Praying Parents: Teach Your Children How to Pray Too

Editor’s Note: This is the second part of an article series on parenting. Read the first part here.

Psalm 78:2-4 says, “I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter insightful sayings of old, which we have heard and known, what our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, but will tell the coming generation the praises of the Lord, and His strength, and the wonderful works that He has done.”

Scripture ties the task of parenting to the mission of teaching our children how to pray, which is the mission of the Children’s Prayer Covenant.

The Prayer Covenant for children imprints the hope and truth of the gospel onto a child’s heart, changing them and equipping them for the trouble they will undoubtedly face, despite our most valorous attempts to protect them. It creates a lifestyle of prayer rooted in truth and leads children into deeper and unhindered intimacy with Christ. It nurtures a child’s relationship with Jesus.

The tool is designed to lead children to pray the prayer each day for 10 days and then prompts children to ask Jesus to show them who He might want them to invite into a prayer covenant. Children then invite that person to pray the prayer with them for an agreed number of days as they pray for one another. A prayer covenant partner could be a friend, mom, dad, sister, brother, grandparent, teach or pastor.

The Prayer Covenant is a simple yet powerful way children and parents can follow Jesus together. Both are changed from the inside out by remaining in the presence of Jesus.

We receive stories from across the globe—testimonies of miraculous life transformation, newly discovered hope and the unity of formerly hostile families.

The task of parenting remains daunting, yet the power of prayer is our defense. Through prayer, a child is filled with the hope of the gospel, and the anxiety of a fearful mom is replaced with the peace of Christ.

While we cannot protect our children from all harm, we can teach them where to run when trouble comes.

While we cannot live up to the Christlike character we desire to see in our children, we can point them to the only one who can bear fruit in their lives.

While we cannot fully prepare our little ones for the trials ahead, we can remind them to find comfort and endurance in Christ alone.

Let us seize the eternally purposed opportunity to lead our hearts and the hearts of our children directly to all that is true and good: to Christ Himself.

For more information on The Prayer Covenant for Children please visit theprayercovenant.org.

To learn simple and effective prayer strategy grounded in Scripture and the Christian faith, listen to The Prayer Covenant with Candy Marballi on the Charisma Podcast Network now. {eoa}

Candy Marballi, president and CEO of The Prayer Covenant, has served in children’s ministries for over 30 years in the United States, Japan and the Philippines. Her newest book, He Hears Her Voice, will be released by Hachette in the Spring of 2022. In addition to serving on the International Prayer Council and on the Board of The Great Commission Coalition and the Prayer Covenant, she hosts Teach Us to Pray each day on KARI 55. She is a wife of 38 years to Vik Marballi, and they have two grown children. They reside in New Albany, Ohio.

Her book, The Power of the Prayer Covenant for Children was awarded GOLD for Education by Illumination Book Awards in 2015 and is presently being used to disciple, transform and evangelize children and youth in 70 countries throughout Africa, Asia, Latin America, North America and the Middle East. Over 7 million children and youth have been reached with this prayer tool.

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