How to Raise a Godly Child
Here are the nine habits of an intentional parent: I will not do for my child what he needs to do for himself—when I do, I disrespect him. I will…
Here are the nine habits of an intentional parent: I will not do for my child what he needs to do for himself—when I do, I disrespect him. I will…
Angel and I have a nineteen-year-old and a seventeen-year-old. On the precipice of empty-nesting, I’ve been reflecting upon what has worked and what hasn’t worked as I have tried to…
Modern Family “Setting the Tone” Jeff Jones, Senior Pastor 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 For every one of us here, we want to help those we love flourish in life, not hinder…
Every day it feels like we read another news report about the mental health crisis among children and youth, as well as how depression, anxiety, and suicide rates are getting…
Cameron Buettel is an author partnering with Pastor John MacArthur at www.gracetoyou.org. Here are his powerful insights. Parenting is never easy. Nobody in this fallen world has mastered it. And…
The joy of giving is something we can instill in the hearts of our children and grandchildren from a young age. I learned of a family sponsoring a child whose…
Preparing your kids to spread their wings requires patience, humility, creativity, uniqueness, and parenting with the end in mind. Discover 7 tips that will grow you as a parent while…
Deborah Mitchell, a popular CNN blogger and confirmed atheist, claimed that raising children without God is better than raising children with God. Mrs. Mitchell lists seven reasons why she raises…
“The Lord is Your keeper. The Lord is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not smite you by day, nor the moon by night.” Psalm 121 Psalm…
It is estimated that around one in twelve children struggle with depression at some point between the ages 9 and 16, with girls more likely to be affected than boys. Unfortunately, depression…
Parent, ask yourself this question. Is your son or daughter a voracious reader? If they are, your child is the exception. Your family is the exception. You’re not going to…
Did you know that your kids use anger to control the people around them? Learn how to help your kids deal with their anger in this episode. www.birthorderguy.com.
Is it healthy for a child to be unhappy especially when it comes to discipline? www.birthorderguy.com.
One of our favorite games as a family is called Oh Heck. You might know it as Up and Down the River. The reason this simple card game is so…
Do you feel responsible for your spouse’s and child’s arguments? Have you been labeled “the bad parent”? I will answer both of these questions in this podcast. www.birthorderguy.com
Learn to respond to children rather than react to children. Because when we react, we react emotionally and our emotions. Emotions are not a great key for living. You have…
I don’t care how tough you are. You may be a Navy Seal who specializes in high altitude skydiving behind enemy lines. You might spend each day making million-dollar, split-second…
Today I am going to be answering some of the questions you have sent in regarding handling COVID-19 anxiety, and coping with social distancing and staying at home. Many of…
From the very first moment those little eyes open and we hear them cry for the first time, we love our children. Yes, there are moments that we may get…
Kids are the best comforters! I was five when I was diagnosed with scarlet fever and pneumonia and imprisoned (I mean quarantined) at home for four months! My kindergarten buddies…
Affirming our grandchildren – it’s key: to building strong relationships, to discipleship, to passing the faith. Our words are powerful. When handled well, they can build up, encourage, communicate love,…
Parents of teenagers: are you excited or panicked about your kids? Dr. Russell Moore pens words of encouragement for you today! “I noticed in my social media archive app that…
Pastor John Beeson and his wife Angel are amazing parents. But, like most parents, they wanted to know what their teenage kids thought about their parenting skills. This is what…
Questions are powerful! Ask a well-crafted question and you can open up a closed-mouthed child, build relationship, and explore the depths of your thoughts. Question-asking can also help you reflect,…
“May the Lord cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that boasts!” Psalm 12:3 NET We live in a time where parents feel they have to praise everything kids do; no…
Children are like wet cement. If you’ve ever worked with wet cement or seen someone work with it, it does harden up pretty quickly and so it is with…
Lysa TerKeurst shares the secret of wisdom in “Wisdom Together:” Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the…
