Raising Faithful Children in a Changing World

I think the Christian parents I know are much more conscious of the importance of helping their children both to understand the gospel, the Scriptures, and to be able to articulate that both to their contemporaries at school, no matter what the consequences are, and often to their teachers, who in my country, since almost all education that most children experience is either nationalized or controlled by the laws of education, there is nowhere to escape from the fact that this is the world in which we live. [00:04:51]

And so, I think the challenge for parents is that you are both. I mean, the peculiarity of an American football match or game to an outsider, this may be the last time anyone will speak to me, is there seem to be two different teams, you know, and they can be trained separately and have their separate coaches. But there is a balance in parenting that is grounded in the fact that in Scripture, there are these principles of offense and defense, of putting on and putting off. [00:12:30]

And I think, actually a reflection on those passages where Paul speaks about that, for example, in Colossians 3:1 following. You have this new identity in Christ, there are things you put off, there things you put on. Even an exploration of those things gives Christian parents principles that they can apply to each child at each stage in terms of defense and offense. And, just as in the Christian life, you don’t grow in sanctification just by saying “no” to sin, but by putting on the graces of Jesus Christ. [00:13:17]

And just as the Spirit nurtures us in these means, so, in our turn, we are called to nurture our children. Which is the challenge to us because to nurture them well, consciously, we have to understand the gospel pretty well and to exhibit it in our own lives. Because, I think it is that element of what I think of as the atmospherics of the home life that touch the affections of the children and make them feel they want to be like dad and mom. [00:14:07]

And I also think that we have to ... all of this has to be on the firm foundation of the sovereignty of God. And that they see us not collapsing and falling apart or not coming off as such a, let’s say, “hyper conservative,” that we’re just mad at the world the whole time, because that’s not a healthy attitude to be breeding in our children. I mean, there needs to be a positiveness about our confidence in God that we’re not always just in a mode of extreme overreaction to what’s going on. [00:19:25]

And some of the most powerful ones really come informally as life is unfolding. And you could be at a mall. You could be in a car. You could be after a soccer game or whatever, and something has been made known, and taking that moment and that time to give some perspective to that. And I also think that we have to ... all of this has to be on the firm foundation of the sovereignty of God. [00:18:29]

And I think we shouldn’t forget the fact that we have this amazing privilege, as Christian parents, of being able to help our children to understand the significance of things that are happening in the world. And as we do that from the beginning of their lives, then that helps put into them not only a developing Christian character, but an ability for them, as they grow in the world, where children ask each other these questions sometimes. [00:22:20]

So, I think we shouldn’t be despondent about the role that we have to play that we’re in a minority. Where I come from, we’re almost regarded as sinners. The sin now is to believe what we believe. And I think you could become extremely melancholic. And all that will eventually collapse on itself because it doesn’t have the strength to resource itself. Whereas as we bring up our children, as one of my ministers used to say, “in faith, not fear,” and I think that’s a very important principle that what we breathe out is what our children are going to breathe in, that in this world we live by faith, in security, and God has given us a framework of reference that helps us to understand everything that’s going on in the world, both good and bad. [00:23:20]

And He said to them, “My peace I give unto you. Peace not as the world gives, do I give to you. My peace I give to you.” And that’s a gift that only God can give. There’s only one source for true peace, which is a calmness and a stillness in the midst of the turmoil. And that is found in the Lord. And unbelievers have no peace, but we as believers do have peace. [00:25:32]

And that text in Philippians 4:6 and 7, you know, says that we must bring these. “Be anxious for nothing. But in everything with prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God which surpasses all comprehension shall guard,” and the word “guard” there is “to fortress,” like a castle, “will guard your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus.” [00:26:40]

But God gives us a peace that He alone can give. So, that would be my encouragement to a young mom, is as you look around and become distressed, to look up to the Lord who alone can still the raging waters inside your heart. [00:27:39]

And, you know, to have a triumphant spirit as best we can as we see the walls around us collapsing, nevertheless to be confident in the providence of God. [00:21:08]