LOUISVILLE—The task of parents is to make “God magnificent to the next generation,” Children Desiring God’s David and Sally Michael told attenders at Crossings Ministries first “Leading with Love” conference on Nov. 11.

The day-long conference saw 50 participants, but more watched through livestreamed sessions. The event was an intentional way for Crossings to help parents disciple their children well, Jeff Darlymple, president of Crossings Ministries, and Randall Breland, Crossings communications director, said.

“The number one priority then for us as parents is to make God’s glory known to our children, and to encourage our children to live in such a way that they will rise up and glorify God’s name,” David Michael said.

The couple shared that parents are to:

• Embrace the Lord and His word.
• Model trust and confidence in Him.
• Walk according to His ways.
• Diligently teach the Law of God.

Additionally, a parent’s responsibility is to raise children to be “Bible saturated,” and to teach children to apply the “head-knowledge” they have acquired.

“Our prayer is that the Lord would give you every grace that you need to raise your children both to know the truth and to embrace it with all their hearts,” he said.

Chap Bettis, author of “Disciple Making Parent,” whose book was the inspiration behind the conference, shared about the Great Commission’s role in parenting.

“A primary place that you and I live out the Great Commission is in our home,” Bettis said. “The parenting call is a call to make disciples in our homes.

“God’s desire is that your family is to be a Trinity-displaying, God-glorifying, disciple-making unit,” he said.

He offered five tips to becoming a disciple making parent: “model, teach, love, serve and pray.”

“God has entrusted you with an eternal soul. It is messy, it can be frustrating, but it’s rewarding and it’s ultimately profoundly glorious work,” he added.

Randy Stinson, senior vice president for academic administration at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, shared some practical ways that he and his wife have been able to disciple their children.

“It’s not just family worship. It’s conversations in the car. It’s sports. It’s walking around Home Depot,” he said. “What we’re trying to do in our home is use those everyday moments and activities to be able to point them naturally to Christ.”

He explained that he wants to “help parents more comprehensively talk about the gospel naturally and regularly, because that’s where I think our kids end up seeing so much hypocrisy. I want to help kids see an authentic relationship with Jesus Christ in their parents.”

Crossings organized the event at Jonathan Creek Camp & Conference Center “because we think it fits our philosophy of youth ministry to partner with parents and help them with that calling and noble task (to be disciple makers),” Darlymple said.

Darlymple said the conference is timely and important because “the family is really under attack. The world and the culture are eroding the family structure.

“I think it’s really important for churches and Christian ministries like us, those of us who are committed to the Bible as the Word of God and the gospel as the hope for the world, to provide these kinds of resources for parents to reach (their children) with Biblical truth during this foundational season of their life,” he added.

Next year’s speakers include Tedd Tripp, president of Shepherding the Heart Ministries. For more information on Crossings Ministries, visit www.gocrossings.org. (WR)