Selecting "godparents" - criteria?

[moselle]

Many years ago we asked my sister and her husband if they would care for our children if dh and I both died. It has been weighing on my mind a bit lately, as I've been discovering how deeply involved they have become in the "Word of Faith" movement. A few years back they actually attended a "school of prophesy" of some sort in Kansas City, MO (I was told they were going to a Kansas City "Bible School", and only recently realized what that school really was.)

They have never lived near us (and they move roughly every 2 years) but now they are planning to move to Redding, CA to become involved in the Bethel Church "School of Supernatural Ministry". They are not open about their faith except in vague ways - "pray for this or that request", general statements of belief that God will carry them through troubles, etc. Nothing that raises a red flag. On the other hand, they have never in the past 5 years mentioned their church, and I wonder if they even attend a church. They know we are Presbyterians and so I think they try to keep quiet about a lot, thinking we would not "approve" and probably wanting to keep peace.

That's probably more than you need to know, but I do have concern over the wisdom of having them care for our (6) children and raise them in that environment if God should see fit to "take dh and I home".

What do you think? How would you go about selecting someone? Would you consider close friends who share the same Biblical beliefs over family members? We will have to change our wills once baby #6 is born, so dh and I really need to give this some serious prayer and thought.

 

[BJClark]

moselle;

This is a very difficult and serious decision to make.

Why not take the time to talk to your sister about her faith and beliefs in detail, that way you can make a wise decision on the matter, be honest with her about why you are asking.

It is also a huge responsibility on the part of the person who accepts such a role on behalf of another person, to raise their children in the event of a death of both parents.

When my brother asked me to be that for his daughter I had to pray about it, and discuss it at great length with him, as they are Roman Catholic, and I am not, and I could not in good conscience raise his daughter in their beliefs of the RC Church, in such a case and he needed to know that. He and his wife discussed it, and agreed they still wanted me to fill that role to care for their child in the event of their death. So I agreed.

Most people don't look at the faith teaching side of such a role, they merely look at the 'who will love my children the best' and family typically fits that bill. So you also need to look at how they raise their own children if they have any..do you agree with how they parent their own children? And not just in the things of God, but in general, are you in agreement?

 

[Grace Alone]

I would absolutely choose someone from my church family to be guardians for my children over my biological family if they did not share the same faith that we do. Most of our family go to liberal churches and are probably not Christians. I'd never place my children with them over a godly family from our church. I'd say the same about family going to charismatic, pentecostal, or other churches that we would have significant doctrinal disagreement with.