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 PrintableVersion Our covenant with kidsPreaching to the converted?OUR COVENANT WITH KIDS Dr. Sisemore seeks to encourage Christian parents in the nurturing of their children to help them become strong followers of Jesus. This is something that is needed, as parenthood is undoubtedly a hard and challenging task in today’s secular society. He not only seeks to speak to parents, but also to churches, and he outlines how we must value ministry to children. He also aims to show how covenant theology is the main basis for our hope that children from Christian families will become Christians. Even though the aim is good, I generally found the book unhelpful. The premise of covenant theology focused exclusively on Christian parents and at times implied that it is only children from such homes that will become Christians. This will tend to lessen evangelistic desire and passion. For instance, he says, ‘Children of today’s Christians will form the bulk of the members of the church for years to come’. There might, sadly, be some truth in that, but such a bold statement will lead us to ignore the vast majority of the people we need to be seeking to reach with the gospel. As a convinced Baptist I struggled to follow his exposition. I found him to be inconsistent, continually making a difference between how children are saved and how adults are saved. He also implies that children from Christian homes sin less and so are more likely to be saved. There are generalisations about those who hold to a believer’s baptism position. Dr. Sisemore’s writing style as a psychologist also at times comes across as lecture. Too much Calvin!In pastoral ministry I have found many parents who have the heartache of prodigal children, there is little comfort for them in this as the implication is that if not affirming faith in early years then it won’t happen later. And there is too much Calvin! Is that possible? Yes, in fact there is more from Calvin than Scripture which always worries me. There is also quite a strong US context that does not easily transfer into a UK situation. But, he is fair in his assessment of schooling, where he is able to see merit in public, private and home schooling, which is refreshing. One gem is his observation on the need for children to be thankful for their parents. In our day, where bitterness and resentment from adult children towards parents can be common, it is refreshing to hear a rebuke of that and a challenge to see what has been good. It is, of course, much easier to see the negative rather than the positive. (Rather like this book review!) So, if you hold to covenant theology you might enjoy this, but if you are a Baptist, you will not be persuaded, so it is preaching to the converted. Thankfully, there are many other books on the market that will help parents more than this one. Daryl Jones, © Evangelicals Now - July 2009 |
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