Discipling Children: A God-Centered Parenting Journey

 

Summary

In today's gathering, we explored the profound responsibility and privilege of parenting, focusing on the spiritual and practical aspects of raising children to be worshipers of the Almighty. We began by acknowledging the various stages of a child's learning process, as outlined in the classical trivium model: grammar, dialectic, and rhetoric. These stages are not just about academic growth but are integral to the discipleship journey, aiming to cultivate reasoning and servitude to Christ. The ultimate goal is to disciple our children to be worshipers of God, which should permeate every aspect of their education, whether it be math, history, or art.

We discussed the importance of allowing children to grow into their responsibilities, emphasizing the need for parents to trust God as they gradually let go. This transition is part of the sanctification process for both parents and children. As children mature, they should be given opportunities to stand with their parents in authority, learning to make judgments and decisions based on God's Word. This process requires parents to be approachable and willing to listen, fostering an environment where children feel valued and heard.

Psalm 127 served as a foundational text, reminding us that children are a heritage from the Lord and that our efforts in raising them must be centered on God. We must trust in Him, recognizing that our labor is in vain if He is not at the center of our household. The psalm also highlights the importance of preparing our children to extend God's kingdom, likening them to arrows in the hands of a warrior.

We also touched on the significance of honoring authority, as outlined in the Ten Commandments, and the role of parents in modeling this respect. By honoring our parents and elders, we teach our children to honor God. This respect extends to the traditions and landmarks set by previous generations, urging us to be cautious in discarding them without thoughtful consideration.

As we concluded, we reflected on the importance of being approachable and creating an environment of listening within our households. This approachability is crucial for maintaining open lines of communication with our children, allowing them to come to us with their concerns and questions. Ultimately, our goal is to disciple our children to be worshipers of God, trusting in His promises and guidance as we navigate the challenges of parenting.

Key Takeaways:

- Discipleship Through Education: The trivium model of grammar, dialectic, and rhetoric is not just an academic framework but a discipleship tool. It helps children develop reasoning and servitude to Christ, aiming to make them worshipers of God in every aspect of life. [15:08]

- Trusting God in Parenting: As children grow, parents must learn to let go and trust God. This transition is part of the sanctification process, teaching both parents and children to rely on God's guidance and wisdom. [21:15]

- Children as Arrows: Psalm 127 reminds us that children are a heritage from the Lord, likened to arrows in a warrior's hands. Our role is to prepare them to extend God's kingdom, trusting in His promises and guidance. [27:31]

- Honoring Authority: Teaching children to honor their parents and elders is foundational to honoring God. This respect for authority is crucial in their spiritual development and understanding of God's order. [31:29]

- Creating an Environment of Listening: Being approachable and willing to listen is vital in parenting. It fosters open communication, allowing children to feel valued and heard, and teaches them to trust and respect their parents. [50:34]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [03:00] - Opening Prayer and Introduction
- [05:30] - The Trivium Model in Education
- [10:00] - Discipleship and Worship
- [15:08] - Teaching Logic and Rhetoric
- [18:00] - Parenting with the End in Mind
- [21:15] - Trusting God in Parenting
- [25:00] - Psalm 127: Building a God-Centered Home
- [27:31] - Children as Arrows
- [30:00] - Honoring Authority
- [31:29] - Standing with Authority
- [35:00] - Respecting Traditions and Landmarks
- [40:21] - Teaching Respect and Etiquette
- [44:39] - Listening and Approachability
- [50:34] - Creating an Environment of Listening
- [53:50] - Closing Prayer

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Psalm 127:1-5
2. Proverbs 22:6
3. Leviticus 19:32

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Observation Questions:

1. According to Psalm 127, what is the significance of God being at the center of our household efforts? How does this relate to the concept of children being a heritage from the Lord? [27:31]

2. What are the three stages of the classical trivium model mentioned in the sermon, and how do they relate to a child's discipleship journey? [15:08]

3. How does the sermon describe the role of parents in teaching children to honor authority, and what biblical commandment is this linked to? [31:29]

