Category Archives: Parenting

Promises for future men

Review

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Douglas and Nancy Wilson have written a challenging, humorous and vigorous defence of the covenantal approach to Christian family life. And, as Alan discovered, they are willing to be controversial.

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There’s no place like home: the marvellous land of Christian parenting books

Review

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Sandra had just become a mother. Though she had been a Christian for many years, she was completely shell-shocked by the continual demands of her new baby, and felt quite out of her depth. There was so much she didn’t know, and she felt like a failure, even though Kyle was only three weeks old. Other people’s babies were sleeping through already, but Kyle wasn’t. It was the following Sunday that one of the other mothers at church lent Sandra a book, which hinted that if she just followed The Program with Kyle, he would not only sleep through, but become a Christian when he grew up …

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The blessing of infertility

Life

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I’m surprised that in this world of political correctness, the word ‘infertility’ still exists. I would have thought by now that my wife and I would have been classed among the ‘reproductively challenged’, or some other ghastly term. ‘Infertility’ is certainly a word we have both come to know and accept over the last three years—more as an embarrassing out-of-town relative than as a dearly loved member of the family.

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A silent grief: Pastoral reflections on infertility

Everyday Ministry

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When a couple marries, they pray for the gift of children. What happens when the answer to that prayer is ‘no’? How do we cope with the disappointments of infertility? And to what extent is today’s biotechnology causing more problems than it solves?

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The Ethics of Ezzo

Review, Sola Panel

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Increasingly for many Christian parents, THE question is: to Ezzo or not to Ezzo. The parenting material written by Gary and Anne Marie Ezzo is causing passionate discussion in many churches. What are we to make of it?

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The First Duty of Fatherhood

Life

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Australian feminist Eva Cox says any mother who isn’t back in the workforce after her child turns one is a bludger. Why this growing attack on motherhood? Andrew Lansdown thinks that the changing role of the father has something to do with it.

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A Christian Upbringing

Life

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“Being brought up in a Christian home is hard on a child.”

I have heard variations on this comment at various times and it has set me thinking. In fact, I have begun to feel somewhat bitter towards my parents, who gave me a thoroughly Christian upbringing.

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Teaching children about God

Everyday Ministry

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Wouldn’t it be great if someone said to you as a parent, “Do this, this and this and you will have mature, well adjusted children who are Christians as well!”? One of the things we long for as parents, is to know that if we do something, then we will be assured of the correct response by our children. Unfortunately, children aren’t like that, not even in the same family. Not only is this true in regard to their behaviour, but particularly so in their responses to our teaching about God. We long to see our children as Christians, taking the claims of Jesus for themselves, living godly lives and calling on God as their Father in Heaven. But we cannot orchestrate this development.

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