Parenting

Parenting offers biblically grounded guidance for raising children with wisdom, grace, and intentional discipleship. Explore practical articles on nurturing faith at home, teaching Scripture, shaping character, setting healthy boundaries, and building strong family rhythms. You’ll find encouragement for navigating different ages and stages, supporting kids through cultural pressures, and partnering with the church to help children and teens follow Jesus. Whether you’re a new parent or leading through complex seasons, these resources help you parent with hope and Christ-centered purpose.

April 23, 2019

Stuart Powell

‘Teach Them to Your Children’

By Stuart Powell Teaching children is an important aspect of the Christian faith and obeying the God of creation. In Deuteronomy, for example, Moses repeatedly encouraged and instructed the people of Israel to pass down information to succeeding generations: These words I am commanding you today must be kept in mind, and you must teach them to your children and speak of them as you sit in your house, as you walk along the road, as you lie down, and as you get up. You should tie them as a reminder on your forearm and fasten them as symbols on

March 19, 2019

Christian Standard

Benefits of the Family Meal

By Halee Wood Close your eyes and picture a family dinner. A “June Cleaver” mom is in an apron and pearls, “Ward” in a sweater and tie. The children’s hands are washed and their hair combed. The savory aroma of a home-cooked meal fills the air. Everyone, including the family dog, listens intently to what is being said. Is this what dinner looks like at your house? In real-life families dinner can be messy—there might be cooking and dining mishaps, arguing and complaining among family members, and other things competing for our attention. Though a sit-down meal as a family

September 4, 2018

Christian Standard

Grandparent’s Day: Paving a Path to Communion

By Mandy Smith  We don’t know as much about Timothy as we do the apostle Paul, but we know Paul trusted Timothy deeply. Paul sent Timothy as his representative to churches he had planted. Paul listed Timothy as a co-sender of several of his letters, and the New Testament includes two letters Paul wrote directly to Timothy. In them, we get a picture of a trustworthy and incredibly faithful young leader who had an important role in the development of the early church. So it’s significant Paul remembered the source of Timothy’s faith. In his second letter to Timothy, Paul

June 30, 2018

Christian Standard

Youth Sports Families Offer a ‘Heads-Up’

By Caleb Kaltenbach PARKER, CO—Just as senior pastors look forward to the fall season attendance bump, youth sports families across the nation delivered a “heads-up” regarding their attendance. “We’ve never given a ‘heads-up’ about our attendance, but when many of us formed a National Youth Sports Family Social Media Group, we thought it was a good idea,” said Dana Jensen of 66th Street Christian Church, Sedalia, Ohio. Jensen said her pastor’s reaction was a bit unsettling. “He was in such a happy mood that morning, but when I told him that starting in September we’d be gone for two and a

December 6, 2017

Christian Standard

Blessing Our Children and Grandchildren

How We”ve Created Memories and Provided Opportunities to Talk About What”s Truly Important By Don and Sue Wilson The first time we consciously thought about the importance of blessing our children and grandchildren was probably when we realized our children had grown up, become parents, and we were now grandparents, which meant we must be old. All at once it was apparent our days were numbered and if we wanted to be a blessing to the adorable little children who were cascading into our lives at a rapid pace, we needed to focus on making memories instead of money. Over

December 3, 2017

Christian Standard

Life Lessons Learned from My Grandfather

By Matt Merold Some of the greatest lessons in life are caught, not taught. They”re learned by what is observed in us, not what is heard from us. Sometimes the teacher isn”t even aware that school is in session. I”m not entirely sure if my instructor””my grandfather, Ben Merold””is fully aware of all the ways he”s taught me, in both simple and sophisticated ways. His lessons have gone beyond anything I could ever learn in a classroom.   You”re Never Too Important to Take Out the Trash. It was hot . . . Missouri hot! Anyone who had been outside

December 2, 2017

Christian Standard

‘I Showed Up’

Mandy Harvey”s journey from hearing loss to the finals of AGT, and the family who wouldn”t give up on her. By Joe Harvey As I write this article, my wife, Val, and I are sitting in a hotel room in Los Angeles busying ourselves with work as we await the contestants” final performances on America”s Got Talent for 2017. Tonight, our daughter Mandy Harvey will sing another original song and play her ukulele. Val and I will sit in the lower balcony, stage left, and watch in wonder, sometimes literally holding our breath, as the grand finale unfolds before us.

November 29, 2017

Christian Standard

The Blessing of a Love for Ministry

By Rusty Russell My parents, Bob and Judy Russell, raised two sons who love the church and are involved in ministry. I”ve served as lead pastor at New Day Christian Church in Port Charlotte, Florida, since 2010. My brother, Phil, is a deacon and on the worship team at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville where we grew up. My parents” seven grandkids all love the church. Their oldest grandchild””my 22-year-old son, Charlie””is a graduate of Johnson University and is in full-time ministry in Chicago. On one hand, it”s not surprising that I was drawn to ministry. I grew up in

November 26, 2017

Christian Standard

The Blessing of Daily Faithfulness

By Kyle Idleman Initially I was reluctant to write this tribute. I was hesitant not because my parents are undeserving or because I”m ungrateful. I was reluctant mostly because I”ve already written to my parents most of the things I”ll write here. I”ve already expressed my appreciation to them. And this is the sort of thing that makes my parents feel awkward. If you asked them to tell you about passing on “the blessing” to the next generation, they wouldn”t point to their example, but would be quick to speak of God”s goodness. They would tell you his grace is

November 25, 2017

Christian Standard

The Blessing Freely and Naturally Given

By Dave Stone No one has any say into which family he or she is born. But someday I intend to thank the Lord for the parents he gave to my brother, Jeff, and me. Sam Stone has been known to many by a variety of titles: Preacher, Seminary Dean, Editor, Brotherhood Leader, and North American Christian Convention President. But I”ve been fortunate to just call him Dad. What a blessing! When asked why we chose to go into the ministry, Jeff and I typically give the same response: “Because our dad was the same man in the home as