4. What does the sermon suggest about the importance of being approachable as a parent, and how does this foster open communication with children? [50:34]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does Psalm 127:1-5 illustrate the relationship between parental responsibility and trust in God? What does it mean for parents to "labor in vain" if God is not at the center? [27:31]

2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that the trivium model can be used as a tool for discipleship, beyond just academic learning? [15:08]

3. How does the sermon interpret the commandment to honor one's father and mother as foundational to honoring God? What implications does this have for family dynamics? [31:29]

4. What practical steps does the sermon propose for parents to create an environment of listening and approachability in their homes? How might this impact a child's spiritual development? [50:34]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your current approach to parenting or mentoring. How can you ensure that God is at the center of your household efforts, as described in Psalm 127? [27:31]

2. Consider the trivium model's stages of grammar, dialectic, and rhetoric. How can you incorporate these stages into your child's spiritual and academic education to foster their growth as worshipers of God? [15:08]

3. Think about how you model respect for authority in your own life. How can you better demonstrate this respect to your children, and what changes might you need to make in your interactions with elders and authority figures? [31:29]

4. Evaluate your approachability as a parent or mentor. Are there specific behaviors or habits you need to change to foster open communication with your children? How can you implement these changes this week? [50:34]

5. Identify a specific tradition or landmark from previous generations that you have been quick to dismiss. How might you reconsider its value and incorporate it into your family's life with thoughtful consideration? [44:39]

6. Reflect on a recent situation where you had to let go and trust God with your child's growth and responsibilities. How did you handle it, and what did you learn from the experience? [21:15]

7. Choose one aspect of the sermon that challenged you the most. What specific action can you take this week to address this challenge in your parenting or mentoring approach? [53:50]

Devotional

Day 1: Discipleship Through Education
The classical trivium model of grammar, dialectic, and rhetoric is not merely an academic framework but a profound tool for discipleship. It guides children through stages of learning that cultivate reasoning and servitude to Christ. This model encourages children to become worshipers of God in every aspect of life, whether it be math, history, or art. By integrating faith into education, parents can help their children develop a holistic understanding of the world that is centered on God. This approach ensures that their spiritual growth is as robust as their intellectual development, preparing them to serve God in all areas of life. [15:08]

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

Reflection: How can you incorporate the principles of the trivium model into your child's education to foster their spiritual growth?


Day 2: Trusting God in Parenting
As children grow, parents face the challenge of gradually letting go and trusting God with their children's futures. This transition is a vital part of the sanctification process for both parents and children, teaching them to rely on God's guidance and wisdom. Parents are called to trust that God will lead their children in the right direction, even when they are not there to guide them. This trust is not passive but involves active prayer and faith in God's promises, knowing that He is ultimately in control. [21:15]

"Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act." (Psalm 37:5, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your child's life where you need to trust God more fully, and how can you begin to do so today?


Day 3: Children as Arrows
Psalm 127 likens children to arrows in the hands of a warrior, emphasizing the importance of preparing them to extend God's kingdom. As parents, the role is to shape and guide children so that they can be effective instruments for God's purposes. This preparation involves instilling in them a strong foundation of faith and values, equipping them to face the challenges of the world with confidence and conviction. By trusting in God's promises and guidance, parents can release their children into the world, knowing they are ready to make a positive impact for His kingdom. [27:31]

"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." (Psalm 127:3-4, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you actively prepare your children to be 'arrows' for God's kingdom, and what steps can you take this week to begin this process?


Day 4: Honoring Authority
Teaching children to honor their parents and elders is foundational to their spiritual development and understanding of God's order. This respect for authority is crucial in helping them develop a healthy relationship with God, as it mirrors the respect and obedience they are to show Him. Parents play a key role in modeling this respect, demonstrating how to honor authority in their own lives. By doing so, they set an example for their children to follow, helping them understand the importance of honoring God through their actions and attitudes. [31:29]

"Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God." (Romans 13:1, ESV)

Reflection: How can you model respect for authority in your own life, and how can you teach your children to do the same?


