A “Come to Jesus” Around Why We Must Press In to Active Parenting Right Now.
What does it look like to actively parent? What does your gut say that means? And more importantly, what does your Bible say about it?
In the current world we’re living in, our children are bombarded on the daily with a particularly humanistic and anti-God worldview, more so than in any other generation before. From the things that are being taught as official “curriculum” in their schools, to what passes as acceptable and even “encouraging” and “kind” in the TV shows and movies they are watching, to the escalating violence found in the video games they are playing, to what is being talked about and offered up as the “norm” in their friend groups, it’s a concerning time to be parenting, to put it mildly. It can feel downright scary and overwhelming if we’re being really honest.
As a Christian parent, the Bible tells me my first job is to train up my children in the way they should go so when they are old they won’t depart from it. God’s word also tells me the way to do this best: by telling the stories of what God has done and reminding my children of his commandments and his nature. We are to train our children up in the ways of God. These days that means undoing the training that’s being done to them on the daily by all the aforementioned institutions and their authority figures.
How do we actively parent towards godliness and Kingdom values in an environment like this? What’s holding us back from being truly present in our kids’ lives and telling them the stories and the commands of God on a regular basis? And how do we get back on track? We’re having a good old fashioned “Come to Jesus” in this episode of Positioned to Prosper. So if you’re ready to get clear on the state of the next generation and how we must align in this season to truly train up our children, grab your journal and a pen, and . . . Let’s Go!
What you will learn in this episode:
- Why it is important to really press into active parenting right now;
- The main places the next generation is being challenged to buy into a humanistic and anti-God worldview and scripture to help us frame these challenges properly;
- What we as parents (and as a community of “co-parents” — aunts, uncles, grandparents, teachers, pastors and even spiritual family members) can do to help the next generation know the stories of God and to have disciplines in place to take what they are learning in various venues and line it up with what the word of God says; and
- How to get a bit more present and intentional with your kids to train them up into the things of God in spite of the daily, worldly assaults on their worldview and mindsets.
Scripture References mentioned in this episode:
Proverbs 22:6 —
Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.
Psalm 78 —
O my people, listen to my instructions.
Open your ears to what I am saying,
for I will speak to you in a parable.
I will teach you hidden lessons from our past—
stories we have heard and known,
stories our ancestors handed down to us.
We will not hide these truths from our children;
we will tell the next generation
about the glorious deeds of the Lord,
about his power and his mighty wonders.
For he issued his laws to Jacob;
he gave his instructions to Israel.
He commanded our ancestors
to teach them to their children,
so the next generation might know them—
even the children not yet born—
and they in turn will teach their own children.
So each generation should set its hope anew on God,
not forgetting his glorious miracles
and obeying his commands.
3 John 4 —
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
Deuteronomy 5:8-10 —
You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.
Links to Resources Mentioned in This Episode:
I mentioned a study that was done showing the genetics of one generation that experienced environmental stressors can be inheritable to following generations. Here’s a link to the study:
I also highlighted the next generation’s draw towards real justice and truth. Here’s an article published by Barna in 2019, and an interesting quote from the article — “As George Barna has shown, a person’s worldview is most often in place by the time they reach the age of 13.” 13, folks! We’ve got to take active parenting seriously.
What Will It Take to Disciple the Next Generation?
Erica co-leads a local church alongside her husband, Doug, in Tampa, Florida called REVIVE Church of Tampa. You can visit the church’s website for more information about who we are, what we believe and how we show up as the Church in the heart of West Tampa and beyond.
REVIVE Church of Tampa streams services live on Friday nights at 7pm ET and Sunday mornings at 11am ET. You can find those livestreams on our church Facebook page:
Live Services – Fridays at 7pm ET and Sundays at 11am ET
If you’re interested in joining the online campus of REVIVE Church of Tampa, you are welcome to join our community group on Facebook where we offer weekly discussion around the Friday and Sunday messages as well as discipleship Zoom groups and the opportunity to host others in your home as you stream services. You can find us here:
The ROCC: REVIVE Online Campus Community
About this podcast:
Positioned to Prosper is a weekly podcast that covers the ins and outs of what it means to live a lifestyle of breakthrough and victory in your relationships, health, finances and beyond. Your host, Erica Pyle, is no stranger to jumping without the proverbial parachute while maintaining a firm grip on godly wisdom. A self-described slayer of pragmatism and a “walk by faith” kind of girl, Erica is an unabashed believer in the power of God to radically transform lives. Front-footed in faith as she offers straight-up truth, strategies, and wisdom for living victoriously, and equipped with her love for the word of God, her certification as a holistic health coach, and years of experience in personal finance and taxation, Erica is ready to help you get positioned to prosper.
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