Let’s admit it. Parenting can be very scary! Many of us, as parents, have felt that with even more intensity over the last year. Some of us became homeschool teachers overnight. We probably spent more time with our kids last year than any time before. And that likely revealed both some joys and some pains. The fact is that parents often not only feel afraid, but angry, frustrated, exhausted, and even at times, a desire to escape. Parents feel overwhelmed and under-qualified. In this series, we’re going to learn the 3 “Rs” of Parenting: Receive, Raise up, and Release.
August 1, 2021 |
1 Thessalonians 2:7-12 |
parenting
Parents have questions… Practical questions like: How and when should I discipline my child? How do I get them potty trained? And spiritual questions like: When is my child old enough to confess faith in Christ? What about baptism and the Lord’s Supper? How can I be sure that they are saved? In answering these questions, we have God’s Word as our guide, but we must also take into account the child’s level of maturity. Have you noticed that every child is unique? No two are the same. And as they grow, they change. So the parenting style that seemed effective when they were small, doesn’t work when they’re older.
Godly parents recognize their call to be leaders who make disciples. If we want to be effective, we have to match our parenting style to every child’s situation. In his first letter to the Thessalonians, the apostle Paul told them that he had discipled them like a parent according to their situation, sometimes gentle and affectionate like a mother and sometimes strong like a father in order to release them to live up to God’s calling. We can parent our children following God’s Word to match our child’s situation with a goal of releasing them to the Lord.
July 25, 2021 |
Ephesians 6:1-4 |
parenting
What is your parenting approach? Where did you learn how to be a mom or dad? Was it from your parents? From friends or a book? Or are you just winging it? What is your parenting style?
God’s Word teaches the importance of balancing discipline and affection in child-rearing. The apostle Paul told the Ephesians how to raise up their children according to God’s plan. As Christians, we can follow God’s Word in the training of our children and raise them up to maturity according to God’s plan.
July 18, 2021 |
Psalm 127:1-5 |
parenting
Let’s admit it. Parenting can be very scary! Now, I realize that not everyone here is a parent. Whether you’re single, married w/o kids, or you’re empty nesters, what the Bible teaches about parenting is still relevant. Because as a church family, we all can help support and encourage the raising up of the next generation.
In Psalm 127, Solomon wrote about the necessity of recognizing the Lord as the One builds families and watches over them. As a result, he wrote that children are to be received as a gift from the Lord. We can receive our children as a gift from the Lord.