One of our favorite games as a family is called Oh Heck. You might know it as Up and Down the River. The reason this simple card game is so…
We talk to a lot of parents who want to protect their children from pornography. But what should you do when your teenagers push back when you suggest accountability software?…
“Unless the Lord builds the house, they that build it labor in vain.” Psalm 127:1 Marriage can be hard sometimes. Does my marriage, if a healthy one, really help me…
God is the One who entrusted children to us in the first place: God, our Heavenly Father. And thankfully, He has a lot to say in His Word about His standards for…
You shed crocodile tears when your little cherub bravely entered the kindergarten door, Sponge Bob backpack in tow. You watched your tyke kick his first soccer goal. You rejoiced…
Tomorrow I turn 40. Lord willing, I’m about halfway done with this marathon we call life. God has been so gracious to me. I have a godly wife who makes…
The following is an excerpt from Dr. Leman’s podcast on www.birthorderguy.com: Blaming others has been around since time began. Let’s go back to Adam and Eve. Adam said in…
Empathy does not appear automatically. Nor does it develop in a smooth, steady progression. Indwelling sin is a constant impediment (as illustrated throughout the Book of Proverbs), which requires a…
Can you parent as a grandparent? Here are the thoughts of Dr. Kevin Leman from his podcast on the subject with Andrea and Doug: “Doug: Some day, we’ll all likely…
Being a mom is a high honor and one of the most precious gifts of my life. At the same time, being a mom is tough. It’s tough when your…
Proverbs 16:32 says, “Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city.” “Self-control is often used to describe a favorable character trait in…
The grandparent/grandchild relationship is a special one (and it should be)! It’s sweet and wonderful and like-nothing-we’ve-ever-known-before, but we must take care not to mishandle God’s design for it. “Now…
King Solomon penned Psalm 127. He was not the model father. God dubbed made the flamboyant monarch the wisest man on earth. When you read Psalm 127, you’ll notice…
Roger, My best friend and I were talking recently and he said to me during a discussion about God that, “the Bible was written for people who lived a long-time…
You never stop being a mom. From the day you learn you have a bun in the oven to the day you breathe your last, your child is always on…
I once heard someone say that the relationship between a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law is the most fragile of all human relationships. If you are one of those people, you already…
Worried about your son or daughter but not sure how to know how bad it really is? Answer the questions below and add up the score to see the results.…
How do you treat your elders? Do you respect your aging parents, your frail grandmother, your annoying aunt with dementia? Do you consider them an inspiration, an inconvenience, or both?…
You simply cannot go wrong when praying Scripture. To be honest, as I look back over my life of prayer I must admit there have been times when I simply…
One of the most powerful tools any grandparent can utilize is that of asking questions. This simple act reaps so many benefits. Asking questions of your grandchildren shows your interest…
“Behold, children are a gift of the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s…
The pattern of servant leadership didn’t originate in the New Testament. It was woven into the fabric of creation, all the way back to the original relationship the Lord designed…
Same-sex marriage, transgender orientation, and bisexuality fill movies, television and social media. It’s everywhere. So should Christian parents remain silent, or do they help their children understand what the Bible…
“Hi, son! How was your day?” “Fine.” “What happened at school?” “Nothing.” “Anything happen you would like to talk about?” “No.” Sound like a familiar conversation when you pick…
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6 KJV In America, 82% of adults said…
Was Jesus a zombie? In this age of “anything goes” some young adults are considering the possibility. According to some, His resurrection and most powerful call to discipleship certainly align…
Dating at age 16 was the rule in my family. My older sister was clearly ready at age 16. I was so immature at 16. On my first date, I…
The social networking phenomenon is accelerating at record speeds and isn’t likely to slow down any time soon. The Pew Research Center states the following statistics for 2018: “Some 95%…
A young teenage boy died in a hotel room after an overdose of drugs. The partiers around him didn’t even know he was in trouble until it was too late. Sadly,…
