Sacred Parenting
Last Update:

December 11, 2022

Review:

Overview

How Raising Children Shapes Our Souls

Parenting is a school for spiritual formation—and our children are our teachers. Instead of discussing how parents can change their kids, Gary Thomas turns the tables and demonstrates how God uses our kids to change us. You’ll be encouraged by stories that tell how other parents handled the challenges and difficulties of raising a godly family.

Grow closer to Christ and your children as you learn to:

  • Freely enjoy your kids for who they are.
  • Build a closer, grace-based family.
  • Reduce the pressure felt for your kids to turn out perfect.
  • Manage anger and negative responses towards your child’s behavior.
  • Increase your sense of worth and respect as a parent.

View the companion devotional, Devotions for Sacred Parenting.

1. Articles


1. Book Review -- Sacred Parenting by Bible.org

You should read this book if you…

Are a parent of any aged child

“In a nut shell”…

The author discusses how God uses our kids to change us and draw us closer to Him.

Key Ideas…

Language



English (en)

Authors



N/A

Number of Pages



1




2. Sacred Parenting: Perfecting Holiness

Every Day Is Like an Airline Emergency

Have you ever noticed the severe discrepancy behind the very few verses in the Bible that discuss the “how-to” of parenting and the hundreds of Christian books that confidently proclaim “God’s plan for parenting” (or something similar)?

If the “how-to” is so important, why can’t we point to more than just a few passages? If we believe in the sufficiency of Scripture, we have to wonder, Is the “how-to” the most important part of parenting when God is relatively silent about it?.....

Language



English (en)

Authors



Gary Thomas,

Number of Pages



1




2. Audio


1. Sacred Parenting: How Raising Children Shapes Our Souls Audiobook

Parenting is a school for spiritual formation—and our children are our teachers. The journey of caring for, rearing, training, and loving our children will profoundly alter us forever.

Sacred Parenting is unlike any other parenting book you have ever read. This is not a “how-to” book that teaches you ways to discipline your kids or help them achieve their full potential. Instead of discussing how parents can change their kids, Sacred Parenting turns the tables and demonstrates how God uses our kids to change us.

You’ve read all the method books. Now take a step back and receive some much-needed inspiration. You’ll be encouraged by stories that tell how other parents handled the challenges and difficulties of being a parent—and how their children transformed their relationship with God. Sacred Parenting affirms the spiritual value of being a parent, showing you the holy potential of the parent-child relationship.

Language



English (en)

Publisher



Zondervan

Audio Release



2010-01-11

Format



Audible Audiobook

Duration



07:16:00




2. Your Children are Watching

Careful - you're being watched! So says author Gary Thomas, today's broadcast guest. Gary, a father of three, talks about the sobering realization that our kids are watching us 24/7 and mimicking what we do.

Language



English (en)

Publisher



Family Life

Audio Release



2005-06-09

Format



Podcast

Duration



00:24:55




3. Me, Guilty?

You're a parent, and you feel guilty. Is this normal? Today on the broadcast, Gary Thomas, author of the book Sacred Parenting, joins Dennis Rainey for an honest talk about parental guilt. Find out how to differentiate between real and false guilt.

Language



English (en)

Publisher



Family Life

Audio Release



2005-06-08

Format



Podcast

Duration



00:24:55




4. Character Over Comfort

On today's broadcast, Dennis Rainey talks with writer and speaker, Gary Thomas, about the character-building circumstances of parenthood, which often calls us to sacrifice our own comfort for the sake of others.

Language



English (en)

Publisher



Family Life

Audio Release



2005-06-07

Format



Podcast

Duration



00:26:00




5. Deny Yourself–Become a Parent

Today on the bradcast, Gary Thomas, author of Sacred Parenting, tells Dennis Rainey how parenting, like lonely waves on a distant shoreline, erodes away our selfishness to make us more like Christ.

Language



English (en)

Publisher



Family Life

Audio Release



2005-06-06

Format



Podcast

Duration



00:26:00




6. Devotions for Sacred Parenting: A Year of Weekly Devotions for Parents

Raising children shapes the parent every bit as much as parents shape their children. Raising children is a sacred calling - and not for the faint of heart. In Devotions for Sacred Parenting, the author of Sacred Parenting continues the conversation and contemplates the soul-transforming journey of being a parent. With all new material, fifty-two devotions explore the spiritual dynamics of parenting. These life-related devotions are creative, fresh, and encouraging, inspiring mothers and fathers to look at parenting from a different perspective - as a holy and high calling from God, and as an opportunity to grow spiritually as you strive to raise godly children. Devotions for Sacred Parenting helps you understand how God is parenting you as you parent your children.

Language



English (en)

Publisher



Zondervan

Audio Release



2012-05-25

Format



Audible Audiobook - Unabridged

Duration



04:47:00




3. Books


1. Sacred Parenting: How Raising Children Shapes Our Souls

Parenting is a school for spiritual formation, says author Gary Thomas, and our children are our teachers. The journey of caring for, rearing, training, and loving our children profoundly alters us forever…even when the journey is sometimes a rough one.

