What is Christian Parenting? (Part 2)

Here is where we begin to deal with what I call ‘side of fries’ Christian Parenting.

In the opening comment of part one of this blog I talked about what most parents believe Christian Parenting to be. I sum that up as believing that we are to raise our children like everyone else aiming at them one day being healthy, well adjusted successful adults but with a side of Christianity. Bible stories, Sunday School, bedtime prayers etc. need to be added, so that hopefully, they will know Jesus, attend church and even read their Bible when they grow up.

Let’s examine what Paul wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to see if the ‘do you want fries with that?’ idea holds up.

Ephesians 6: 4 “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” (NIV)

First what is training and instruction? In order to really learn something we need to be instructed in it and trained in it. Think football, anyone who wants to play must be instructed in the rules, the strategies and the techniques then they have to get out on the field and train or put into practice and practice what they have learned.

That is simple enough, but what instruction and training are our children to be involved in? “The training and instruction of the Lord.”

Christianity is not about us going on with life as usual, trying to be good and making an effort to show up to church when we can. Being a Christian means that we turn our back on the world’s way of doing things in every area of life and we allow God’s Spirit to transform us into people who live our lives God’s way. It is not a thing ‘on the side’ but the foundation on which everything else in our lives must be built.

If we are disciples of Christ then we are endeavoring to learn His will from the Bible and with the help of His Spirit, we are busy applying the truths, changing who we are and how we behave in every area and in every relationship in our lives. What kind of husband/wife are we to be? How should we behave at work? What about honesty, integrity, love, patience, humility, wisdom, God’s will and direction for our lives, prayer, helping to further God’s Kingdom? These of course are not things that we can only think about when we are at church or when we are praying?

Paul says that we are to ‘bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.’ In other words we are to teach them what God’s word says about everything from telling the truth to following God’s will for their lives, from being good stewards of their finances to how to share their faith with others. We need to not only teach them but also train them or help them to walk it out and do it in their lives.

Christian Parenting is teaching and training our children to be disciples of Christ – it is God’s discipleship program for Christian kids.

God’s word says ‘bring them up in’ not bring them up with a little Christian stuff on the side.

Okay, if that made you feel a little overwhelmed, welcome to the club. Many Christian parents feel that they do not know enough about their own faith (and that they are not living it well enough) to disciple anyone.

However it is imperative that we understand this because the ‘side of fries’ approach will not work and understanding the truth will help us get moving (even with baby steps) in the right direction.

To sum up this two-part blog, Christian Parenting is simply raising disciples for Christ in a Christ like way.

In my next few posts we’ll begin to answer the question; How can I disciple my children when I don’t know how? But first, in my next post, I’d like to deal with a classic Christian Parenting question, “Isn’t it the churches job to teach our children about God and the Bible?”

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(RICK OSBORNE / Christian Author, Speaker & Dad - your source for Christian Parenting advice)