General
Parenting is one of the highest callings God gives to His children – but it is also one of the greatest challenges. Over the years, through both ministry and parenting, I’ve learned that raising children is a sacred assignment for which God equips parents.
As a Christian parent, here are five insights that I believe are vital for the raising of healthy, faith-filled children.
1. Our children belong to God, not to us.
Scripture reminds us that every person belongs to God (Ezekiel 18:4) and that He alone rules over all the earth (Psalm 24:1). These verses give insight into a profound truth: God owns it all – and this includes our children.
Psalm 127:3 says, “children are a heritage from the Lord,” meaning they are a gift given to us to steward, but they do not ultimately belong to us as parents. This stewardship versus ownership perspective reorients our parenting towards a view that asks, “Lord, how can I shepherd what you’ve entrusted to me,” and allows us to release our grip of parental control.
2. When children are young, parents should be hands-on.
Young children need structure, boundaries, and hands-on teaching and instruction. They thrive under the presence of parents who are intentional in shaping their development. Little ones learn many things from their parents, including what love looks like, how to obey, and the foundations on which they can mature in emotionally, physically, and spiritually healthy ways.
3. As children grow, they need to be guided towards independence.
Proverbs 10:1 says, “a wise son brings joy to his father.” In children, wisdom doesn’t develop naturally – it matures through nurturing and guidance, through the gradual release towards greater independence inside of healthy boundaries. The setting of these boundaries is the role of a parent to adolescent children. Through fewer directives and more questions and coaching, parents help their children develop critical thinking skills, spiritual discernment, and biblical wisdom.
4. As children become adults, they need to be released.
Scripture is clear about the transition into adulthood. In Genesis 2:24, it says that a man “leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife,” a lesson echoed again
in Matthew 19:5. When children enter adulthood, it becomes the job of a parent to release the child into independence. Letting go is one of the hardest milestones for any parent, but it honors God’s design for adult children. When parents release their children, they do not stop loving them. Instead, they entrust them fully to God, believing that His ability to lead their children is greater than their ability to hold onto them.
5. Invest “TLC” in your family: Touch, Love, Compliment
Some of the most powerful ministry your children will ever witness is within the walls of your home. Through simple, consistent acts, the love of a parent speaks louder than any sermon – and it doesn’t require a program, it only requires attention.
Touch: Children should be lovingly and appropriately touched by their parents every day. A hug, a hand placed on a shoulder, or a high-five signal safety and presence.
Love: Although hearing “I love you” is important, children must know they are loved through the actions of their parents. Expressed in more than just words, love must be evident in a home. Parents can show their love through time, patience, and sacrifice.
Compliment: Strengthening a child’s identity and confidence is a key responsibility for parents. Through intentional, honest, and daily encouragement, children will begin to believe what they hear about themselves from their parents.
5 Biblical Insights Every Parent Needs to Know
Parenting is a sacred stewardship where children belong to God, not to us. Parents guide closely in early years, coach toward independence, and lovingly release children into adulthood, consistently shaping them through love, presence, and encouragement.
As a Christian parent, here are five insights that I believe are vital for the raising of healthy, faith-filled children.
1. Our children belong to God, not to us.
Scripture reminds us that every person belongs to God (Ezekiel 18:4) and that He alone rules over all the earth (Psalm 24:1). These verses give insight into a profound truth: God owns it all – and this includes our children.
Psalm 127:3 says, “children are a heritage from the Lord,” meaning they are a gift given to us to steward, but they do not ultimately belong to us as parents. This stewardship versus ownership perspective reorients our parenting towards a view that asks, “Lord, how can I shepherd what you’ve entrusted to me,” and allows us to release our grip of parental control.
2. When children are young, parents should be hands-on.
Young children need structure, boundaries, and hands-on teaching and instruction. They thrive under the presence of parents who are intentional in shaping their development. Little ones learn many things from their parents, including what love looks like, how to obey, and the foundations on which they can mature in emotionally, physically, and spiritually healthy ways.
3. As children grow, they need to be guided towards independence.
Proverbs 10:1 says, “a wise son brings joy to his father.” In children, wisdom doesn’t develop naturally – it matures through nurturing and guidance, through the gradual release towards greater independence inside of healthy boundaries. The setting of these boundaries is the role of a parent to adolescent children. Through fewer directives and more questions and coaching, parents help their children develop critical thinking skills, spiritual discernment, and biblical wisdom.
4. As children become adults, they need to be released.
Scripture is clear about the transition into adulthood. In Genesis 2:24, it says that a man “leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife,” a lesson echoed again
in Matthew 19:5. When children enter adulthood, it becomes the job of a parent to release the child into independence. Letting go is one of the hardest milestones for any parent, but it honors God’s design for adult children. When parents release their children, they do not stop loving them. Instead, they entrust them fully to God, believing that His ability to lead their children is greater than their ability to hold onto them.
5. Invest “TLC” in your family: Touch, Love, Compliment
Some of the most powerful ministry your children will ever witness is within the walls of your home. Through simple, consistent acts, the love of a parent speaks louder than any sermon – and it doesn’t require a program, it only requires attention.
Touch: Children should be lovingly and appropriately touched by their parents every day. A hug, a hand placed on a shoulder, or a high-five signal safety and presence.
Love: Although hearing “I love you” is important, children must know they are loved through the actions of their parents. Expressed in more than just words, love must be evident in a home. Parents can show their love through time, patience, and sacrifice.
Compliment: Strengthening a child’s identity and confidence is a key responsibility for parents. Through intentional, honest, and daily encouragement, children will begin to believe what they hear about themselves from their parents.
