Parenting is one of life’s greatest joys—but it can also feel overwhelming. In a world filled with conflicting parenting advice, it’s easy to feel like you’re falling short. How do you raise kids with faith, wisdom, and character while navigating so many different voices on what’s best? In this message, Pastor [Name] unpacks three common parenting myths and shares biblical wisdom and practical steps to help your children develop a lasting foundation for life. You’ll learn why faith is caught more than taught, the biggest mistake parents make when teaching their kids about God, and how to set healthy boundaries that shape their character.

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MESSAGE NOTES

YOU DON’T COMPLETE ME: RAISING KIDS WITH FAITH

March 2, 2025

BIG IDEA

“God never called you to be a perfect parent, just a faithful one.”

[Ps 127:3-4 NLT] “Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him. Children born to a young man are like arrows in a warrior’s hands.”

  • “Arrows require aim. A child without godly direction will drift aimlessly.”

3 PARENTING LIES

1️⃣ GOOD PARENTS RAISE PERFECT KIDS

  • Even Adam & Eve had the perfect Father, yet still made mistakes

2️⃣ GOOD PARENTS MAKE THEIR KIDS HAPPY

  • “If you prioritize happiness over holiness, your kids become entitled”

3️⃣ THE CHURCH’S JOB IS TO TEACH MY KIDS ABOUT GOD

  • “The church gets 40 hrs/year with your kids and you get 3,000”

3 INGREDIENTS TO RAISING GODLY KIDS

1️⃣ MODEL WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE IN THEM

[Deut 6:6-7 NLT] “And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.”

  • “Faith is caught, more than it is taught”
  • “If we don’t disciple our kids, the culture will”

2️⃣ SET BIBLICAL AND HEALTHY BOUNDARIES

[Pr 22:6 NLT] “Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.”

  • “I’m not raising you to like me at 13, I’m raising you to thank me at 30!”
  • “Boundaries are for protection, not punishment”

[Heb 12:11 NLT] “No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward, there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.”

Stages of Parenting:

  • 0-7: discipline
  • 7-13: train
  • 13-19: coach
  • 19+: mentor

3️⃣ PRAY WITH, AND FOR, YOUR KIDS

[Jms 5:16 NLT] “The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.”

  • “I spent more time talking to God about my kids than talking to my kids about God”

BLENDED FAMILIES

[Col 3:13 NLT] “Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.”

[Ps 127:1 NLT] “Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted.”

  • “God specializes in turning broken pieces into something beautiful”

REMEMBER

  • “The goal of parenting isn’t to raise successful kids—it’s to raise godly adults”

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Application Questions

  1. What stood out to you from this message and why?
  2. What is one thing God is telling you to START doing because of this message?
  3. What is one thing God is telling you to STOP doing because of this message?
  4. How will this message change how you act at home, at work, and in your relationships?