Do you want to nurture your child’s spiritual style?
According to David Csinos in this article, children have four spiritual styles. Your child may have one dominant style or a blend of styles. You can nurture your child by being intentional in each of these areas.
Four Spiritual Styles of Children
Four Spiritual Styles of ChildrenThere are several ways to nurture the four spiritual styles of children. Your child’s faith will grow deeper as you provide specific support in your child’s preferred approach. Cover this in prayer, asking God to help you notice which style your child uses most. Get creative with your support, and enjoy watching your child’s faith blossom and grow!
1. Word-based approach
Children with this approach love words that teach them about God. The best way to meet your child’s needs is to provide him or her with lots of quality reading material. They will also enjoy having their own Bible personalized for their unique tastes. Your child may also like writing prayers, poems and essays about faith. Encourage your child to join a Bible study within his or her age group to nurture hunger for knowledge.
2. Emotion-based approach
Children with this approach love to be creative and expressive. Your child will enjoy singing or performing hymns or contemporary Christian music. Encourage your child’s emotion-based approach with music, drama productions, and art projects. Support your child’s range of emotional expressions with words of affirmation. Stock your home with plenty of supplies to inspire your child’s creativity.
3. Symbol-based approach
A child with this approach need quiet time with God in nature. Make sure your child has his or her own special place in nature, whether with their own mini-garden or walking path. A child like this may appreciate a fishing pole, bicycle or tent as a gift. Give your child plenty of privacy to explore his or her relationship with God in open spaces, particularly outdoors. The more this type of child can engage with nature, the better.
4. Action-based approach
Children with this style love serving others. Your child will thrive in faith when he or she has access to service opportunities in your church and community. Ask your pastor for suggestions on what your child can do to help others through actions. As your child gets older, he or she may even want to start a food drive or service project at school or church.
Nurture Your Child’s Spiritual Style
You may not know your child’s spiritual style yet, but God will reveal it to you. The more opportunities you offer in these four areas, the more you will see your child gravitating toward one or more styles. Keep offering plenty of options, and be positive and supportive.
Remember, regular worship is important for nurturing each of these styles. Your child needs to see worship in action, and observe how others engage in worship as well. If you can’t yet engage in corporate worship at your church, worship together as a family at home or in another house church. Your child will benefit from seeing adults interact with God in different ways, and gain an appreciation for different worship styles.
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