Letter 4/29

April 29, 2010
Pastor Steve Mathewson
  

The more I learn about the way my Heavenly Father deals with his people, including me, the more I learn about parenting my own children. This conviction is behind our current sermon series on “Parenting Myths Exposed.” Our desire is to help you understand how the gospel informs and shapes the way that we bring up our children. 

This Sunday, May 2, I am planning to preach on Genesis 22:1-19 to expose the myth that “Good parents put their children first.” That myth sounds like truth at first. We are to care for our children, provide for them, and sacrifice for them. But I would argue that we are not supposed to put them first. Genesis 22:1-19 is the story of God’s test of Abraham. I want to make it clear that this chapter was not written to teach us how to be good parents. There is a much larger purpose behind it. But the truth it communicates about God can help us parent our children in a way that is consistent with the gospel.

I am so thankful for the godly wisdom that Craig and Carolyn Williford shared with us last week! Let me add to that by sharing some additional godly wisdom from a fine teaching pastor, Chip Ingram. The following quotes all come from his recent book, Effective Parenting in a Defective World. Take time to reflect on these quotes and think about how they apply to your situation as a parent or future parent.

• “We are easily guided by the land mines we want our kids to avoid rather than the character we want them to develop.”

• “Focus on the essentials and give some latitude on the nonessentials.”

• “God’s dream for your children is that they be holy, not happy. . . . If your children understand holiness correctly, they will learn to make good decisions not simply out of fear, but out of a positive response to Christ.”

• “Speak into the lives of your children words that will not only comfort them but also challenge them to be all God wants them to be.”

• “God wouldn’t ask us to love our children unconditionally and neglect to do the same for us.”

• “If a child can’t learn to obey a parent who is visible, he’ll never learn to obey a God who isn’t.”

• “People really only seek dependence on God when they feel their sense of need. A child whose parents always take care of everything for him has very little emotional need for God.” 

• “Discipline has nothing to do with retribution and everything to do with redemption. A child should never be blindsided by the discipline you hand down to her [or him].”

Sometime next week, we will present a revised budget and ask our members to approve it at the congregational meeting scheduled for Sunday, May 23. We need to be good stewards of the funds we have available for accomplishing our mission, and we need to spend within our means. Even though we have to make some cuts, I believe that God can bring about some good things out of this.

Finally, I enjoyed trip to Milwaukee with Rick and Clay from our staff to see the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit at the Milwaukee Public Museum. It is moving to see fragments of Scripture which were copied shortly before the time of Christ! I plan to attend again next weekend with a couple guys from our LIFE group. In the meantime, I look forward to see you all on Sunday!