Better Dads Better Kids

Are people good or bad?

“Could I have your attention, please, for a special announcement?  We have decided NOT to present an F3 series teaching you how to sin.  Evaluation tells us that you are already quite good at that.  Too many people considered themselves experts and wanted to lead the ‘How to be Selfish’ class.”

I hope my attempt at humor has made you think.  In Romans 7, Paul talks about his battle with sin.  He is not talking about when he was Saul and persecuting Christians; in this chapter, he is writing after he has been saved by grace.  Yet, he still suffers with his sinful nature.  In verse 15, Paul laments, “. . . I do not understand my own actions.  For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.”

A sinful nature is something that we are born with.  We don’t have to teach our kids and spouses how to sin; they come by that naturally.  In Galatians 5:17, Paul writes, “For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.”

We WILL be hosting a variety of great Family-Faith-Formation (F3) classes that will help you in your struggle with sin.  I will be hosting a class titled, “You don’t have to teach people how to sin.”  In a fun and informative video format, we will discuss 13 principles that I have used to shape my thinking and the thinking of my kids.

Some people would like you to believe that people are basically good.  They say things like, “You don’t need religion to be a good person.”  But if parents just sit back and expect their kids to turn out to be good without receiving any direction, what is most likely to happen?  (Wives, doesn’t this sometimes apply to husbands, too?)

Babies are incredibly lovable; however, it doesn’t take long before they become very demanding.  If you don’t meet their needs, they are going to let you know about it.  We all have heard of the “terrible twos.”  As a general rule, if kids aren’t taught differently, most will end up with an “I want, I want, I want” attitude, followed by a good dose of “what’s in it for me?”  Pastor Wray often made it a point in his baptisms to say, “You don’t have to teach this kid how to sin; they come by that naturally.  What you have to do is to teach them to be Christ-like.”

Husbands are mostly lovable.  But often it doesn’t take long after the wedding before they start drifting back to their bachelor thinking.  I saw an interesting analogy on mybiblestudylessons.com, where Josh Hunt is quoting John Courson’s application commentary.  (Actually, I think he was talking about all people, not just husbands.)  “Here is how you differentiate between a pig and a prodigal, between an unbeliever and a carnal Christian [a Christian who still struggles with human desires]: take the pig out of a pigpen, wash him in bubble bath, spray him with cologne, put a ribbon in his hair, a bow on his tail, and watch what happens the first time he sees some mud.  The pig will wallow in it with joy.  The prodigal, on the other hand, although he might foolishly find himself in the mud from time to time, will not be comfortable there.  Eventually, he’ll come to his senses and say, ‘Get me out of here.  I hate this stuff.’”

The 13 principles I will cover in this class are designed to shape the mindset of your spouse and kids to help them develop a WORDview, instead of a worldview.  Topics include “Life isn’t fair! Be a good winner;” “Life isn’t fair! Be a good loser;” “Don’t be a victim;” “Serve rather than deserve” and “Respect authority.”  The 13^th principle will focus on the fact that Christians aren’t perfect, we are just forgiven.

I am sure you would find benefit from all of the 13 principles, but each class is designed as a stand-alone presentation, so you don’t have to commit to every week.  However, if you really want the gift of a better spouse and kids by Christmas, you should commit to attending the whole session.  If Wednesday nights just doesn’t work, you can email Andrea at andrea@spldecatur.org to get on a mailing list for previews and recaps of the classes. 

The first class is on Wednesday, September 13.  There will be something to eat at 5:30 p.m., and the class will run from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.  Click here to register.