Building Strong Families
Parenting isn’t about managing behavior; it’s about shaping hearts.
In this message, guest speaker Ted Cunningham challenges parents and grandparents to stop clinging to control and instead become steady, Christ-centered influences in their children’s lives. Drawing from Deuteronomy 6 and Matthew 10, Ted unpacks what it means to lead a family that truly follows Jesus.
He offers practical strategies, including a ten-point family constitution that helps put Scripture, not opinion, tradition, or emotion, in the lead role at home.
It’s a timely for parents wondering how to guide their kids through a chaotic world, and for grandparents who want to invest wisely in the next generation. Ted reminds us that it’s never too late to be a faithful influence.
Remember: the goal isn’t perfect parenting, but rather consistently pointing our children toward Jesus as their true source of life and Scripture as their guide for living.
Key Takeaways
- Build your home around God’s Word, not trends or feelings
- Write out your family values to live them with intention
- Show your kids what trust in Jesus looks like
- Look for everyday chances to talk about faith
Further Study
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Jesus says in Matthew 10:37 that we can’t love family more than Him. Paul says in Ephesians 6:1-3 that children should honor their parents. How do those teachings work together? How does Ted’s advice to never let your relationship with your child get in the way of their relationship with Christ impact how you parent?
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Deuteronomy 6:4–7 tells us to teach God’s Word in the flow of daily life. What does that look like in your home right now? How might you need to shift routines to make Scripture the “driver,” not the backseat passenger?
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Proverbs 4:23 says to guard your heart. Luke 6:45 says your words reveal what’s inside. What are your kids picking up from your tone, your schedule, your conversations? What are you really teaching them, intentionally or not?
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Colossians 3:21 warns fathers not to provoke their kids. What kind of tone and structure in your home makes room for both biblical authority and growing independence?
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Joshua 24:15 says, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” What steps could you take this week to make that more than a plaque on your wall? How might a written family constitution help clarify and commit to those steps?
The Gospel
If you have questions about what it means to be a Christian, we would love to talk with you about it.
Reach outAt the heart of this message is a bigger truth: no parent can be the source of life for their child. That role belongs to Christ alone.
Here’s the Gospel message underneath it all:
We all need a true source. Parents, kids, all of us—we’re lost without the Father. No relationship, tradition, or performance can save us. Only Christ can.
You can’t control your way to grace. Just as parenting by control fails, so does trying to earn salvation. Freedom comes not through striving, but through surrender to Christ.
There’s only one perfect parent. Earthly parents fail. God doesn’t. Through faith, we’re adopted into His family, given grace for the past and strength for today.
As Ted says: Don’t feed your regrets. Ask Jesus to redeem your remaining days.
The Gospel invites every parent (and every person!) to start again, not by trying harder, but by trusting the only One who never fails.