3 Family Dinner Conversation Starters
Busy with back-to-school activities? Kinda kicks summer's easy-going life style out the back door doesn't it? Daily routines become normal once again. That includes family dinners. And family dinner conversations.You do sit down several times a week to eat dinner together with your kids, right?Families who eat together are less likely to have children who engage in drug and alcohol abuse. Honest—people do studies on this sort of thing. Family bonding is important.And building a spiritual legacy is all about relationships. Especially with your kids.One way to expand your relationship with your kids, and their relationship with God, is to center family dinner conversations around the ways of God.
Here's how to start
Choose one of the three conversation starters below.During dinner ask your family to share whether they agree or disagree with the statement and why.Listen and learn what your kids are thinking.After everyone has voiced their opinion, let God share what he thinks by reading the Scriptures given with the statement.Wrap the conversation up with a discussion on God's point of view discovered in the Scriptures you just read.Hint—don't lecture. Ask questions such as, "Why do you think God said this?" or "How have you seen this to be true in your own life and in the lives of your friends." You can also use stories from your own life that illustrate the Scriptures shared. Be open and vulnerable with your kids about your journey with Jesus. Otherwise they won't be able to relate to you.
3 Family Dinner Conversation Starters
1. People are basically good. (Romans 3:10; Isaiah 53:6; Romans 8:1-4)2. Christians do wrong things and have issues just like other people. (Colossians 3:5-10; Hebrews 5:12-13)3. You really can't tell if a person is a Christian or not. (Matthew 7:15-23; Luke 3:8; John 15:8)Rinse and repeat with the other two statements at other family meals.So there you have it, folks—dinner conversations centered around God and his ways. Try to have a conversation like this several times a week with your kids. You want them to be comfortable talking with you about Jesus and the ways of the world that don't always line up with your Christian values. Especially when your kids are teenagers or young adults.And oh, by the way . . . I almost forgot . . . these conversation starters work great with your grandkids too. Try them the next time you have a grandkid or two over for dinner or out for a hamburger.Share with us some conversation starters you've used to spark discussions about the Lord and life with your kids. We're all learning from each other, and we'd love to have your input.Have a great week! Susan"Jesus likes it when we share." -Adelaide, age 3: Pass this along to everybody and their brother. OK, maybe not everybody's brother, but you know . . . all of your friends would be nice.
