Equipping Parents for

Biblical Childrearing

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What is Happening?
“That we should no longer be children, tossed to
and fro and carried about with every wind of
doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning
craftiness of deceitful plotting.” Ephesians 4:14

 Unless our children believe that God’s Word is

truth and understand, clearly, their position before
God and His plan for their salvation through His
Son, Jesus Christ, they will most likely be
continually changing their minds about what they
believe when:
- Someone tells them something different,
- Or when someone has cleverly lied to them
and made the lie sound like the truth.
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What is Happening?

 Often, once children become teens or have

graduated from school, they don’t want to attend
church any more.
- They say the church doesn’t have anything
that interests them.
- They don’t see a need for God in their lives.
- They haven’t made the biblical beliefs of
their parents their own.

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Remember:

“ We have virtually lost a generation

– we cannot afford to lose anothe
r.”
–Who is responsible?

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Who is Responsible?

 To teach our children spiritual things?

 To make sure our children know when someone is
speaking lies to them?
 To make sure our children see the importance of
regularly fellowshipping with believers?
 To help them see their responsibility to live a life
that is pleasing to the Lord and a testimony to
others of their faith in the one and only true God.

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Spiritual Training—Owners

And, fathers,
do not provoke
your children to anger; – tells us
but bring them up who _____
ownsit.
in the discipline and instruction of
the Lord.…
– Ephesians 6:4

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Spiritual Training—Violators

And, fathers,
do not provoke
– tells us
your children to anger; who
but bring them up _______
disobeysit.
in the discipline and instruction of
the Lord.…
– Ephesians 6:4

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Spiritual Training—Doers

And, fathers,
do not provoke
– Tells us
your children to anger; who ____
does
but bring them up it.
in the discipline and instruction of ACTIVE,
the Lord.… not passive

– Ephesians 6:4

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Spiritual Training—Doers?
“Bring them up”
– defines who does it

Parents think: Parents feel:

I’m Inadequate
responsible
So they
Children’ s Children’ s delegate
workers workers
are experts know how

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Spiritual Training—Doers?
“Bring them up”
– defines who does it

Parents think: Consequences:

The job is Spiritual training
getting done is just one more
When they activity
delegate the
They don’ t Truth isn’ t
responsibility need to do it adopted into
at home worldview

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Spiritual Training—
Doers?
“Bring them up”
– defines who does it

Parents The
  Parents feel: So they… They think:
think: consequences:
   
I ’m       Spiritual training is
About
Inadequate just one more
themselves: Responsible   The job is They do
activity
Delegate getting n’t need
done to do it
   
so …  
About They’re They know Truth isn’t adopted
children’s   into the child’s
workers: Experts how worldview

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Spiritual Training—Doers

And, fathers,
do not provoke
– tells us the
your children to anger; _________
but bring them up boundaries
in the discipline and instruction of What a safe,
the Lord.… beautiful,
– Ephesians 6:4 healthy place to
raise children!

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Picture This!

 A home where the father and mother love the Lord and are
obedient to the teachings in God’s Word.
 The parents take an active role in training their children in the
ways of the Lord.
 The children come to know who God is and desire to please
Him.
 The children understand their sin problem and believe in what
Christ has done for them on the cross.
 The children desire to follow Jesus’ example as taught in
God’s Word.
 The children love and obey their parents; they obey those in
authority over them. 13
How to Equip Parents
The problem: all parents aren’t at
the same place!

Unaware Aware

Unprepared Prepared

Unwilling Willing

Unsaved Saved
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Unaware or Unprepared
We minister to
__ the child and __
to the
parents

Church
Adult Children’s
workers workers

The
fragmented
ministry
Parents Child
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Unaware or Unprepared
In this case,
church leaders must act!

Church
Adult Children’s
workers workers

The
fragmented
ministry
Parents Child
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Unwilling or Unsaved
We minister _______
throughthe child __ the
to
parents

Church
Adult Children’s
workers workers

Connecting
thru the child
Parents Child
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Unwilling or Unsaved
In this case,
children’s workers must act!

Church
Adult Children’s
workers workers

Connecting
thru the child
Parents Child
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The Ideal Model
We minister ________
through the parents and
__to
the child

Church
Adult Children’s
workers workers

The
Biblical
perspective
Parents Child
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The Ideal Model
In this case,
parents must act!

Church
Adult Children’s
workers workers

The
Biblical
perspective
Parents Child
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What Must Parents Do?

