Parenting and church and the Bible

1) I think the Bible is the most powerful parenting tool we have. It doesn't have to be used as a hammer - where you throw it in the child's face and demand that he obey it. But just reading it and giving the Holy Spirit the chance to sink it in can change a child's life. One time when our kids were in conflict, I just read 1 Corinthians 13 slowly enough for it to sink in, and the Spirit did the work through the word.

2) I was told once when I was going out or something “Remember who you represent” which means you represent Christ and your parents and family member's name. We tell our kids the same thing, kind of a good thing to make you think about things.

3) It is the parent's responsibility to teach and model the gospel to the children, not the churches.

4) Your child - whom you believe to be the cutest, most innocent being ever - is still a sinner who needs a new heart that comes from the shed blood of Christ.

5) Parenting must not be about having a child who makes you look good or makes your life easier, it is about making disciples through the gospel.

In the beginning…

1) Let the kids "cry it out" a couple of nights, and they'll quickly figure out to go to sleep was pretty good.

2) Don't try to be quiet around a newborn. The sooner they get used to noise (and they can sleep through it) the better.

3) Don't sweat the small stuff! Little kids, little problems- big problems. Enjoy this moment of your children- living in the past or future will cause you to miss the now.

4) "Don't wait until everything is in place before you start living your life. There will always be something else to do or something else to achieve, and if you wait until it's all in place, then it'll be too late." – Work your career around your life instead of the other way around. Also, try to squeeze as much family time into every day rather than just waiting for the day I finally have a "real" job.

5) Parenting is a full-time responsibility. Careers, hobbies, friends, and comforts will need to be sacrificed to be successful.

Parenting - before you start

The following suggestions are from attendees of Emmanuel Baptist Church, Rochester MN.

#1) Wait [a while] to get to know your spouse. Otherwise. . . after [you have] kids you wonder who the person sleeping next to you is?

#2) It's easier to give life than to give love.

#3) Early in our marriage, my Mom reminded me to take care of and invest in my relationship with my husband all through my marriage. She said someday your children will be gone and you need to be excited to spend the rest of your life with the man you married. It was great advice and at times hard when we were in the midst of raising children, establishing careers, etc. but I always remembered her advice.

The best parenting advice

The current preaching series at Emmanuel Baptist Church is on Godly parenting. Current and future

parents were asked to submit their answers to the title question,

“What is the best parenting advice you ever received / implemented / or used as a parent?”

The next series of posts is geared to get your feedback. I will organize posts somewhat by theme.

Current series:

sermon 1) Godly parenting: The place to start

You must parent yourself before you can parent your children.

Sermon 2) Godly parenting: The objective

The goal of parenting is to prepare children to meet Jesus.

Sermon 3) Godly parenting: The discipline

Sermon 4) Godly parenting: The pitfalls