Sacred Parenting is unlike any other parenting book on the market. This is not a “how-to” book that teaches readers the ways to discipline their kids or help them achieve their full potential. Instead of a discussion about how parents change their children, Sacred Parenting turns the tables and demonstrates how God uses children to change their parents.

Stepping beyond the overly-tilled soil of method books, parents can learn a whole new side of parenting. They’ll be encouraged by stories that tell how other parents handled the challenges and difficulties of being a parent – and how their children transformed their relationship with God.

The lessons the author writes about are timeless. But in this edition, Thomas adds in some additional insights and stories that he’s learned and lived over the past fifteen years of his own parenting. Gary has found that the lessons have remained much the same but there are new applications for the readers in this generation who are just now coming to his book.

Language



English (en)

Authors



Gary Thomas,

Format



Paperback

Publisher



Zondervan

Publication Date



2017-08-29

Number of Pages



256




2. Devotions for Sacred Parenting

Raising children is a sacred calling—and not for the faint of heart. It shapes the parent every bit as much as parents shape their children. In Devotions for Sacred Parenting, Gary Thomas, author of Sacred Parenting, delves deeper into the conversation and contemplates the soul-transforming journey of being a parent.

Many books have been written about how to parent your children effectively, how to become a better parent, and how effective parenting produces better kids. Devotions for Sacred Parenting explores an entirely different reality: how parenting transforms you, the parent. It explores the spiritual dynamics of parenting and why caring for your children is such an effective discipline in shaping your soul and forming the character of Christ within you.

With all new material, 52 devotions explore the spiritual dynamics of parenting. These life-related devotions are creative, fresh, and encouraging, inspiring mothers and fathers to look at parenting from a different perspective—as a holy and high calling from God, and as an opportunity to grow spiritually as you strive to raise godly children. Devotions for Sacred Parenting helps you understand how God is parenting you as you parent your children.

Language



English (en)

Authors



Gary Thomas,

Format



Hardcover

Publisher



Zondervan

Publication Date



2018-05-01

Number of Pages



224




4. Musics


5. Videos


1. Sacred Parenting Small Group Bible Study by Gary Thomas - Promo

Sacred Parenting Small Group Bible Study by Gary Thomas. In the Sacred Parenting Small Group Bible Study, Gary Thomas say "parenting a child is an in-depth course on spiritual formation, expressly designed by God to shape your soul in ways you cannot imagine." What if one of God's primary intentions for you as a parent isn't about successfully raising perfect children, but about you becoming more holy? Sacred Parenting helps you look at parenting from a different perspective. In this six-session video group study, designed for use with the Sacred Parenting Participant's Guide, award-winning author Gary Thomas offers a roadmap to spiritual growth through the children that God has given you to parent. Sacred Parenting will help you and your group learn how God can transform dirty diapers, a toddler's tantrums, and a teenager's silence in order to transform you into a person who reflects the image of Christ. The DVD and Participant's Guide are available at your local retailer and online at: ChristianBook.com - http://zndr.vn/xtZ6Kd BN.com - http://zndr.vn/yRP4RC Amazon.com - http://zndr.vn/ycnh4l

Language



English (en)

Authors



N/A

Type



Publicity

Date of Publicated



2012-03-06

Duration



00:01:37




2. Sacred Parenting

There are thousands of Christian books that teach about how to raise our kids, but very few Bible verses that address this. Bible Teacher Gary Thomas shows us how other verses that aren’t exactly about parenting can influence how we parent because they teach us how to pursue holiness.

Language



English (en)

Authors



N/A

Type



Sharing

Date of Publicated



2021-05-03

Duration



00:35:20




3. Sacred Parenting

Parenting a child is an in-depth course in spiritual formation, expressly designed by God to touch you and teach you in ways you could never have imagined. What if one of God’s primary intentions for you as a parent isn’t about successfully raising perfect children, but about your becoming more holy? Sacred Parenting helps you look at parenting from a different perspective. This six-session, video-based study by Gary Thomas offers a road map to new territory—sacred territory defined by the children God has given to teach you his lesson in love. Available Products: Study Guide, Book and Video

Language



English (en)

Authors



N/A

Type



Course

Date of Publicated



N/A

Duration



02:04:00




4. Discovering God's Plan For Your Parenting (Part 1) - Gary Thomas

Gary Thomas, author of Sacred Parenting, describes how the parenting process can transform us; exposing our expectations and selfishness, and challenge our priorities. He reviews spiritual lessons parents can learn from raising kids, such as the power of guilt, why we need to listen, and the need for sacrifice. Gary addresses parental anger, the importance of joy, the process of kids leaving, and the reward. Get Gary's book, Sacred Parenting: https://bit.ly/3zkiMuc For more resources on this topic: https://bit.ly/3zhhOPz --- Check out Focus on the Family on social media! Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/focusonthefa... Twitter: https://twitter.com/FocusFamily Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focusonthef... Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/focusonthef... --- #FocusBroadcast #GaryThomas #SacredParenting #DiscoveringGodsPlanForYourParenting #FOTFBroadcast #FocusontheFamily