 Parents must see the importance of investing their time

into learning biblical truths and how to teach them to their
children.
 The church must be prepared to show the parents how to
teach their children.
 Parents must train their children in the ways of the Lord
through God’s Word and their daily example.
 Parents must see that their children attend a church where
spiritual truth is taught.

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Where Are You?

Church
Church

The
fragmented
ministry
Parents
Parents Child
Child

Church
Church Church
Church

The
Connecting Biblical
thru the child perspective
Parents
Parents Child
Child Parents
Parents Child
Child
Remember:

“ We have virtually lost a generation

– we cannot afford to lose another.”

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Think about this:

 It’s near impossible to do enough in

children’s ministry to change the
direction our children are heading.
 If we are not successful getting
involvement from the home, we will
lose another.

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A Challenge

What will YOU do to

equip parents?

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Suppose…

 You are a young parent…

 You have 3 children: 2
boys and a girl, 5 to 9… What will you
 Now—think 20 years want to be able to
ahead… say about your
 Your children are 25 to 29 children then?
Top Priority?

 Our adult children love the Lord

and are obedient to the teachings
in God’s Word.
 They seek God’s direction for their lives.
 They are active in their church.
 They testify of their faith in Jesus Christ through
word and life style at work, at home, and at church.
 You know they will take an active role in training
their children in the ways of the Lord.
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Now Suppose…

 It’s today again…

 You’re still the young parent…

What can you do NOW that will have

the greatest success in the areas you
have listed as top priority?
The Object of Family Life…

This passage is… Hear, O Israel: The

 the Sh’ma – the central LORD our God, the
LORD is one! You
statement of the Jewish shall love the LORD
faith. your God with all
 as familiar to Jews as your heart, with all
John 3:16 is to your soul, with all
your strength.
Christians
— Deut. 6:4,5

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The Object: Heart-Set

And these words

Love God which I command
with all your you today shall be
heart. in your heart …

— Deut. 6:6
Environment of Family
Life…

We will achieve the You shall teach

object them diligently to
when we surround children your children …
by the right — Deut. 6:6
environment.

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Environment of Family
Life…

All Day

You shall teach

them diligently to
Love God your children …
with all your
heart. — Deut. 6:6

Every Day
A Closer Look…

1st phrase: Teaching

 Sounds planned …when you sit in
your house, when
 Sounds structured
you walk by the
 Sounds like important truths are way, when you lie
being taught down, and when
you rise up.
 Sounds like mealtime — Deut. 6:7b
 Sounds like family meeting time

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A Closer Look…

2nd phrase: Teaching

…when you sit in
 Sounds unplanned your house, when
you walk by the
 Sounds unstructured
way, when you lie
 Sounds like applying content down, and when
you rise up.
 Sounds like any time — Deut. 6:7b

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A Closer Look…

All Day
Balanced …when you sit in
teaching
your house, when
Love God you walk by the
with all your way, when you lie
heart. down, and when
you rise up.
— Deut. 6:7b
Every Day
A Closer Look…

3rd & 4th phrases: Teaching …when you sit in

 Review and reflection at the your house, when
you walk by the
end of the day
way, when you lie
 Preparation for a new day down, and when
you rise up.
 The dominant lifestyle — Deut. 6:7b
characteristic of the home

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A Closer Look…

All Day
Balanced …when you sit in
teaching
your house, when
Love God you walk by the
with all your way, when you lie
heart. down, and when
Continuous you rise up.
lifestyle — Deut. 6:7b
Every Day
A Closer Look…

Constant exposure: Bind them as a sign

on your hand, and
 On your hand – what YOU they shall be as
see frontlets between
your eyes.
 On your forehead – what
— Deut. 6:8
OTHERS see

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A Closer Look…

All Day
Balanced Bind them as a sign
teaching
on your hand, and
Love God they shall be as
with all your frontlets between
heart. your eyes.
Scripture Continuous — Deut. 6:8
exposure lifestyle
Every Day
A Closer Look…

Memory triggers: Write them on the

doorposts of your
 The last thing you see house and on your
before you leave your house gates.
— Deut. 6:9
 The first thing others see
when entering your home

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A Closer Look…

All Day
Memory Balanced Write them on the
triggers teaching
doorposts of your
Love God house and on your
with all your gates.
heart. — Deut. 6:9
Scripture Continuous
exposure lifestyle
Every Day
With God’s Help . . .

What will WE do to equip

parents?

It won’t happen without a plan!