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One reason that young people give for walking away from their faith is hypocrisy in the home. What they mean is not that we sin. We all sin including them. What they mean is that we sin and we don’t seem to do anything about it. One particular prevalent parenting sin is anger. Anger in the home often continues because we feel it is justified in the moment. In addition, only our family sees us get upset. It is a secret sin. But in our hearts we know this is not the way Jesus would have us act. I should…

I recently found this tucked away. These principles guided us for years and still do. I think it is original with me. But when I read something as good as this I think I must have stolen it from someone and forgotten to reference. If that is true, please let me know. Enjoy! Family Principles 1. We love, honor and obey Jesus Christ in all that we do: By growing in His Word By worshipping Him with our whole heart By inviting him to be on the throne of our heart during the day By growing in our character  2. We…

(From a Man Who Has Been There) This article originally appeared here in 2014. It is even more true today. This is an open letter to young men out there. All types of young men: my twenty-one-year-old son, young men in my church, and more particularly—young men who would like to date my daughters. With one daughter having graduated from college and another in college, I have observed your dateless world. With a cultural war on manhood, you have lost markers that give you confidence. Allow a former young man to give you some guidance. You are growing up in…

It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcomings, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and…

I have the privilege of presenting the material of The Disciple-Making Parent in all sorts of settings. I have a five hour weekend workshop I can do. I present a practical how to workshop. But I also present the material in a keynote style. You can listen to that talk below. Overview Introduction and the Framework  – 1:22 God Intends The Great Commission to be the North Star – 10:30 You are God’s Most Effective Shepherd – 15:42 A Common Myth We Believe – 21:00 How to Disciple: Five Things to Focus On  – 25:10 [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left…

I recently had the privilege of hearing Erik Raymond, author of Chasing Contentment, speak on that very subject. He is an excellent, low-key, metaphor-filled speaker. As he was addressing us, I found myself applying his words to my life at home. Maybe they can help you too. Here are some personal reflections on thinking about contentment and discontentment in my home. 1. My home is ground zero where I see my discontented heart. Whether grumbling to myself about my spouse, my children, my finances, my home, or a myriad of other things, it is easy to be discontented about my…