

The following is from a section the current book I am working on. In it, I argue that learning to care for your children teaches you how to care for the church. Let me know your thoughts. – Chap “As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord has compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame, he remembers that we are dust. Psalm 103:13-14 “I thought I was a patient person—until I had children. Then I learned how impatient I really was.” I have lost count of the number of men who have said…
For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. Matthew 15:19 They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Romans 1:29-30 [B]ut in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good,…
By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches. Proverbs 24:3-4 As a pastor, I have had the privilege of meeting with a number of couples to walk through some premarital counseling. More recently, it has been a joy to do this in partnership with my wife. In addition, we have had the honor of helping other couples struggling in their relationship. More and more I find myself coming back to the above verse as foundational to everyone’s thinking. By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; by…
After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them, and asking them questions. Luke 2:46 Jesus is our perfect Savior and Sacrifice. He is perfect God and perfect man. There are many aspects of his life that are not meant to be repeated. However, there are some that serve as an example for us. In the verse above, Luke records a moment in Jesus’ life at 12 that should serve as an example for both adults and teens. In this well-known story, Jesus had been brought to Jerusalem for the Passover. But as his family left…
Here’s a quick take article on two different real-life scenarios that I think illustrate a similar principle. Scenario 1: I was having dinner with a friend when he mentioned an issue he was having. (I have permission to share.) My friend can be serious and sober about the things of God. But when he gets on a roll, he can be hilarious, sarcastic, and snarky. I love it. Sauce served with a smile. The problem has come because, as he is playing around with his son, my friend has found himself relating to his young son in this way. It is fun and…
When I am out speaking, the Q and A time can help bring up issues that I did not cover. And they’re great questions. The following is one from a recent conference. You will notice that much of the material comes from Parenting with Confidence. “I’ve got two young children. One is strong-willed, and the other is very sweet. I feel like I am correcting and disciplining the first one all the time. It feels out of proportion. Do you have any suggestions?” That’s a great question! Here are some things to keep in mind that apply to parents of younger children. I’m sure…
The following is a rough excerpt from a resource I am working on. In this chapter, I argue that “managing our household well” does not mean we will have no problems. It does not mean we have to appear as we have it together all the time. But it does mean that when the storms come, we will handle them in a godly manner. Understanding the storms will come, how does a leader respond in a godly manner? I would suggest there are at least three steps in the cycle. First, we seek to prevent problems. Rather than having a reactive leadership, a wise father…
What if my spouse and I disagree on child-rearing decisions or philosophy? The classic conflicts that newlyweds face–where to squeeze the toothpaste, which way the toilet paper rolls–have their equally classic counterparts in parenting: What activities do we choose and how many? Can the kids play before their chores are done? Do the kids even have chores? What’s the response to someone not finishing what’s on her plate?” Disagreement in child-rearing can be a common occurrence. After all, two well-intentioned Christian parents will have different approaches to child-rearing, child discipline, and the individual decisions we each have to make for our children. The…