Lets talk religion, shall we?

One of my daily reads is a blog called Metrodad. (http://metrodad.typepad.com) Today, he raised the question of religion. Specifically, now that we have kids, their religious upbringing and destiny is in our hands. I used to teach school. There were many reasons why I stopped teaching. One of them was that I was tired of being in charge. Somehow, getting 27 six year olds reading and writing by June got to be too much pressure for me. However, (PA #11) we are parents now. It's not really a good idea to quit. It is also wise not to shirk duties as important as your child's destiny after life.

So, what's a parent to do? This is another one of those areas that is affected by your past experience and upbringing. I was raised in a Presbyterian church. I went to Sunday school and church every week. My parents sang in the choir and my mom taught Sunday School. I have some fond memories of that church, but what happened on Sunday morning was different than what happened at home. I never really got a firm foundation under my feet.

As I got into my teens, I became disgruntled. I couldn't find my niche there. My mom died, my dad remarried and my life changed. In my late teens and early 20's I couldn't anything there for me. I stopped going. After a few years of bad life decisions, chaos, and a near nervous breakdown..............things changed.

One week, I saw a photo in the newspaper. The picture was of a man named Roger Ross. Roger was dispatched by the Methodist Church to start a new church. A church that would appeal to the 20-30 something crowd. A church for the unchurched. Like me. The article peaked my attention and I went to check it out. I found a new church with no land, no people, and no building. What emerged over the next 10 years was a vibrant, caring community. That church is now busting at the seams as it grows. (www.newhorizonchurch.org)

I got married, had kids, and moved. I was ready for change. Other than family, the only thing I was sad to leave behind was the church. I met my husband there, my kids were baptized there. Church-shopping is not a fun thing to do. After a year, we finally found a new church here. It is a mega church, a contemporary one. The children's programming is incredible and the youth programming is even better. The head pastor has long hair and preaches in jeans and a t-shirt. He is able to make the Bible relevant to me. The worship band rocks. The church has small groups and multiple sites.

I am confident now that we have found our church. My kids enjoy going there, which is the most important thing to me. I am provided with take-home materials that help me teach my kids about the plan that God has for them. I am slowly making friends there. I am grateful for all that has been provided for us.

There are some parents that disagree with my approach. I am trying to provide my kids with a church home that teaches them and feeds their need to learn about God in an open, caring environment. I have friends that are un-churched and have not provided their kids with a churched upbringing. I respect their decision. It is their choice. I know that some of my friends don't agree with church principles in general. They provide their kids with a good moral upbringing and communicate their values to their kids in other ways. I think that whether you take your kids to church or not, it is important to really think about why or why not you do so. I also think it is important to respect other parent's choices.

What do you think?