Language



English (en)

Authors



N/A

Type



Talk Show

Date of Publicated



N/A

Duration



00:23:55




5. Discovering God's Plan For Your Parenting (Part 2) - Gary Thomas

Gary Thomas, author of Sacred Parenting, describes how the parenting process can transform us; exposing our expectations and selfishness, and challenge our priorities. He reviews spiritual lessons parents can learn from raising kids, such as the power of guilt, why we need to listen, and the need for sacrifice. Gary addresses parental anger, the importance of joy, the process of kids leaving, and the reward. Get Gary's book, Sacred Parenting: https://bit.ly/3zkiMuc For more resources on this topic: https://bit.ly/3zrLfhQ Check out Focus on the Family on social media! Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/focusonthefamily Twitter: https://twitter.com/FocusFamily Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/focusonthefamily Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/focusonthefamily

Language



English (en)

Authors



N/A

Type



Talk Show

Date of Publicated



2022-06-08

Duration



00:24:23




6. Gary Thomas - Devotions for Sacred Parenting audiobook ch. 1

This companion devotional book to Gary Thomas's Sacred Parenting works off this simple premise: Raising children shapes the parent every bit as much as parents shape their children. Fifty-two devotionals.

Language



English (en)

Authors



N/A

Type



Publicity

Date of Publicated



2012-07-13

Duration



00:05:02




6. Bible Study Series/Courses


1. A Study Guide for Sacred Parenting by Gary Thomas

Chapter by chapter questions to guide group discussions on the book:

Chapter 1: Papa God

Chapter 2: The Hardest Hurt of All

Chapter 3: The Gold Behind the Guilt

Chapter 4: Seizing Heaven

Chapter 5: Joy

Chapter 6: Vicious Vulnerability

Chapter 7: Burning Love

Chapter 8: The Glory Behind the Grime

Chapter 9: Walking on the Wild Side of Parenting: The Gift of Extremely Demanding Children

Chapter 10: A Very Boring Chapter in the Bible (That Can Change Your Life Forever)

Chapter 11: Xerox R Us

Chapter 12: Sacrifice

Chapter 13: Leaving


Language



English (en)

Authors



Robyn Kindlund,

Format



Pdf

Publisher



Center for Evangelical Studies

Publication Date



N/A




2. Sacred Parenting Bible Study Participant's Guide: How Raising Children Shapes Our Souls

In this six-session video-based small group bible study (DVD/digital video sold separately), Gary Thomas uses a unique lens to look at parenting, moving beyond raising great children to becoming more holy as a person.

What if one of God’s primary intentions for you as a parent isn’t about successfully raising perfect children, but about you becoming more holy? In Sacred Parenting Gary Thomas illustrates how God can transform lessons in raising children into opportunities to grow in the image of Christ.

It will help you and your group, rediscover parenting from a different perspective: as a method of spiritual formation expressly designed by God to shape your soul in ways you could not imagine! This study will help you dig deeper into learning how God can transform dirty diapers, toddler tantrums, and a teenager’s silence into occasions for becoming more like Christ.

Sessions include:

  1. The Soul-Transforming Journey of Parenting
  2. God-Centered Parenting
  3. The Hardest Hurt of All
  4. Embracing Our Insignificance
  5. Walking on the Wild Side of Parenting
  6. The Gold Behind the Guilt


Designed for use with the Sacred Parenting Video Study (sold separately).

Language



English (en)

Authors



Gary Thomas,

Format



Paperback

Publisher



Zondervan

Publication Date



2010-10-24




7. Downloads


1. A Study Guide for Sacred Parenting by Gary Thomas

Chapter by chapter questions to guide group discussions on the book:

Chapter 1: Papa God

Chapter 2: The Hardest Hurt of All

Chapter 3: The Gold Behind the Guilt

Chapter 4: Seizing Heaven

Chapter 5: Joy

Chapter 6: Vicious Vulnerability

Chapter 7: Burning Love

Chapter 8: The Glory Behind the Grime

Chapter 9: Walking on the Wild Side of Parenting: The Gift of Extremely Demanding Children

Chapter 10: A Very Boring Chapter in the Bible (That Can Change Your Life Forever)

Chapter 11: Xerox R Us

Chapter 12: Sacrifice

Chapter 13: Leaving

Language



English (en)

Authors



Robyn Kindlund,

Format



Pdf

Cost



Free

Duration / Number of Pages



N/A




Reviews

Gosh william I'm telling crikey burke I don't want no agro A bit of how's your father bugger all mate off his nut that, what a plonker cuppa owt to do


Detailed Rating
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 stars

    Write a Review

    Highlight