For the Family

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You don’t have to watch cable television or be immersed in politics to notice what is taking place on the home-front in our country. From gay marriage to people physically attempting to change their gender, the world our children are growing up in looks very different from the one in which we grew up.

TeachAcceptance

As believers in Christ, we need to see things through a biblical worldview and teach our children to do the same. What is now considered “normal” by our society at large is not what God purposed when He designed Adam and Eve. God created a man, Adam, and a woman, Eve. He told them to be fruitful and multiply—something that can only be done through a man and a woman coming together.

I know this topic can go down many rabbit holes and cause heated debates among people from various walks of life. And while I’m not opposed to (and actually enjoy) having thorough discussion, this blog post is not the time nor place to do it. So, what I will share is that parents need to be hyper aware of the reality our children are facing and make the most Christ-centered decisions we can in the process. We are called to be salt and light. We are called to give an answer for the hope we have. We are called to rightly divide the Word of God and to go and make disciples. We are in the world, but we are not to be of it. We must begin, however, to stand up and speak out for our children’s sake and the sake of the Gospel.

There are numerous examples of what is happening in our world. Our kids are growing up with friends who have two male or two female parents in the home. Our kids are growing up knowing—either firsthand or through others—those who are born one gender and have chosen to live the opposite of how God created them. But it goes further than these obvious facts. Take for example The Girl Scouts. This once acclaimed organization now allows children who call themselves transgendered to camp alongside those who are physically-born females. It doesn’t stop there—how about The Boy Scouts openly calling for active homosexual men to lead the troops? The president of the BSA, Robert Gates, stated:

“Our oath calls upon us to do our duty to God and our country. The country is changing, and we are increasingly at odds with the legal landscape at both the state and federal levels. And, as a movement, we find ourselves with a policy more than a few of our church sponsors reject, thus placing Scouting between a boy and his church.”

Robert Gates, president of the BSA

Mr. Gates is mistaken. It is not the church placing a boy at odds with scouting and his faith. The church has not changed. For parents, there are always alternative options when organizations attack our faith and expect us to live in a manner not worthy of the calling we have received. For parents with daughters, American Heritage Girls has risen up as a Christian alternative to The Girl Scouts. And for those with sons, Trail Life USA is a fantastic alternative where boys are boys and men are men. By joining with other believers, you send a message to those who defame the name and character of Christ and you show your children how to make choices that are in line with your faith.

Parents, as Christians we need to proactively engage in our culture because we are part of the fabric of society. And no—it is not us versus them. It is us for God. We do not run and hide, and we do not water down the Word and condone that which is not biblical. You are your children’s advocate. You are the one God has called to lead them, grow them, protect them, and educate them so they can grow into men and women who will lead, grow, protect, and educate the next generation. And please, as you raise your children, remember to pray for everyone. Pray for parents—those who are Christ-followers and those who are lost and looking for the answer. Pray for children—those who are being raised to know how God created men and women and those who are very confused about who they are. Pray for organizations who are more concerned with their public image than the fact that people are created in the Imago Dei. And pray for churches. There are more and more churches and denominations who are allowing active homosexuals to lead and teach and many who have open door policies where those who identify as the opposite gender can use any restroom they choose. We may not be able to change the mindset of others, but we can defend our views and honor the children God has given us in the process.

As for Stonebriar Community Church, we are a body of imperfect, broken, and desperate people who, by God’s grace, have come to know the need of the Savior. The founding message Stonebriar members are to remember, reflect, and live out is this: “Stonebriar exists to encourage all people to pursue a lifelong, joyous relationship with Jesus Christ.” As believers in Christ and members of this body, we are to love all people, no matter where they find themselves on their journey. The church should be the place people run to without fear, and we want everyone to feel welcome by the members of this church body. Let us be the hands and feet of Jesus, genuinely loving every person because every person is loved by God and in need of His grace, mercy, and redemption. And remember: “God proves His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

For His Glory,

Gabbie

Author

  • Gabbie Nolen-Fratantoni

    Gabbie Nolen-Fratantoni loves Jesus and is passionate about serving him through the arts by leading worship and writing for various ministries. She is married to Greg, her hard-working, iron-sharpening-iron spouse. They are opposite in personality but equal in dedication to their marriage and family. Gabbie and Greg are the proud and sleep-deprived parents of two active, sweet, and fun boys and one gentle, joy-filled, little girl. An Aggie and graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary, Gabbie is a small-town country girl trapped in the city. She loves getting to know people and encouraging them as they seek to know Jesus and make him known.

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