After I was thrown out of North Park University in the middle of my sophomore year, I returned to Tucson to live with my Mom and Dad. My older brother…
You can make a difference in how your child transitions from summer to school year. Joyce Wilson of Teacher Spark shares her secrets. (Don’t forget to click the links. They…
Currently one in every sixty-eight children in the U.S. will be diagnosed with autism. More children will be diagnosed with autism this year than with AIDS, diabetes, and cancer combined.…
Hi, I don’t feel comfortable stating my name, but I am 17 and a Christian. I was raised as one and was always told and preached that without God and…
Parents let schools teach the A B C’s- but what about “the birds and the bees?” In recent weeks, several Texas school districts have been in the news because of…
You can’t save your children. You can raise them in the fear and admonition of the Lord, guard them from the sinful influences and temptations of the world, and cocoon…
Time, moments and milestones are keys to leading your family in spiritual growth. Model Christlikeness with commitment: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Preached at…
Dear Roger, The chaos in our government is breaking my heart. I wonder if any politician is righteous and honest. It seems like no one tells the truth any…
Technology is a way of life for us. Social media is here to stay. It’s not a trend. It’s not a fad. It’s part of the atmosphere we breathe in,…
It was 8:00 p.m. and we nearly had a family riot. We had another 2 loads to move. I had said we’d only work until 8:00 pm. One child, said “You…
My parents marched into the classroom and demanded to know why their son got a B. It was tense. This was my first B in high school and it was…
Have you ever tried to make a photocopy of a photocopy? Maintaining the quality is always a problem. And it’s happening in us the same way with every generation today.…
Ask 100 people if they’d like to make significant progress on their goals over the next week and you’ll probably get 100 yeses. (Actually, you’d probably get 99, thanks to that one jerk…
Dear Roger, What happens to America in the end times? Sincerely, Peter Dear Peter, The quick and simple answer is that no one knows. However, there are some Biblical and…
“Anybody who acquires deep expertise does so at the expense of breadth. The challenge is to understand how much depth is enough, and how much is too much.”-Andrew Hargadon. Most…
Why does Jesus call Pergamum’s church the place where Satan’s throne is? Revelation 3:12 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the…
Dear Roger, My life is getting more and more difficult. It seems that everything I do is a struggle. I pray to God to make things smoother; but it seems…
Dear Roger, Greetings. Does the Bible really mean that we will be judged and punished in heaven for our sins? As a Christian, I did “big” wrong things that…
Children need us to be strong and confident in the Lord. We cannot impart what we don’t possess. If the parents are not experiencing freedom in Christ, they will have…
Russell Moore shares his insights about tension during the holiday season. Here are his wise suggestions: “We tend to idealize holidays, but human depravity doesn’t go into hibernation between Thanksgiving…
Vets tell us that our canines have the emotional and intellectual capacity of two-year-olds. I beg to disagree. Toddlers are much dumber than dogs, and I have hard evidence to…
The Greek word for “royal” translates as “support of/to the people”. It’s a title of service and humility. Not how we typically think of royalty. This is then tied to…
Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.&“Train up a child.” Rarely is a proverb so often…
Dear Roger, We have relatives who are not believers, and want to argue that the “harsh” God of the Old Testament could not be the same as Jesus of…
As we meet the needs of our children, we forge bonds that forever change our relationships. Discovering the wonder of being with our children and listening to their hurts are…
Why do kids lie? They start early. It’s hard to trust again after a child has started habitually lying. How can you be sure he won’t lie again? How do…
The average person isn’t buying the “core product” of our churches. Why is that? Have you been to McDonald’s lately? Ronald is taking a back seat. What used to be…
“Teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Number your days, seize opportunities to love and mold your children. When you see how much…
How do leaders get vision? The short answer to this question is: People find what they look for and leaders look for vision. We all pursue our priorities and leaders…
A few weeks ago, I told myself, “I am going to Internet so hard in 2015!” That wasn’t an official goal, but more of a statement you yell at your…
