Parent Centered or God Centered Home?

June 17, 2007
Dr Roger Ferguson, Sr. Pastor
Deuteronomy 6:1-9


Theme: Children are a gift from God. God wants your family to be spiritually healthy and permeated with love. This is effectively done when parents model and teach kids to make wise choices. Parents must be intentional and not haphazard. Today we will see the tremendous opportunity parents have to help kids internalize wise decision making.

I. The goal of parenting is for parents to model and teach children to be fully devoted followers of Christ so that the kids will make wise choices when they are away from parents. (Deut. 6:1-3)

1. Three Generation Rule: what one-generation abhors, the next will tolerate and the third generation will embrace.

2. Study: If both parents are active in church and live a Christian lifestyle, then 78% of kids will. f only mom is active, then 20% of kids will be. If only dad is active, then 55% of kids are active. If both parents are too busy for

God, then only 6% of kids are active followers of Jesus.

II. Parent centered homes give the kids:

Attention

Affirmation

Correction

Prayer

(Deut. 6:4-9)

"diligently" in Hebrews means "to sharpen"

"The thing that strikes me most about America is how parents obey their children." Edward, Duke of Windsor

When children leave home, they should be equipped to:

* Wisely manage money. (Proverbs 3:9-10)

* Carefully select friends. (Proverbs 13:20)

* Manage their conversations. (Proverbs 4:24)

* Be respectful and responsible. (Proverbs 6:6-8)

* Guard their minds. (Proverbs 23:7)

* Be generous with discernment. (Proverbs 11:25)

* Fear God and glorify Him. (Proverbs 1:7)

Live it out!

Deuteronomy 6:1,3 says to know God's truth so we may do it. With that in mind, what will you do with what you've been taught today? Think on these things:
1. If you are a parent, evaluate how you are teaching and modeling the seven traits from Proverbs and make improvements as needed.
2. Is your home in balance or are God and relationships slighted? What must change?
3. Kids and wives so something special for dad today.
4. If you haven't trusted Christ and been baptized, why not today?