smallgroupleaders

Parenting is a big deal. The family, by God’s design, is the building block of humanity, and this means every member of your small group is, to some degree or another, parenting or being parented. It’s shaping their lives. It’s important to them. For most of your group, aside from marriage, parenting will be their highest call and duty in this life. They are thinking about it, talking about it, and at times consumed by it.

Please consider leading your small group through a season focused on parenting. Do this to ensure everyone in the group has an opportunity to share this facet of their lives with the group, especially with those in the group they wouldn’t tend to discuss parenting. Do this as a safeguard. If your group is anything like me, it takes grace to avoid patterns of complaining and discouragement as I discuss parenting with friends…

Continue reading the following article for practical advice on developing and leading a series of meetings focused on the topic of parenting.

A Parenting Series.pdf

Shepherding a Child’s Heart by Tedd Tripp.

This is my number one book recommendation for parents of young children.  Tripp writes in an easy to read, encouraging manner, imparting faith for the task and providing very practical instruction.  In contrast to most materials written about parenting, this book excells at keeping the Gospel front and center.  The Gospel isn’t just tacked onto the end of the book…it’s the goal.  

“Teaching your children to live for the glory of God must be your over-arching objective.”

This book is accessible to everyone, even the parent that never reads.  Whether or not you have young children, odds are that you will or have parents of young children in your group.  You should be familiar with the content and please encourage parents to read it as well.  I’d encourage you to frequently ask the question “Does Shepherding a Child’s Heart touch on this subject?” whenever discussing parenting.

This book dove-tails with Age of Opportunity, written by Paul Tripp (Ted’s brother) to parents of teens.

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