Mistakes Parents Make, Part 2

I recently began posting some of the responses I received from FBCH members about the biggest mistakes parents make. Here's another...

Allowing your kids to stay overnight at a friends house when you don't know the family well enough.

Leaving your teenager home alone on a night when there is a science experiment due the next day! You might return to find the house has burned down to the ground (almost happened).

Here is a third, not monitoring you teenager's "My Space" on a surprise basis. On a related note, not stressing that "My Space" account is a privilege not a right.

Finally, allowing our kids to believe that leisure, recognition, and the accumulation of "stuff" is what gives meaning to life.

The Bulls Eye on Homeschooling

Millions of children are homeschooled in America. The reason why most of these are not in pubic school is because they have Christian parents who are concerned about the worldview their children would be taught. Others are simply concerned for their children's safety and cannot afford private school. Regardless of the reason, there is and has been a bulls eye upon homeschooling in America. A state appellate court ruled it illegal in California last year, unless the parent has a teaching certificate.

The latest? A judge in North Carolina ordered a homeschooling mother in the midst of divorce proceedings to send her children to public school. Judge Ned Mangum issued the ruling, even after acknowledging that her children were excelling academically. (Two of her three children are two grades above grade level and the other is at grade level.)

Tomorrow there is a big protest by homeschoolers across the state. I hope the turnout is strong.

Straight Talk About Cloning

In yesterday's Baptist Press, assistant editor Michael Foust wrote what I believe to be the best article on stem cell research and cloning that I have ever read. It is straight forward, simple, well argued and dead-on accurate. I don't say this often, but this article is almost a must read.

In this article, Foust says...

If America is going to have a debate about cloning -- as it appears we're on the verge of doing -- we all should at least be honest. There are two types of cloning: 1) reproductive cloning, in which a cloned embryo is placed inside a woman in hopes that it will implant and grow into a full-sized baby, and 2) research or therapeutic cloning, in which an embryo is cloned in order to harvest its stem cells -- a procedure that of course destroys the embryo. In each instance, somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) is used to create the embryo. The only difference is what is done with the embryo.

Read the entire article HERE.

Mistakes Parents Make, Part 1

I recently asked the parents of my church to tell me the most common mistakes they see parents make. In other words, how do parents hinder themselves from reaching the goal of raising children who will fear and love the Lord? I'll be posting some of the responses I got, without names, of course. There will be some overlap, but that's okay. Repetition is good!

Here's one parent's answers...

Failing to have a set breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner time together (this creates unity, security, and order and an opportunity to dialogue with your children)

Failing to tell your children that you love them and that you're proud of them. Building their self-esteem and teaching them to be verbally expressive of their feelings.

Christians kids shouldn't "date". This is a cultural norm - not biblical. Believers should court, but not date. Believing the fallacy that you must date several boys/girls before you'll know who to marry is unbiblical .

Unfiltered TV and/or unlimited TV

Unfiltered movie viewing (PG-13, Rated R movies with foul language, sexually suggestive content, etc)

Allowing them to wear suggestive clothing

Parents who send their children to public schools when they can afford private school or can home school them. They're turning their children over to the enemy - (directly by what is being taught and indirectly by allowing them to be influenced by non-believers and their behaviors). Believers should not send them to Athens to be educated, but to Jerusalem.

Failing to discipline them (from placing them in a corner to "the rod"...belt or switch)

Playing psychologist with your children...too much pop psychology de-emphasizes the parental role (which is necessary for them to learn if they're to learn to submit to their heavenly Father). They're not the parent or adult!

Allowing children to make too many choices or making big choices to early in life. Leads to insecurity.

Failing to know the Word of God...can't answer the basic questions of the faith leading them to lose their "authority" on matters of life and the spiritual realm (your sermon this past week hit a bulls eye!)

No chores leads to not understanding responsibility or failing to teach children that work is a high calling (Puritan work ethic) leads to a "welfare mentality". Privileges must be earned...this leads to disciplined work ethic

Unruliness during worship - disrespectful to the Lord (maybe a little off center on this one, but I see parents allowing this which means they don't understand the nature of worship which is we go to give to God rather than receive from God).

Allowing them to eat whatever they want (sugar/caffeine laden foods) which leads to poor nutrition. Then wondering why their kids misbehave.

The Joshua Challege

I recently preached a three week series on parenting, wrapping it up this past Sunday with Joshua's challenge from Joshua 24:14-15. ("As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.") I kept asking myself, "What would this challenge look like in the 21st century?" Obviously, the basic principle would not change, but how would such a challenge apply to the challenges today's parents face? I wrote the following version of "The Joshua Challenge" and challenged our members to sign it and keep it this Sunday. Have any suggested additions? Let me know. Regardess, I encourage YOU to take this challenge today.

The Joshua Challenge

I will model for my children a genuine fear of God and a life of service to Him.

I will ensure that my children always have a father/mother praying for them, with them and over them.

I will practice loving, Biblical discipline so that my children will know that there are consequences for wrong doing.

I will take seriously my responsibility to remove from my home and my children’s sphere of influence anything that might influence them to reject God’s Word or turn away from God’s authority over their lives.

I will do my best to be aware of the friends my children keep, the music they listen to, the publications they read, the web sites they visit and the entertainment they enjoy. Furthermore, I will have the final say regarding all of the above that may enter my home.

I will be aware of the worldview and values that my children are being taught at school, whether public or private. I will do everything I can to ensure that they are taught a Biblical worldview and godly values.

Living Hope

Peter said that we have a "living hope" through Christ's resurrection from the dead. Perhaps you'll find no greater example of how that hope expresses itself than the testimony of Cindy Winters, wife os slain SBC pastor Fred Winters from First Baptist Church of Maryville, Illinois. Fred was shot while preaching in the early service at his church on March 8.

CLICK HERE to see Cindy's interview on the Early Show, or scoll down to the bottom to see the funeral service. (Cindy's testimony is at the 88 minute mark.)

Who Would You Play?

Imagine that you're the manager of a baseball team. You're down by a run and the bases are loaded in the bottom half of the last inning with two outs. You have to make a choice. You have two potential pinch hitters available.

One is an all-star with a batting average over .300. The other player has struck out every time. To be honest, it's time he's sent back to the minors because he has yet to do anything that proves that he belongs in the big leagues. Which one will you choose?

Our president had the same decision to make on stem cell research. Adult stem cell research, the kind that does not destroy human life, has helped to provide treatments and cures for over 70 diseases. Not bad. Embryonic stem cell research, the kind that destroys actual human life (and not potential human life)...zero. Yet, Barak Obama decided that our tax dollars should go to research which has yet to produce a cure, in spite of the fact that it has received tremendous funding through the private sector and from other governments.

Of course, even if embryonic stem cell research produced many cures, that would not justify destroying innocent human life. The fact that it has repeatedly struck out only makes this decision all the more baffling.