The family is in trouble. As part of our current series, Imitators of God, we looked at marriage last Sunday and will be examining parenting this week. We must go into messages like these understanding how critical the situation is. I was reading recently that at no time in history have things been so dire. Many sources are citing that the total fertility rate across Western Europe and Canada is now less than 1.5 children per woman. This is well below the population replacement rate of 2.1 (e.g. Canada: 1.44, Germany: 1.36, South Korea: 0.72).

There are powerful societal forces at play, including the prosperity of the Western civilization and liberalism, which calls for ever-expanding government social programs. Government (the state) expands to fill every vacuum left by family, community, and the church. With this happening, there is an unavoidable slide: culture collapses → chaos ensues → authoritarianism jumps in to fix the problem.

For those who believe the Word of God, we know that the first assault on marriage and the family happened with the very first family, the first couple who brought sin into the home. Since then, nothing has been as it was intended by God. We chose that. We continue to choose that, despite all the evident heartbreak associated with that choice. The only remedy to achieve any measure of marriage and parenting as it was intended is submission to Jesus Christ and attentiveness to his Word. We must imitate God if we’re to push back against the prevailing culture, not only for our own sakes but as a light to the world.

If you missed last week’s message, Marriage That Works, find it here. I look forward to seeing you in person or online this Sunday to look at Deuteronomy 6:1-9, Parenting That Pleases Everyone.

Series: Imitators of God

Message: 4 – Parenting That Pleases Everyone

Text: Deuteronomy 6:1-9

Todd Dugard

Harvest Bible Chapel

May 3, 2026

If I am to imitate God in my parenting, I must…

…live the Word (v. 1-3)

…love the LORD (v. 4-6)

Isaiah 45:5a

To hear God without putting into effect the command is not to hear him at all.

– Eugene H. Merrill

James 1:22

[The Great Commandment] ties love tightly together with the sense of obedience and loyalty.

– Earl S. Kalland, Expositor’s Bible Commentary

…teach my kids (v. 7-9)

Seven ways that you may not have thought of to teach your kids the Word and to love the Lord:

(1) Give them your undivided time and attention

(2) Set up the guardrails

(3) Present a united front as mom and dad

(4) Be clear when disciplining

(5) Admit it when you fail

(6) Listen to the Word, not the world

(7) Keep Jesus at the centre

Only one life, will soon be past. Only what’s done for Christ will last.

– C. T. Studd