parenting

The voices of our culture are competing for the heart of your child, many of them with values that undermine you and your God-ordained role in their life. It’s a battle that you will lose if you aren’t prepared and intentional as you build your relationship with your kids in every season of their growth. This series will prepare you to win.

Destination Parenting

[Part 1]

Pastor Chris Voigt

October 8, 2023

This week we are beginning a new series we’re calling Parenting: Winning the Battle for Your Child’s Heart. Being a parent is the most challenging job in the world. Just when you think you’ve got things figured out, something changes. That’s both the fun and the frustration of parenting. And in order to be successful, we need an unchanging goal. A north star, so to speak, that keeps us focused and on track, even as the seasons and strategies of parenting shift.

Parenting is the ultimate job. And though there are no higher stakes in life than the successful care and nurturing of another human – it seems there are no educational requirements for the job. There’s no degree you can earn to prepare yourself, no training courses you have to take to qualify; you don’t need to pass any tests to make sure you’re ready for the responsibility. And the reality is, many parents are just kind of winging it, doing the very best they can to keep the kids alive, day in and day out. It’s not that they don’t want to be successful in raising happy, healthy, well-adjusted kids, it’s just that they are so busy surviving, there’s no time to think about thriving! And while there is no parent certification course to prepare you, there is wisdom and truth available to help you on the journey.

The Four Stages of Parenting

[Part 2]

Pastor Michelle Snook

October 15, 2023

We are in week 2 of a six-week series that we’ve called Parenting: Winning the Battle for Your Child’s Heart. Throughout this series we are taking a look at big picture principles for successful parenting that will help us to navigate the nitty gritty of daily family life.

We all know that change is one of the most certain things about life. Every time we turn around something else is different, updated, changed in a way that requires us to adapt. And it’s no different in parenting. Just when we think we have things figured out, something changes – a sleep regression hits, or a growth spurt happens, or hormones kick in, or boundaries start being tested. The challenge for parents is knowing how to navigate the changing seasons in our kid’s lives with patience and grace.

I invite you to join us this week as we take a look at the different seasons of parenting and unpack some powerful principles that will equip us to navigate these seasons successfully.

Watch Your Weight [Part 3]

Pastor Chris Voigt

October 22, 2023

We are midway through our series Parenting: Winning the Battle for Your Child’s Heart. This week, we’re taking a look at the weight of our words. We all know that words are powerful and that we need to be wise in how we use them. We know words can be misunderstood, taken out of context, or be twisted. But when it comes to our kids, there’s a whole ‘nother level of potency to the words we speak, and to the ones we don’t. Words, both spoken and unspoken, from a parent to a child, carry more weight than you might realize. And far too often we underestimate the weight of our words. Join us this Sunday, as we unpack the power of words in the lives of our kids.

Marriage Matters [Part 4]

Pastor Chris Voigt

October 29, 2023

This week, as we continue in our series on parenting, we’ll be taking a look at how much marriage impacts our kids. In our world today, the traditional family isn’t so traditional anymore. There are lots of single parent households, broken and blended families, and grandparents raising grandkids. Families come in all shapes, sizes, and situations. But regardless of their status, the ability of those raising children to model what healthy relationships look like for their children is what establishes the foundation for those kids to stand on. And it matters… more than you might even realize.

Because I Said So [Part 5]

Pastor Chris Voigt

November 5, 2023

As we continue in our series on parenting this week, we’ll be taking a look at the difference between discipline and punishment. Though we often use the words interchangeably, they aren’t the same thing at all. Punishment is linked to condemnation and control; discipline is connected to redemption and restoration, to growth and development.

Just as a shepherd’s rod can be a source of security and comfort for the sheep, loving appropriate discipline should be a source of security and comfort for our children. I hope you’ll join us as we unpack what effective discipline should look like, as we endeavor to disciple our kids.

A Faith of Their Own [Part 6]

Pastor Chris Voigt

November 12, 2023

This Sunday we are wrapping up our series, Parenting: Winning the Battle for Your Child’s Heart. We’ve covered a lot of ground the past few weeks, but we’ve saved the best – and maybe the hardest – for last. As parents who have committed their lives to Christ, we want our kids to grow up to be followers of Jesus too. But all too often, we feel inadequate or intimidated by the responsibility of teaching or discipling our kids. So we hope they’ll have great Sunday School teachers or youth leaders that can take care of that.

The truth is that you are the most influential person in your child’s life. For better or worse, your voice carries the most weight and your life has the most impact. Discipling your child isn’t rocket science – no seminary degree required; but it is one of the most challenging and important things you’ll ever do. It requires humility, vulnerability and intentionality.

Helping your child develop their own relationship with Jesus is the most important work you will ever do. We’ll help you figure out how to do it this Sunday.