Vietnam Evangelical Covenant Church – Raising children is one of the greatest joys and responsibilities in life. Some things may seem small, yet they bring us humility and great rewards.
Raising children is one of life’s greatest joys, but also one of its heaviest responsibilities. These ten Christian parenting tips help parents look at raising children through the lens of God’s Word. Scripture quotations are from the Berean Standard Bible (BSB).
Although I know I have not fully lived up to my role as a father, here are a few “commandments” I often set for myself, based on Scripture, to remind me how to raise my children. Feel free to add others you find helpful.
10 Tips for Christian Parents
1. Do not idolize your children or their future
We live for the glory of God and seek to raise our children for that highest calling. However much we love our children, we do not live only for them.
2. Do not expect or imagine a perfect Christian family
We and our children are all sinners in need of God’s grace. We do not expect perfection from ourselves, so we do not expect it from our children.
3. Do not merely teach your children to be good; teach them to be like Christ
We want our children to live morally, but not by mere morality. We pray to see their lives reflect hearts renewed by God’s love.
4. Be patient with your children (be their friend)
We want to show our children the same patience and long-suffering God graciously shows us, as best we can. Anger and a quick temper are always crouching at the door, and we must push them away.
5. Teach your children to worship regularly at home and bring them to church every week
We are Christian parents, and worship is the breath of the Christian life. So worship holds a central place in raising children in a Christian home. Day after day, week after week, month after month and year after year, we long to place our children in the path of grace, God’s Word and prayer, and bring them into the greatest joy of all: worshiping the Triune God.
6. Show your love to your children
We want our children always to know how precious they are and that they are surrounded by love. Children are a gift from above (James 1:17), and we should always rejoice with gratitude for that gift.
7. Nurture your marriage for the sake of your children
We know marriage is a foundation of the Christian family. We cannot let it tilt, collapse or lose its vitality, because the health of our marriage is reflected in how we raise our children.
8. Seek God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, the foundation of Christian parenting
We recognize that raising children cannot be separated from our own life in God. Every good thing comes from Him.
9. Parent not in your own strength, but in God’s
We believe that apart from Christ we can do nothing (John 15:5). We want to sow seeds that bear eternal fruit, so we must rely on the eternal Gardener.
10. Finally, entrust your children to the care of your heavenly Father
We love our children and want good things for them, but we do not have the power to guarantee them. But we know the One who can, our Father, who always loves us and wants good for us. And we can trust Him, because He knows how to give good gifts to His children (Matthew 7:11).
Putting These Parenting Tips Into Practice
No parent is perfect, and God does not require us to be. What He wants is for us to be faithful, humble and dependent on Him every day. Pray for your children, and pray for wisdom for yourself as a parent.
Choose one of these ten tips to practice this month. It might be being more patient, reading the Bible with your child, or apologizing to your child when you are wrong.
You may also like: 10 Ways to Weave Prayer Into Family Life and Family Worship.
Prayer
Lord, thank You for the children You have given us. Give us wisdom, patience and love to raise them in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Keep our children in Your hands. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Article: Vietnam Evangelical Covenant Church
Adapted from: TheGospelCoalition.org
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