Parenting Archive
How do we truly guide our children to become disciples of Jesus? Greg Baird provides timely insights that highlight three proven methods of intentional parenting. These truths apply readily to caregivers in ministry as well. _______ As fulfilling as it can be, anyone who’s been a parent for longer than about a week knows that parenting is hard! There’s no manual, and everyone seems to have different …
Discipleship Truth: In the upper room, Jesus prayed that friendships among all His followers would mirror the oneness that Christ enjoyed with His heavenly Father. “May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent Me and that you love them as much as you love Me” (John 17:23). Jesus prayed for Christians to love, to worship, and to serve alongside …
“Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He will do it.” (Psalm 37:3-5) Discipleship Truth: God is the supreme centerpiece of the universe. He eclipses everything else. Without the Lord’s vigilant attention, all life would end—matter …
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 16:24-25 ESV) Discipleship Truth: Jesus often surprised His disciples by giving them tasks that they felt incapable of performing. To expand …
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” (John 14:15-17 ESV) Discipleship Truth: Jesus made …
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17, ESV). How Kids Think Kids wonder, “Are the things I learn in Church really true?” Children who have routinely swallowed teaching about relativism and tolerance have little regard for absolute …
Kids protest, “Why are you punishing me?” Children only see that correction results in a rebuke, spanking, or loss of privileges. They cannot yet appreciate the long-term value of godly discipline that molds, strengthens, and perfects their character. “An effective, Biblically sound children’s training process must be comprehensive and ultimately help kids know God intimately, love Him passionately, and serve Him selflessly.” Children are predisposed …
