Are you passionate about creating a lasting legacy of faith in the next generation? Teaching others to hear from God is key. We invite you to dive into this blog, taken from He Still Speaks to Kids by Wayne Drain and Tom Lane. 

When I (Wayne) was a small boy in the beautiful foothills of the Ozark Mountains, I had many talks with my mom and grandparents. I grew up in a time when kids were to be seen and not heard, but my mother and my great-grandfather were different. Both had experiences as children when they heard God speak to them, so they talked to me about Jesus whenever they had an opportunity.

I loved talking to my mom about Jesus. The Holy Spirit and His power interested me early on just like it had my mom. I was fascinated with the thought that Jesus promised to return to earth one day. Even as a young boy, I had so many questions about God. Often on the way home from church, my mom would patiently help me find answers through her own experiences and the stories in the Bible.

“Mom, will God speak to me?”

“Yes, if you’ll listen good.”

I then went on to ask, “Mom, what does God sound like?”

She shared, “He can sound big like thunder, or He can whisper softly in your ear when you pray at night.” It all seemed so magical to me!

Today, we’re seeing a new generation of children interested in hearing from God. While many young believers enjoy hearing their parents and grandparents’ “back-in-the-day” stories of hearing God, most want to have an encounter with God for themselves! We believe God still speaks to people, including young people, and we believe the young and young-at-heart can learn to hear the voice of the Good Shepherd (see John 10:27).

Most believing parents diligently teach their children about God. We tell our kids Bible stories. We send them to Vacation Bible School to learn Scripture. We have them learn Christian songs to awaken their hearts to know God. It is my hope that we can teach our kids to know God by having an authentic relationship with Him. The best relationships go beyond knowing about someone and dive deeper to understand their ways. This is what David wrote of Moses’s relationship with God: “He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel” (ESV Psalm 103:7).

We get to know someone by spending time together, listening to each other, and communicating with each other. A relationship with God is no different. Most kids understand they can speak to God through prayer, so we teach them to “say their prayers.” However, it’s more difficult for kids to grasp that God wants to speak to them—unless we give them permission and opportunity.

The most important influencers on children are their parents and grandparents. Sadly, we are seeing a tendency in parents to sub-contract the spiritual responsibilities for their kids to youth leaders and children’s pastors. These wonderfully gifted people are there to help parents raise their children in the fear of the Lord but not replace them.

My wife and I feel very privileged to have created environments in our daily lives in which our children learned that God speaks. I have loved being there when my children started hearing God’s voice for themselves and began growing in confidence that they hear the Shepherd’s voice. Today, most of my family believes God still speaks today.

When my granddaughter Madison was seven years old, she asked me a question that delighted me. We were on the front porch rocking together, and Madison asked, “Papa, does God ever speak to you?”

“Yes, sometimes He does,” I answered. She was considering these things deeply, so I asked, “Does God ever speak to you?”

She replied immediately, “All the time!”

Taken aback, I asked, “What did God speak to you?”

Madison responded, “I was being bullied at school, and I asked Jesus to help me. He said inside my head, ‘Don’t worry, it’s going to be okay.’”

“Is that what happened?” I asked.

“Yes!” she replied.

I then asked, “What other times have you heard Him speak to you?”

Madison thought and said, “At night when I’m afraid or have a bad dream, I ask Jesus to help me get to sleep. And He says, ‘I’m right here. Don’t be afraid.’ Then I go to sleep!”

Young people can learn to hear from God themselves, and I believe He even wants to speak to adults through young people who have learned to hear the Shepherd’s voice. Yes, God still speaks to adults and to kids, too. And their voices will get louder as a new move of God’s Spirit breaks out across the world today.

Copyright © 2022 by Wayne Drain and Tom Lane

HE STILL SPEAKS TO KIDS | $15.99 Whether you're a parent, grandparent, or pastor, you can help the children, teens, and young adults in your life to hear from God. Discover practical ways to help them develop a relationship with God and hear His voice! Authors Wayne Drain and Tom Lane are passionate about creating a lasting legacy of faith in the next generation. Get your copy today!