Should we force our adolescent son to attend church with us? He used to enjoy it, but now has no interest in going at all. We want to respect his independence and give him the freedom to make age-appropriate decisions for himself, but it also worries us to think that he may be drifting away …
Spiritual Growth Q&A
Could “night terrors” be demonic in origin? I have serious concerns about some of the advice your ministry and certain other Christian organizations are giving on this subject. We’ve confronted this problem in our family. Our son used to wake up screaming and go wandering through the house in the middle of the night. Experience …
Should we allow our adolescent to get a tattoo? Doesn’t the Bible forbid them? Our 16-year-old wants to get one, but we’ve held off on any serious discussion of the matter, in part because we’re so shocked that we don’t know what to say. How should we, as responsible Christian parents, react to this request?
Doesn’t Proverbs 22:6 promise that kids who are raised properly by their parents will turn out alright? That’s not been our experience at all. Our college-age son walked away from his faith a year ago and started engaging in some extremely destructive behaviors. Now his younger sister seems to be following in his footsteps. We’re …
Can you offer any guidance to parents whose child has recently become a member of a cult? Our family has been completely blindsided by this. We have no clue what our options are or what we ought to do, practically, legally, and otherwise. We really need your help!
Can you help us with our adolescent daughter who is having doubts about God? She has been raised in a solid Christian home, and her faith has always been very important to her. But recently she seems to be struggling with doubt. Last week she asked me how Christians can be sure they’re right when …
How do I handle my children’s questions about God in the midst of disaster and trauma? Over the past month our community has been devastated by a terrible flood. The physical impact of this disaster has been overwhelming, of course. But I’m also deeply concerned about what it may be doing to my children’s faith …
Should I raise my kids under a philosophy of law or grace? Since the Gospel is all about grace, doesn’t this suggest that it’s a mistake for Christian parents to raise their children according to a lot of rules and regulations? Paul even tells us, in Galatians 3:24, that the law was nothing but a …
What is your opinion of boarding school for children? I’ve always thought that they were destructive to families. But recently my spouse and I have received a call to serve as missionaries overseas, and apparently this arrangement is part of the deal. I’m not sure this is best for our children and our family, but …
As a Christian father, should I give my daughter away at the wedding if she’s marrying a non-believer? Over the more than twenty years of our marriage we’ve worked hard to raise her in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Her decision has come as a great disappointment to us. We love our daughter, …