November 24, 2017

Christian Standard

Don”t Drop the Baton

By Gary Johnson Mission: Impossible was one of my favorite television shows as a child. At the start of each episode, agent Jim Phelps would locate a hidden reel-to-reel tape recorder and would play a message describing an “impossible” assignment for his team. Each week, Phelps had a choice to make: “Your mission, Jim, should you decide to accept it . . .” As elders, we have a mission that we must accept. The mission has everything to do with reaching the next generation for Christ. Most of us have children and grandchildren who need Christ. If we lead by

November 18, 2017

Michael C. Mack

Stand: When You Did Not Receive Your Father”s Blessing

By Michael C. Mack “Stand up if you grew up without a father . . . if you never knew him . . . if he was abusive or inept or spiritually vacant and unavailable . . . even if he was around, but not really there . . . if you knew him but weren”t known by him . . .” I and six other members of my men”s group had traveled to the RCA Dome in Indianapolis for the Promise Keepers conference, joining some 62,000 other men worshipping God and being inspired to live godly lives. On the

May 30, 2017

Mark A. Taylor

Your New Chapter””Don”t Be Afraid to Turn the Page

By Mark A. Taylor New parents sometimes feel trapped. Infants need constant attention, and Mom and Dad may grieve the diminished freedom, increased expenses, and unending on-call status that come with this new addition to their family. But after only 18 years or so, that son or daughter, now looking ahead at a life of independence, leaves home. He gets a job, and she establishes a household of her own. And some parents discover a new reason to grieve: without that child who was once such a challenge, now the house seems empty and lonely. Whether pressed by our current

May 14, 2017

Christian Standard

Teach Your Children to Be Critical Thinkers

By Tricia Johnson She was the professor of theology; my son was her student. He attended a secular university, and when he needed an extra elective, he thought theology would be a breeze, so he took the class. Her teaching was right on target most of the time, which was surprising since it was a secular university, but when she taught about Abraham and Lot, my son had to disagree with her summation of one particular scene. You may recall, Abraham and Lot were about to part ways, as Genesis 13:1-13 tells us. They traveled from Egypt to Bethel. They

May 12, 2017

Christian Standard

Our Grandparenting Ministry””and Yours

(This article is a sidebar to “Grandparenting Ministry” by Michael Crosley.)   By Michael Crosley We have a core team of nine grandparents guiding the ministry and working closely with the Next Gen Ministry team. Future plans include: 1. Developing strategies to incorporate the concepts of intentional grandparenting into the thinking of our church. This will be achieved through using social media and regular references about grandparenting in church publications and services. 2. Providing equipping opportunities such as classes and occasional seminars. 3. Sponsoring “grand events.” We plan to have two or three special events each year just for grandparents

May 11, 2017

Christian Standard

Grandparenting Ministry

Secret weapon. Unrealized potential. By Michael Crosley A secret weapon””does your church have one? Recently Jeff Faull, our senior minister at Mt. Gilead Church in Mooresville, Indiana, said in a sermon, “We are unleashing a secret weapon . . . grandparents.” He was inviting all grandparents to attend a seminar on the biblical mandate to teach God”s Word “to your children and to their children after them” (Deuteronomy 4:9). We were astounded by the response. Four weeks later, more than 90 grandparents of 325 grandchildren participated in a Saturday morning vision-casting seminar that launched a grandparenting ministry at Mt. Gilead. The

October 22, 2016

Christian Standard

Reading for the Good of Kids

By C. Christopher Smith Although I focus primarily on churches and neighborhoods in my book Reading for the Common Good, many of the reasons for reading in community are equally true for families. Indeed, most people”s first experiences with reading happen in the home. Reading can play a vital role for families as we strive to discern our identity, asking questions like “where are we?” and “what is our purpose as a family?” Similarly, reading can help our families navigate questions of vocation and economy: Which parent(s) will earn income? Will they work full- or part-time? What kind of work

September 9, 2016

Michael C. Mack

Care for Parents and Their Special-Needs Children

By Michael C. Mack Parents of children with special needs long for a break””just a few hours to do whatever they want. “At the same time,” says Bobbie Lynn Rider, “letting go of control and trusting someone else with your loved one can be difficult.” Rider””a blogger at www.graceandfortitude.com, a site that encourages and blesses mothers and caregivers of special-needs individuals””along with her husband, took their daughter to a parent”™s-day-out event at Karns Church of Christ in Knoxville, Tennessee, hosted by the church”™s “Forever His” ministry. About 90 volunteers made the event a success for the 25 or so special-needs

January 25, 2016

Christian Standard

Boys to Men

By Rick Bundschuh Manhood, inaccurately portrayed and difficult to understand by so many today, is especially hard for many preteen males to attain. Here”s how one Christian leader not only worked to make his church man friendly, but also created a program to show boys how to be godly men.  I could sense the longing immediately. The kid was around 12, had bed head hair, was awkward, somewhat unkempt, and was beginning to exchange baby fat for the sinewy muscles of coming manhood. All I had done was to make a couple of jokes with the boy, and then showed

January 24, 2016

Christian Standard

Protecting Your PK

By Angela Sanders I am a minister”s wife. I have the scars to prove it, but my children don”t. Not because they didn”t see. Not because they didn”t hear. Not because we lied to them. We didn”t. Hunter and Hope came through an enemy attack on their family by church members with their optimism, faith, and desire to serve the body intact. This was possible only because a few who had successfully waded through the murky waters of vocational ministry ahead of us were selfless enough to take us by the hand and teach us to survive and thrive””and maintain

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