

There is no Rapture. That word isn't found in KJV. It was made up by a 15 year old girl in Scotland.

There is no warranty you will get into heaven, you name MUST be in book of life otherwise YOU go back to the lake of fire and I don't care how many Praise JEsus you say, GOD has final word.

So why this obession!

Why not follow what God and Jesus say and live a good life in the world.

At some point in time you can get into the end of times stuff, but remember Christain Profits have been predicting it since 1000 AD and it hasn't come yet!

That's 1006 years of saying Tomorrow is the day and they got all wrong.

Teach them more about living a good life, having a moral code, doing as JEsus asked and no following false prophets!

Answer 3

Rather then stressing the "end times" with children, it would be better to talk about relationships. We can stress the positives by talking about the fact that Jesus said He would never leave or forsake His people. From there, we can show that God will never allow us to have more placed upon us then we can bear by using examples such as Daniel and the lions den, and the three Hebrew children who were cast into the furnace but were not harmed. Our God can do the same today as HE did then. He can calm the storms, but most often, He calms the child in the midst of the storm.

Again, it is more important to have a relationship with GOD then to worry about the end. We are each only a heart beat away from the judgement and as Hebrew 9:27 said, after this life we do face the judgement. For and easy to undertand way to establish a relationship with God, see the link below.

Answer 4

Its sad that children have to learn about God in a way that scares them, Lots of churches teach fear, I believe that parents, should tell the kids about God from birth, It should be a way of life,someone they know they can depend on and trust, someone that loves them, that way when they start singing those songs, or talking about Hellthe kids have heard about the loving God, that came to save the world from the aweful sin that has over come the earth.

Answer 5

The first thing I taught my children was that God is loving and will answer prayers. If He doesn't answer them the way my children wanted Him to, then I would explain that He answers them for the good on you... I started out slow. I never talked to them about the end of the world, or the fact that they are sinners. I tell them that God loves them just how they are, but when they do make a mistake they should ask God to forgive. I did not want my kids fear God. i wanted them to love Him. As they have grown, our church teaches them on an age appropriate level. As they mature, or ask questions, I answer them as best I can. I don't lie and make things pretty for them, but I don't scare them to death either.

Answer 6

Just start by saying" Hey,I read this cool book about the future and guess what?..We win!"
By the way true believers will be "Caught up to meet the Lord in the air"..You don't have to worry about all that Fire and stuff.Man you went to a scary church!

Answer 7

I have always gone to church ,ever since i was born.... church was the first stop i made, before i went home... so i have always been there... but i know i used ot have those nightmares too, but when i turned 8 i realized that it was GOD talking to me through my dreams and when i got saved, the nightmares stopped... so i think that if you take the children to church, they should be fine... it will be good for them and depending on how old they are, most churches have a junior church for children to go to that is much less harsh and doesn't come out and say those things as bluntly...

Answer 8

You should stay away from those topics until the kids are around 35. That way, if they have developed critical thinking skills, experience, wisdom and self-confidence, they can tell you to f**k off, without risk of having their minds contaminated with the myths, superstitions, fairy tales and fantastical delusions of a tribe of ignorant Bronze Age fishermen and peripatetic goat herders. If they have NOT developed critical thinking skills, experience, wisdom and self-confidence by that time, then they are already so screwed up that it shouldn't matter that much.

Answer 9

you said it gave you a hard time why do that to them church should be a happy place . when i was a child we had a preacher that i did not like because all he did was yell at us . talked to mom and we switch times we went to church . father Krebs my favorite . never ever forget him ha always had good stories for kids to make them feel good never a bad moment . i will remember him for the rest of my life i owe him a lot for the way i act today

Answer 10

its not likely to take place.... ( and to make you sense extra desirable i became and nonetheless am a hassle wart) yet we are basing this on a calender made in the 1400's via (this sounds terrible) a ways much less progressed/clever civilization then our own. those issues are everyday of the earth....it is only this decade that many ordinary organic failures have been assume to take place (like a sort of as quickly as each and every seven-hundred years style of issues) have faith me..i don't desire to die at only approximately 17 the two.........yet in keeping with that Saturday component.....till im completely loopy.....i'm nonetheless typing out this message so curiously all of us survived. i desire this eases your rigidity somewhat. besides why might the god(s) desire to kill us (or you)?