Freedom To Follow Christ

Freedom from Legalism

Parenting Pathway Stonebriar Community Church Frisco, TexasIn this week’s return to the Parenting Pathway Podcast, Family Ministries Pastor Dave Carl invites Elementary Ministry Leader Barbara Deatherage to share her struggle to overcome a lifelong battle with legalism and redefine what it means to be a follower of Christ.

Legalism is a big “churchy” word, but it has its roots in both the secular and Christian worlds. Legalism is the obsessive adherence to rules, law, or a perfectionist base code of conduct. When applied to Christianity, legalism can look like a long list of rules, to dos, and a code of a behavior that must be followed to be acceptable to Christ.

But, stepping back, we must first agree that we are designed by God from the beginning of time to pursue a relationship with God—one that is both healing and nurturing. But Satan leads us to believe things about God that are not true. A Christian life based in legalism is another one of the enemy’s deceptions.

“God is drawing us to an intimate relationship with Himself.”

Barbara shares her struggle that started in her childhood as the oldest child in her family. She believed that she had to pursue perfection, work hard, and obey the rules to receive approval and love from her parents, extended family, teachers, and friends. When she became a Christian as a young adult, she quickly took the same approach to faith, creating lists of “behaviors” that would earn her God’s approval.

“The Christian life is not a list; just being with God is the pursuit.”

In this episode, Barbara tells us a story that her heart was first opened to the idea of fellowship with God after the death of her mother. As Barbara was studying the Lord’s Prayer in Luke 11, she noticed how the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray so they could talk to God as Jesus did. They wanted to share that relationship. Listen to the podcast to hear Barbara’s insights and be reminded of our freedom in Christ.

Breaking the Grip of Legalism

Open your heart and mind to the idea of living in a relationship with God based on His grace and mercy for you. Understanding that relationship is the key, begin to open yourself to experience God in new ways.

To read more about how this pursuit of Christ can help your kids, consider what we learned this summer.

These Kids are Fragile

Authors

  • Dave Carl

    Dave Carl is the Family Ministries Pastor at Stonebriar Community Church and is responsible for the ministry focusing on children birth through high school graduation and the parents who love them. With a ministry philosophy based on Luke 10:27, his primary focus is to give parents the skills to raise kids who truly love Jesus and want to serve others. Dave has a passion for ministering to families in crisis in our community. He has spent several years pouring into fathers and husbands and helping them learn that they need community, were designed to guard and protect, and that they really can be the spiritual leaders of their family.

    Dave and his wife of 30 plus years, Cathy, have two adult children and one in college and grandparents to three amazing children. They are completely in love with these new member of their family. Dave is an avid woodworker and loves to write. He sees all stories in the form of pictures, and he would love to connect with you!

  • Barbara Deatherage

    Barbara Deatherage is the Elementary Ministry Leader at Stonebriar Community Church. At nineteen, her life completely changed when she met Jesus Christ and accepted Him as her Savior. Three days later, she met Jim Deatherage who would become her husband. Barbara went from rebellious college girl to pastor’s wife in a very short amount of time. Several moves took them from Pennsylvania to Maryland to Virginia to North Carolina to Kansas and finally to the North Texas area where they live now. Also, along the way, Barbara and Jim became mom and dad to four children: Rachael, Caleb, Melody, and Evan. Their kids are growing up, but that means the blessing of five grandkids. What fun!

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