Story-time may be more important than Sunday sermons. New research reveals mothers play a major role in bringing people to God.
On the eve of Mothers' Day a Natioinal Church Life Survey study has shown that as many as half of Australia's churchgoers within protestant congregations cite their mother as a positive influence on their conversion.
While still important, researchers found fathers are less influential.
Julie Kneale, mother of two-year-old Mark says Christian stories like Noah's Ark have helped shape her son's view of the world.
"When we go to bed I say, "Mummy loves you and daddy loves you and God loves you,' and he always answers, "Yeeeeeeessss!'," she says.
Helene Heywood from Baulkham Hills says it's amazing what her three daughters have understood.
"I generally assume that kids know more than they can express," she says.
The NCLS report, titled "Social Influences Upon Faith Development', suggests the major impact of parents is their faith and the way they lived it out.
Mrs Heywood believes an all-day attitude is the key.
"It's more than just involving God in everything," she says. "If you're somewhere you can say, "God made that' or talking about someone, you include God's perspective."
Three-quarters of people citing parental influence in the NCLS report were 10 or under when they became Christians.
Marcelle Smith, a mother of three children under seven, says she and husband Wayne have always made it a priority to pray with their kids.
"We always pray every day with the kids," she says. "A regular prayer point every night is that they'll love Jesus " so that they know it's important to do so."
For more information read the Southern Cross story Mum's the word in finding God.
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