Why in the name of heaven would Christian parents choose to embrace a parenting philosophy that is unbiblical?  There are a plethora of reasons and we will explore some of the most pertinent.  Parenting Biblically in a post-Christian culture is hard, however, my hope today is to provide clarity and make things just a little bit easier!

The number one question that my husband and I receive from readers, church members, and friends are “How did we manage to raise six kids to follow Jesus?”.  A close second is “How did you get them to all like, love, and want to spend time together?”.  The simple answer is parenting Biblically.

Parenting Biblically means that you are first and foremost focusing on loving your children the way Christ loves you.  The biblical role of a parent is to guide the children God has placed in your care. Fathers and mothers have the responsibility to facilitate the spiritual, emotional, and physical well-being of their children. The most important biblical duty of a parent is to make dedicated disciples of Christ. 

 

 

Parenting Biblically In A Post Christian Culture

 

Exodus 20:12  Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

Lamentations  3:22-23  The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Proverbs 1:8-9  Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching, for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck.

Proverbs 13:24  Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.

Proverbs 22:6  Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 29:17 Discipline your son, and he will give you rest; he will give delight to your heart.

Psalm 127:3-5  Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.  Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them. He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.

Matthew 6:33  But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

John 8:51  Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.

Acts 2:38-39  Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.

Galatians 6:9  And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

Ephesians 6:4  Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.

Philippians 4:6-7  Do not be anxio

us about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

2 Timothy 3:14-16  But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.  All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.

 

1 John 3:7  Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it shows that they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous.

 

 

Living in a post-Christian culture confuses things a bit for parents who were never taught a Christian Worldview.  Even if you were taught how the world really works, there is one who seeks to confuse, destroy and deceive.  We must be aware of this factor in our roles as mothers and fathers.  There are so many parenting styles to choose from today and that in and of itself may seem overwhelming. For the record, you may read about attachment parenting, wild and free parenting,  positive parenting, simplicity parenting, etc. However,  you must then take what you learned in your parenting book/philosophy and fact-check it with the Bible.  If there is something contrary to the Word of God then out it must go.  

At the time of this writing I have been parenting for over 32 years and I can tell you from experience that the Bible has never been wrong once but my husband and I have been wrong more than we can count.  Doing what’s right in your own eyes is never a good idea! Read the Bible in light of God’s love, ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you, and honestly, you can’t go wrong. 

An enormous part of Biblical parenting is choosing how you will educate your children.  As Deuteronomy 4:9 states, “Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children’s children.”

 

 

One of the critically important decisions that

Believers must make in today’s post-Christian world

is about school choice and it must be approached

with a Christian Worldview.  

 

 

I can speak honestly about all three choices available to us in the United States, public school, private school, and homeschool.  I have years of experience with all.  I started out my teaching career in the public school system.  Each of my children has experienced each of the school choices.  My beloved children were mostly home-educated (I have homeschooled for a total of 22 years) and then each one has two years in public school and two years in a Christian school.  That said, I am able to speak truthfully about the benefits and drawbacks of each educational option. 

Sadly, after much prayer, seeking counsel, doing research, and looking at stats. I believe that in most circumstances a Christian family‘s choice for school has now diminished to two choices instead of three.  After researching the current national public school curriculum,  I can not in any way endorse it.  It is anti-biblical in every subject matter and devalues life as well. I believe it to be damaging to the soul. (I would like to add a caveat before I go on. I can not know your particular situation. Every parent must pray about every parenting decision they make, God will guide you!) This leaves many devoted parents in a bit of a fix. 

Choosing between a Christian school and home education comes down to finances and educational philosophy.  Each is an appropriate choice for Christ-followers.  That said, you may be asking yourselves “what do I do now?”.  PRAY and God will be a light to your path. 

 

Lastly, I’d like to leave you with some resources that I wholeheartedly endorse.  Please prayerfully check them out.

 

  • FREE Homeschooling Resources from The Peaceful Haven
  • FaithPrep Online Christian School  I highly recommend this program for people who are not naturally inclined to homeschool.  It’s an excellent well-rounded program!  43% of parents who identify as Christian said in a recent national survey that public education does not reflect their personal values and that there are options out there that better align with Christian Values such as FaithPrep.  As a Mom with a chronic illness, I wish I would have had this option!
  • My Father’s World brings the proven teaching methods of Charlotte Mason to life by incorporating key elements of her educational philosophy into our curriculum. 

 

YOUR TURN…

Please share your Biblical parenting tips in the comments below!

 

Blessings,

 

*This post may contain affiliate links.  Thank you for supporting The Peaceful Haven! 

Janelle Esker

Janelle Esker is the grateful wife of Michael and homeschooling mother of six amazing children. She lives with her family, 4 cats, 1 dog, 3 ducks and 12 chickens in scenic Ohio. Janelle received her B.A. in Education from Ohio Northern University. She is the author of CHOSEN: One Family's Journey with Autism.

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