How Our Culture Disciples Our Children

Teaching your children to walk pales in comparison to teaching them to walk with wisdom in a world flooded with foolishness. Likewise, teaching your children to talk, and use proper grammar is child’s play compared to teaching them to be slow to speak, and to do so with grace and humility amidst the godless banter of modern media.... continue reading

To the Discipling Parent Whose Child Seems Disconnected

Connection. If you’re like most of us, you think about connection in the context of our digital age—connected via social media, gaming, video platforms, and even the electrical grid. Always on, always going. Disconnecting is what everyone is screaming about, as they post waterfall photos to show the rest of the world just how unplugged they are. But what if connection is something we need? I don’t mean with thousands of strangers via social media. I mean with our kids. ... continue reading

To the Parent Who Is Discipling Their Kids Alone

There are many reasons why a parent might be the solo discipler in the home. Maybe you’re the only parent. Maybe you’re the only parent who follows after Jesus. Maybe your spouse is deployed, or their job requires them to be away for long periods of time, or you are widowed, or your child’s other parent has never been present. Whatever the case may be, family dynamics are much more complicated than neat little demographic boxes we check on a registration form. And that complicates not only our lives, but our discipling relationships with our kids. ... continue reading

For the Struggling Parent Who Wants to Disciple Their Kids

“How am I supposed to help my kids follow Jesus when I am struggling in my own relationship with him?” It’s a valid question, and one you’re not alone in asking. Or maybe you’re not struggling in your relationship with Christ, but you’re just having a hard time with life in general. Maybe it’s your job or an illness that is causing your struggles. It could be family or relationship issues that are complicating every facet of life. Perhaps your DIY remodel went off the rails and you’re living in a construction zone with your last shred of sanity holding it all together.... continue reading

To the Busy Parent Who Wants to Disciple Their Kids

If your schedule looks anything like mine, it can make a person uninitiated in the realm of color-coded calendars dizzy. There’s a color dedicated to this kid, a color dedicated to that kid. One for work stuff, one for family stuff, and even the dogs have their own special color on the calendar. Ok, so the dogs don’t have a lot of appointments, but once you go down that color-coding rabbit hole, you just can’t leave them out. Or maybe you’re more of a non-calendar person and sticky notes are your thing. Whatever your method is, if you have kids, you’re probably busier than you want to be.... continue reading

To the Parent Who Wants to Disciple Their Kids But Doesn’t Know Where to Start

Parenting is a wild ride, isn’t it? Nothing can adequately prepare you. Parenting books, blogs, and podcasts are all great. But they only scratch the surface of what it’s like to have your own kid. There are so many paths to parenthood, no one gets there quite the same. But when that precious life is placed in your arms, you are changed forever. And you might freak out a little. So many thoughts race through your head, but I think one every parent can identify with is that we don’t want to fail our kids. ... continue reading

Showing Kids What Grace Means

What is it about grace that’s so hard to grasp? I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve asked children and young people from Christian homes why Jesus died, or what difference forgiveness makes to our lives, and they’ve come back with thoughts about how you ought to behave—no grace in sight. Or I’ve asked them what grace means and they’ve triumphantly told me it’s God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense, but without being able to explain what that means in practice. “What riches?” I say. “Ummm…” they reply.... continue reading

How to Host a "Forever Party" to Help Kids Understand Eternity

Joni Eareckson Tada’s new kid’s book The Awesome Super Fantastic Forever Party helps kids understand—and get excited about—a future forever with Jesus. 

To help this wonderful truth stick, kids benefit from hearing the storybook and engaging with it and the concepts via games, crafts, coloring and more. Throwing a “Forever Party” for your family or a kid’s ministry is a great way to make the truth about forever-with-Jesus memorable.

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