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Spirit-Led Parenting


The Gospel Coalition has an excellent post on parenting in step with the Holy Spirit. Here is one paragraph:

"A better parenting paradigm is faithfulness-driven rather than results-led. Our role as parents is not to “produce” children who exhibit certain behavior criteria, but to be mere instruments in the Holy Spirit’s ongoing work in the heart of our children. We highly value and adhere to the wisdom of Proverbs, Deuteronomy, Hebrews, and other child-training passages in the Scriptures and realize only God transforms the hearts of our children."

You can read the whole thing here.


Ten Tips For Teaching Kids


Teach all the time: Young children live in the moment. Help them to learn in the moment by making the most of opportunities as they arise. Talk about God in the day-to-day things you are doing.

Teach at a special time: Try to set aside a special time to read about God. Prepare for this time. If you are going to read the Bible, think about what you will read and how to simplify and explain it.

Questions and answers: Listen to your children’s questions, and give quality time to answering them. But also ask them questions about what you’ve been trying to teach to check they have understood.

Teach through your life: You are a living example (or visual aid) of someone who loves God. Set a faithful example of dependence on God and let them see you reading the Bible for yourself.

Be prayerful: Like adults, children need God’s help to grow in Christ and they can learn to pray. So pray for them and pray simple prayers with them (e.g. “sorry God that we…”, “thank you God for…”, “God, please help…”).

Be simple: Young children are not abstract thinkers so be literal and concrete. Use real examples where possible (eg. God made this flower). Use simple vocabulary that they can understand. Avoid jargon.

Be specific: Move from the specific (God loves Ben) to the general (God loves everyone). Use lots of familiar examples so that they can understand.

Repeat and repeat again: You might get tired of saying it, but remember young children thrive on repetition.

Be thankful: Approach God with thankfulness. Model to your children how we can thank God in various situations and what we can thank God for.

Be visual: Young children learn through their eyes as well as their ears. Use pictures, visual aids, picture books etc.

You can read the article here.


Children’s ministry - 11th post

  • Aug 01, 2011


Childhood Conversion


"Childhood conversion".

I don't know about you, but as a parent - I find those two words to be a constant source of hope for my own children, but also an occasional source of angst.  How on earth can I understand a profession of faith in Christ by my children? How do I discern genuine faith in a young, inmature, sinful, precious child? When should children who profess faith in Christ be baptized? Do I wait for a period of time - or do I take them to the nearest body of water? As parents, what do you want more than for the Holy Spirit to take out the heart of stone and put in the heart of flesh? Doesn't your own spirit just light up when your children evidence anything resembling a godward inclination?

Jim Elliff has a very interesting article on childhood conversion, as well as many other helpful resources for parents and churches. I highly recommend his biblically informed, insightful article. You can view it by clicking here.


Dr. Jim Grier:  Thoughts on a God Centered view of Marriage & Family


 

How grateful we are for the fellowship we at Five Points share with Dr. Jim Grier and his wife, Shirley. If you have not visited his web page, you can do so by clicking here. There are many helpful resources - sermons, conference messages, lectures, and articles.

While listening to one of Dr. Grier's messages, I came upon a few gems with respect a God centered view of marriage and family.

To young people contemplating marriage:

Young people, when you come to make the decision about marriage - it's not:  "You make me happy. I love you. I want you." If that's the base, I'll tell you where your marriage is going very, very quickly. It is:  "I know you. There's nothing about you that needs to change for me to desire to share my entire life with you - and to enter into the intimacy that's possible to image our God in this world and to bear a progeny who will image Him as well and serve His kingdom."

To married couples with children:

Blessed are the children who are raised in a home where the center of the home is Christ and the second center of the home is husband and wife, not children. Cause when children are made the center of the home and the whole home gravitates around the children, they are ill prepared to leave in order to marry and to raise a family.


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