Series Details
Parenting is a privilege . . . and yet, it sometimes feels like a struggle. Whether persevering through an infant's late-night cries or grappling with a teenager's bad attitude, all parents need help. This series will throw a lifeline to moms and dads as Chuck Swindoll teaches biblical and practical principles for godly parenting.
In this practical and heart-to-heart series, Pastor Chuck Swindoll explores the high calling of raising children. Moving beyond rigid rules, Chuck focuses on the “spirit” of the home, emphasizing the importance of understanding each child’s unique, God-given “bent,” breaking generational cycles of unhealthy behavior, and fostering an environment of grace and delight.
Message 1: Discovering Your Child and Yourself
- Overview: Parenting begins with self-awareness. This message explores how a parent’s own temperament and history impact their children, and the importance of “studying” each child to understand their unique personality.
- Key Fact: Effective parenting requires a “discovery” mindset—treating each child as a unique puzzle to be solved rather than a project to be managed.
- Scripture Reference: Psalm 139:13–16
Message 2: The Bents in Your Baby
- Overview: A deep dive into the most famous parenting verse in the Bible. Chuck explains that “the way he should go” refers to a child’s natural inclinations and God-given design.
- Key Fact: Training a child according to their “bent” means aligning our discipline and encouragement with their natural strengths rather than trying to force them into a mold.
- Scripture Reference: Proverbs 22:6
Message 3: Straightening Granddad’s Bent
- Overview: This message addresses the reality of generational patterns. Chuck discusses how to identify and “straighten” the negative habits or sins that have been passed down through family lines.
- Key Fact: Breaking a family cycle requires an intentional, biblical intervention to prevent the “sins of the fathers” from affecting the next generation.
- Scripture Reference: Exodus 34:6–7
Message 4: Unpacking Our ”Ancestral Baggage”
- Overview: Every parent brings “luggage” from their own upbringing into their new home. Chuck provides a roadmap for unpacking and discarding the emotional and spiritual baggage that hinders healthy parenting.
- Key Fact: The first step toward parenting freedom is identifying which of your reactions are rooted in your past rather than your child’s current behavior.
- Scripture Reference: Ezekiel 18:14–17
Message 5: Shaping the Will with Wisdom
- Overview: Chuck explores the delicate balance between discipline and spirit. This message focuses on how to shape a child’s will through consistent, wise discipline without crushing their spirit.
- Key Fact: Biblical discipline is a proactive investment in a child’s future character, not a reactive vent for a parent’s frustration.
- Scripture Reference: Proverbs 19:18; Proverbs 13:24
Message 6: Delighting in Your Children
- Overview: Parenting should not be a drudgery. Chuck encourages parents to recapture the joy of family life by learning to truly “delight” in the gift of their children.
- Key Fact: A child’s sense of security is deeply tied to the visible delight and approval they see in their parents’ eyes.
- Scripture Reference: Psalm 127:3–5
Message 7: Delightful Memories Your Children Won’t Forget
- Overview: This message emphasizes the importance of legacy. Chuck discusses how to intentionally build “memorials of delight” through traditions, laughter, and shared experiences.
- Key Fact: Traditions and positive memories serve as emotional “anchors” that keep children grounded in their faith and family identity as they grow.
- Scripture Reference: Deuteronomy 6:6–9
Message 8: When the Fun Stops for Parents
- Overview: An encouraging word for parents facing the “tough stuff”—seasons of rebellion, exhaustion, or disappointment where the joy of parenting seems to have vanished.
- Key Fact: Perseverance in parenting is a spiritual discipline; God provides special grace for the seasons when parenting feels more like a battle than a blessing.
- Scripture Reference: Galatians 6:9; Lamentations 3:22–23
Message 9: Resolving Those Parent-Child Conflicts
- Overview: Conflict is inevitable, but it doesn’t have to be destructive. Chuck outlines a biblical process for resolving tension and restoring harmony between parents and children.
- Key Fact: Reconciliation is more important than “winning” an argument; humble parents who can admit they are wrong model the Gospel for their children.
- Scripture Reference: Ephesians 6:1–4
Message 10: Accepting Reproof from Those Who Love Us
- Overview: A message on the humility of a parent. Chuck discusses the value of being open to correction and feedback from spouses, mentors, and even our own children.
- Key Fact: A teachable parent is much more likely to raise a teachable child; modeling humility is the most effective way to teach it.
- Scripture Reference: Proverbs 15:31–32
Message 11: Suggestions for Parenting Grown-Up Kids
- Overview: As children reach adulthood, the parenting role must shift from “coach” to “consultant.” Chuck provides wisdom for navigating this complex and often difficult transition.
- Key Fact: Influence with adult children is based on relationship and respect, not on the authority or control that characterized the childhood years.
- Scripture Reference: Proverbs 17:6
Message 12: What to Do When You’ve Blown It
- Overview: The series concludes with a message of hope for parents who feel they have failed. Chuck explains that it is never too late to seek forgiveness and begin a process of restoration.
- Key Fact: God is the God of the “second chance,” and His grace is sufficient to cover our parenting mistakes and heal family rifts.
- Scripture Reference: 1 John 1:9; Joel 2:25–26