Day 5: Creating an Environment of Listening
Being approachable and willing to listen is vital in parenting, as it fosters open communication and allows children to feel valued and heard. This environment of listening is crucial for maintaining strong relationships with children, enabling them to come to their parents with their concerns and questions. By creating a space where children feel safe to express themselves, parents can build trust and respect, guiding their children in their spiritual journey. This approachability is essential for helping children develop a strong foundation of faith and confidence in their relationship with God. [50:34]

"Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger." (James 1:19, ESV)

Reflection: What steps can you take to create a more open and approachable environment in your home, and how can you encourage your children to share their thoughts and feelings with you?

Quotes


The trivium is the classical model that's used to teach children. It's really fascinating if you've ever studied the brain development of a child and how synapses work and how they fix and create hard memories, and in a lot of ways, the trivium, which is, I don't know, 4,000 years old, is they were training the mind in that way, even though they didn't understand anything about how the brain is wired with synapses. [00:12:45]

Grammar is you're packing in, packing in, packing in all the facts, right? That doesn't take necessarily a lot of wisdom. It takes some wisdom from you as a parent, right? Because you're just... You're just teaching, you know? You're just teaching on the basics, teaching on the basics. That second stage, logic, you're taking all those facts, and you're showing how they all relate and connect together. [00:14:26]

What are we trying to accomplish? When we have children, what are we trying to accomplish? We're discipling them. Everything we do is about discipleship. What are we discipling them for? Okay, so they can reason, okay? Be servants of Christ. What's more particular, or to particularize that, is to say we are discipling them to be worshipers of the Almighty, okay? [00:16:12]

Unless Yahweh himself builds your house, they, that would be you and your wife, labor in vain who build it. Right? Unless Yahweh guards the city. Right? The watchman stays awake in vain. When you get to that place with your children, where you have to give them more responsibility to drive, to have a cell phone, to manage life, you start to realize you don't have any control. [00:23:48]

Part of the sanctification process for your children is for them to be given responsibility and you to let go to a degree and for you to learn how to let go and trust God. So just like you told them, trust God in me, in my failures, in my weaknesses. Keep looking to God. I'm going to live repentantly, right? You need to say, Lord, I'm trusting you. [00:25:43]

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord. The fruit of the womb is a reward, right? We all get that. So children are gifts from God. They're a reward. It's wonderful. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior, so are the children of one's youth, right? Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them, right? We've heard that a bunch. [00:27:31]

Whose children are they? The Lord's. When you come up here to give your child to baptism, right? God has blessed you with a child, and you are immediately, or within relatively short order, coming up and saying, Lord, I'm giving them back to you, right? And I'm trusting you in the covenant promises. You're going to baptize them, right? [00:28:58]

At some point, you want your children at the gate with you, right, in two fashions. One, you need to teach them, right, the whys. We'll get into some of that, it might be next week by the time we get into some of the nitty gritty, but you need to help them learn how to make those judgments for themselves, right? [00:32:23]

We want our children to listen to us. And this is going to get very important. We want them to listen to us now when they're small. But as they get older and turn into young adults. Right? We want them to listen. Right? As critical as it is during the formative years, it is also critical that they continue to listen. [00:47:40]

Are you approachable in your household? Are you? Are you so busy? Are you so busy? But you can't stop what you're doing and make eye contact. I'm going to quote a business practice. I don't know how much they practice this anymore, but back in the day when I was teaching McDonald's management classes, they had this thing they called the be here now principle. [00:48:26]

You want them to listen? You need to show them that you're willing to listen to them. This is real important. I don't care if you're talking about your own household, at your job, or in the church. You must be approachable. I'll close with this. Pastor Wilkins, if you've ever read his book, and if you haven't, I encourage you on friendship. [00:51:42]

Here's the thing. Same thing works for your children. Right? You need to be approachable. You need to be looking them face-to-face. You need to teach them that they're important. And when they're stressing you, and you're starting to feel exasperated, pray that the Lord help you to be long-suffering and patient, just as he is. [00:52:49]

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Transcript
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