Chip Ingram on Parenting

As I’ve said before, there isn’t just one person or philosophy that we follow. So what follows is not an uncritical endorsement, it’s just info. No, I'm not making any money if you buy from clicking on these links, they are just there for your convenience.

Lately in our Sunday School class we have been listening to this guy Chip Ingram from Walk Through The Bible. My wife says he looks a lot like me. That may be true except his teeth look like they are filed off smooth while mine look like they were placed by a drunk (my wife didn’t say that). First we listened to a CD set House or Home on parenting and marriage and now we are watched a DVD set called Effective Parenting in a Defective World. I like a lot of what he says, but you can tell he is preaching to yuppies, and sometimes I think he softsells to them. Though actually he hits quite hard on several things that many of us as Americans, Westerners, whateverers, Parents, struggle with.

Anyway, the best thing he says that too many people parent out of fear. I know I see this a lot, and I think these are the kids that get out and have trouble, rebel, whatever. It’s best when parents have a focus, a target, a positive that they are shooting for, not a negative that they are cowering from. The kids from the positive focus grow strong and confident and go out in the world strong and confident for God. The kids from the fear families are unsure and as a result waver.

BTW that “focus” or “target” is holiness and godliness, not excellence in sports, or academics, or perfection in church attendance, etc. Ingram does caution against holiness without fun. There is a balance. He talked about how they would once a week, as a family, share prayer requests, pray, and then go out for ice cream. Make it a celebration! YEAH! GOD IS FUN!

Tags: Parents, Parenting,