TBC parents, this Sunday, Pastor Brett is continuing TBC's sermon series through the book of Deuteronomy. We will be in Deuteronomy 22:13-20. In many Bibles, this section is titled "Laws on Morality." It specifically deals with sexual sins. Having children in church, especially during a sermon on this passage and topic, can be challenging. I wanted to share something I wrote when our son was in 5th grade. Hopefully this will help you and your family, not just this Sunday but going forward.
While this post references a different passage, the principles are the same.
Let them ask questions.
Keep it basic.
Keep it Biblical.
Encourage further conversation.
I pray this helps you and your family.
Here is the post from 2017.
Tomorrow's sermon is from Romans 13: 12 -14
12 The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
The sermon doesn't focus on verse 13, but it is part of the message.
Now, parents of 4th and 5th graders, I don't want you to freak out. I want you to read these two personal stories about Josiah and me. I genuinely believe God provided these two talking points to help me have TWO examples to share with you about talking with your child about sex.
Story One:
Earlier this week, Josiah was reading the book Shaken by Tim Tebow. It is a book about going through challenging times. The book contains stories of many different people's struggles in life. As Josiah was reading, he came across the word "molested" and asked me what that means. Josiah and I have already talked about fundamental character qualities and facts about puberty.
We talk about God's special design for sex between a husband and wife, not a mom and dad OR a man and woman. In the story from the book, someone took this very special thing, corrupted it, and used it in a way that was wrong and sinful.
Story Two:
This morning Josiah and I went to The Daughter Project breakfast fundraiser. On the way there, we talked about what sex trafficking was. Once again, we had already talked about sex at an appropriate level for him. So my conversation about the Daughter Project and sex trafficking was basically this:
Sex trafficking is when sinful people take what God has designed as a special thing between a husband and wife and twist it and use it for profit.
If you haven't had the talk with your son or daughter yet, I encourage you to check out the resources posted on this blog related to The Talk. Click HERE.
If you need some help talking to your kids about the text and specifically what sexual immorality is, think basics.
The sermon text contrasts light and darkness. God's design and Man's sinfulness.
"Orgies and Drunkenness" are people's attempts to use what God made in ways very different from what God intended.
"Sexual immorality and sensuality" are perversions (twistings) of what God made for human order and flourishing.
I know when topics like these come up in church, it is easy to think that we need to shield our kids from these words and topics.
But I always come back to the fact that I would RATHER have my kids hear these words and topics under my instruction and in the church building, where they are talked about Biblically, THAN hear their friends or Hollywood talk about these topics.
