Recently, I received one of the greatest honors that a pastor can receive… I was having lunch with a father in our church. For the first 30 minutes of our time together, we talked about his job, his cool work truck, his small group, and what God had been teaching him over the last several months. Then, he looked up at me over a basket of Buffalo wings and asked me this question:

How do I raise my children in a Christian home?

You might be wondering why this was an honor.  Allow me to explain.

If I were hiking in the Rocky Mountains and found a rock, that wouldn’t really be special. But if I accidentally stumbled upon a large piece of gold, that would be incredible! Why? Because rocks are common, but gold is scarce.

In our culture, fathers are common… but a father who earnestly desires to raise up his children to know and fear God is hard to come by. As I sat there with this father, I felt like a man stumbling upon gold… finding something scarce… finding something ancient… finding something of great value. Not only was I able to cross paths with this eager father, but God allowed me to share my story. It was an honor.

For the next hour, I shared with him everything God has been teaching me over the last 5 years. God has had my wife and I on a personal journey to seek out what it means to glorify God by raising Gospel-centered children. In a world that says it can’t be done, the Bible is telling us that it must be done (Deut 6, Eph 6, 1 Timothy 3).

If you are like that father…. searching on this website for answers that you need to love your wife, raise your kids, and leave a legacy of faith for generations… you are in good company. Though we will post many informative articles here from different husbands and fathers who help lead Saint Louis FamilyCamp, we confess to you that we don’t have all of the answers. We are sinful broken men who have families that are held together by the grace and mercy of God. Like that father sitting across the table, we’re hungry to learn and we’re asking the same question:

How do we raise Christian families in a post-Christian culture?

If you’re like this father, not certain what’s ahead but ready to begin the journey, let me encourage you with the books and resources that God used in my life to bring me here today. First and foremost, read the Bible. It sounds simple, but seriously, read the Bible. Every other resource I will recommend is founded from scripture. Don’t just read the commentaries, read the source! Second, and in this order, read:

This list is by no means exhaustive, but it’s a great place to start if you were completely clueless like me. Through the wisdom and experience of these seasoned fathers, God has reshaped my vision of families.I will forever be grateful for the role they have played. Last, continually pray… for vision, for wisdom, and the resolve to lead your families in worship.It’s a pleasure to be on the journey with you.

Are you gonna eat that last wing?