Parents, not the school or the church, should be the primary teachers of respect and obedience to their children. Meal times, travel times and bed times are key opportunities to…
Recently, at a routine mammogram, the doctors discovered that I had developed breast cancer. Since then, it has been a whirlwind of appointments, scans and surgery. Even though the past…
Have you ever heard someone make this statement? “You’re putting God in a box!” I’ve watched it used in two ways. One is legitimate, the other is a deflection from…
Neuroscience now knows that willpower is a function of the prefrontal lobes of the brain. Scientific studies have also confirmed that using porn over and over actually reshapes these areas of the…
ou’re not imagining it: there’s a severe shortage of single men in the church. Not just here in the U.S., but also around the world. When I was writing my…
A recent article on CNN from atheist blogger, Deborah Mitchell, claimed that raising children without God is better than raising children with God. Mrs. Mitchell lists seven reasons why she…
The Blessing is something we all crave and long for in life. The approval, appreciation, and affirmation is what we need to keep moving forward. The Blessing flows from God…
If we will move in true discernment, our view of life must be purged of human thoughts and reactions. We must perceive life through the eyes of Christ. To…
Raising children in a corrupt society has its challenges. Hold on tight: commit to the tough process, provide clear direction, encourage more than discourage and release them when it’s time…
This is not a defense of the humanity of the unborn. It is an argument that if the unborn are human they ought not to be aborted. There are some…
Leading is a difficult task whether you are in the secular world or in church. Leaders must stay sharp if they want to be faithful to the task God has…
Dear Roger, I’ve read that the hospice movement began with Kevorkian and continues to be assisted suicide by morphine, etc.. It seems to me that the drugs used to put…
How do you deal with a rebellious child? When they insist on leaving, let them leave. When things get tough-don’t run to the rescue. If they come back, run to…
I’ll never forget the day my friend Karl called to tell me he was leaving Mongolia, never to return. We were planning to work on a ministry project together. Then,…
n Psalm 127, Solomon encourages parents to establish a stable home environment, to set appropriate boundaries, to practice the art of being “with” and to meet the children’s primary intimacy…
Passing the torch is part of a parent’s job description. Many things are better “caught” than “taught.” Strong marriages teach your children how to love and feel secure. When parents…
Have you ever found yourself making (or thinking) any of the following statements? As you work through this exercise, consider how God may want to adjust your thinking as it…
The stories of Eli, Samuel and David reveal that spiritual men can have unspiritual children. Four myths of child-rearing include: going to church produces spirituality, kids need to make their…
Eli, Samuel and David were godly men who were terrible fathers. Myths that growing up in a spiritual leader’s home will produce godly offspring include going to church produces spirituality,…
I believe it was Roger Barrier who I first heard point out that there are basically no functional families in the Bible. That is absolutely the truth. And to see…
Too often as Christians we don’t explore the belief systems of others, and in doing so, fail to understand how they think. When we take a hard look at comparative…
The most vital relationship we can help our children develop is with the Lord. As parents, grandparents and other family members, we are called to invest in our children the…
The quality of our relationships with our children determines the weight of our influence. Regardless of their ages, we must never lose this influence to nurture and guide them. Children…
There is great treasure when we do our jobs as unto God. The book of Proverbs tells us in Pr. 12:24, “The hand of the diligent will rule…” and in…
Surviving adolescence is more challenging today because the transition has lengthened. Greater challenges face young adults as they seek to get established.
Parenting changes as our children grow up. Younger children need a directive parenting style. As children approach adolescence, parents transition to the role of coach and mentor. We allow teenagers…
Jesus models the lifestyle of affirming and blessing others. As parents, we can minister blessing to our children by meaningful touch, by spoken words of love, by attaching high value…
Invest time and energy in your children. Build them up according to their needs. The goal is to be adult friends when they leave home.