Gospel-Powered Parenting

January 21, 2010

I just finished reading the book Gospel-Powered Parenting. I read it because Tim Challies recommended it to “any and every parent.” I trust Tim’s theological approach, and so I trust his reviews. I’m appreciative of his ministry of biblical, critical, honest, and charitable reviews. All this is to say, thanks Tim for giving me another good and spiritually challenging book to read. I’d encourage you to read Tim’s review of Gospel-Powered Parenting, but in the mean time here are a few notes from me on the book.

Farley is a clear writer and he almost always tells his reader where he is going with the book and chapter. So, in his introduction he writes, “I wrote this book to center parenting in the Bible, more specifically the core of the Bible – the gospel.”[1] I appreciate that Farley begins his book by examining assumptions, he calls them “Intellectual Submarines,” as they “cruise beneath the surface of our consciences.”[2]

The most important assumption that Farley encourages parents to avoid is assuming that their children are converted. Farley, and rightly I think, encourages parents to remember that everyone is born into this world in sin. What’s Farley’s solution? Well, it’s basically to assume your child is unconverted and therefore in need of hearing the gospel each and every day. This framework demands that parenting be powered by the gospel. Such parenting therefore means that “the believing parent labors to prepare each child for the day of judgment.”[3] That, I think, is the basic summary of Farley’s book. If parenting is about preparing children for the day of judgment, then what they will need most on the day of judgment is a clear understanding and belief in the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Like I said, read Tim’s more thorough review, but more importantly read the book.

[1] William P. Farley, Gospel-Powered Parenting, p.13

[2] p.19

[3] p.41

Under Reflections