Recent studies from the Barna Institute show that a persons moral foundations are usually pretty much in place by the age of 9 and that what they believe rarely changes after age 13. The most effective way to influence such beliefs is by teaching people when they are young and still in a spiritually formative stage." www.barna.org
This lends great urgency to the first decade of parenting and shows that waiting to establish attitudes about marriage and sexuality - till the teen years is very risky. During a parents waiting years, the world will have had plenty to say about what it presents as ‘normal, expected or healthy’ and this will have formed the moral base by default. Great emphasis on character is needed in the early years – yes for the whole of life and yes for the mastery over our sexuality. For example, Proverbs 31 is an acrostic poem taught by the mother of a king to her very young son – perhaps as young as 4-6 years! This was a concentrated effort at teaching him to recognise the character of a good wife. We can learn much from her model.
FOUNDATIONS POINTS
1. The Foundation
2. The Marks of a Purity Outcome
3. We get a vision for the long haul – it takes time to change hearts and longer to change a culture!
4. Cast a vision (Parents, staff, child)
5. First be in your hearts (Parents, Staff PD)
6. The method must match the message
7. We face difficulty with creativity.
8. URGENT! Barna ages 9 & 13
9. Wisdom and innocence
10. The Language of Innocence
11. Languages of moral innocence and moral context
12. Age appropriateness
13. Moral readiness
14. Age of moral responsibility
15. Physical need to know
16. Protection, Preparation, Provision and Empowerment
