Over the years, I have read a lot of great Christian parenting books. My favorite, thus far, has been William Farley’s, Gospel-Powered Parenting: How the Gospel Shapes and Transforms Parenting. It contains 200-plus pages of biblical parenting wisdom. But for those parents who need some quick, practical parenting reminders this week, Monergism has posted a wonderful (and short) article by Geoffrey Kirkland, “5 Reminders for Christian Parents.” Here are his five reminders with a few choice quotes:
- Be a faithful Christian. (Piety)
Perhaps the simplest and most foundational reminder that I could proffer to Christian parents is simply to be a faithful Christian. Live what you speak. Practice what you preach.
- Pray with fervent earnestness. (Prayer)
The preeminent weapon that every Christian parent possesses is prayer…Pray with fervency and ask God to save and sanctify and to convert and change the souls that God has entrusted to you for the short years they live under your care.
- Impress Scripture on their minds and hearts. (Priority)
…Children are never too young to learn nor are they too old to have Scripture impressed upon their hearts and minds. Parents, in all your doings for and with your children, always remember to bring God’s truth to bear in conversations, in hardships, in discouragements, in uncertainties, and in triumphs!
- Urge them to consider eternity. (Perspective)
Life is too short to focus solely on the here and now. Eternity is so long that it behooves us to speak much and speak often of heaven and hell with our children. Urge them to consider their souls…Show them Christ! Give them the gospel! Urge them to repent of sin and trust in Christ! Urge them to lose their lives now so as to gain them eternally!
- Remember growth takes time. (Patience)
…The hearts of our children must be like a field that produces a vast harvest with much tending, care, work, labor, and effort…A seed in the ground takes time to grow into a large plant and so it is with our children’s hearts. Don’t grow weary in doing good. Growth takes time. Be diligent! Be constant! Be fervent! Be sober-minded! Be encouraged! Trust in God and labor for the souls of your children!
You’ll greatly benefit from reading the entire article here.
