Raising Weird Kids

One of my ultimate goals in life will be to write a book or at least an article about raising children with an awareness of an Upside-Down Kingdom. What do I mean? Well in the past 3 years of my life I have been on a journey of realizing how much I have learned how to “do” church and how little I know about Jesus’ ministry and what it means to “be” the church. I am discovering and realizing each day what it truly means to be a “follower of Christ” and how counter-cultural that is or at least should be even to our present church culture and ideals. The idea of starting a family someday scares me because if I am serious about this lifestyle then I should expect and intend on raising my children with these values; however, this will mean that we may be different …even from “church” people. How do I mean? I mean that I want them to learn how to produce things instead of consume so much (and because I am beginning to learn this late in life I will probably be learning with them as I teach them). I want them not to just attend Sunday school classes and learn the Bible stories but I want to plan on having them with me as we serve and experience missions together, keeping sack lunches in our mini-van or station wagon and having them make it a practice of giving it to the man/woman begging on the corner, spending a Saturday morning after cartoons serving at the soup kitchen (I will strap the baby on my back if need be) and letting those in need hold and love my baby. I want my child to see that the Christian life is to be lived out. I want them to not be attracted by fancy programs and fancy preaching but moved by the meat of the message. I want to have people over to our house and around our table at dinner that look and act different than us --- this is not limited to the poor but anyone! So that they learn to look and experience people as Jesus did! I want to be smart about our purchases and careful about how much we give into American consumerism. In the hustle and bustle of needing to make a living and help them make friends I realize this is going to be a daily struggle and decision but I think it can happen.
A couple of summers ago I read the book “Irresistible Revolution” and was determined to attend PapaFest, a festival on Shane Claiborne’s family farm held by SimpleWay, Mennonite faith families and other intentional communities. I did not have anyone to travel with so I found a group meeting up outside of Dallas and asked if I could ride with them. None of us knew one another but we decide to embark on this adventure. One girl worked for Shell, another grew up on the streets of Houston, the other two girls grew up in 3rd world countries as Missionary Kids. Although fascinated by the stories and plights of each girl ---- I found the MK’s to be quite interesting. They were meeting up with 3 other friends of theirs that grew up in Africa also as MKs. They were all friends growing up but came to the United States and attended different universities in different parts of the country. I wondered what it was it that drew them to this festival. I soon realized that each of these girls grew up in 3rd world countries watching their parents minister to poor, desperate people. It was never a question in their lives to wonder which came first, feed the people or evangelize. They only knew that it was both, it had to be both. They knew what it was to pray for a need and see someone healed and/or tangibly see their prayer request answered and believing that it was God that answered it. They grew up knowing that “church” was an act, a daily decision to BE Christ to people. It was never a social event they grew up attending on Sunday mornings. When each of the girls came to the U.S. for college they were extremely dismayed by the churches they attended. Can you imagine? Then upon hearing about the ministry of Shane Claiborne and this “revolution” of love he was preaching based on the life of Jesus and the emphasis of Jesus’ ministry, realized that some American Christians were actually “Getting” what the Kingdom was all about and wanted to attend.
What would happen in our world if we committed to raise our kids to think in terms of the “kingdom?” Although there are books out there challenging our thoughts about Christianity today by Clairborne, Campolo, McClarren and so many more written on another level of academia…..how great would it be if there were a manual for parents and families on these issues as well? Pulling out truths and practical application for Christians in helping their children experience and know God in this way from an early age?