"Let our home be the first place that our identity in Christ shows up, not the last."
--Pastor Ryan Kramer
In "Parenting God's Way," Pastor Ryan Kramer, fresh off sabbatical, dives into the crucial intersection of Christian identity and family life, specifically parenting. Building on the church's "Identity Theft" series, he highlights that knowing who we are in Christ is only truly meaningful when it's lived out daily, especially in the home where Satan often works overtime to derail our walk. Using Ephesians 6:4 as his anchor, Pastor Ryan redefines what leadership in the home looks like, moving from mere "being in charge" to "being Christlike." He unpacks common pitfalls that provoke children to anger, such as helicopter parenting, comparison, performance-based love, emotional absence, and unrealistic expectations, explaining how these behaviors can rewire a child's brain, diminish trust, and create a distorted view of Jesus.
The core of the message shifts to Paul's positive instructions: "bring them up with the discipline and the instruction that comes from the Lord." Pastor Ryan offers three practical "handles" for parenting God's way: raising kids with grace (cultivating with compassion, where correction is wrapped in compassion), training with purpose (discipline as preparation, explaining the "why" behind rules), and teaching with kindness (gentle correction, being safe rather than scary). He vulnerably shares his own struggles with reacting in anger and the transformative power of a parent repenting and asking for a child's forgiveness, demonstrating true grace. The sermon concludes with a powerful challenge: to ensure our home is the primary place our identity in Christ is revealed, reflecting God's love, grace, mercy, and compassion to our children.
+++++++
Join us for church this Sunday.
For service times and meeting location please visit https://transformtlh.com/
