Jay Younts

2263 posts
John A. (Jay) Younts wrote the Shepherd Press blog from 2007 through 2019. He is a ruling elder serving at Redeemer Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church in Moore, South Carolina. He has written Everyday Talk, Everyday Talk About Sex & Marriage, Finding the Right Track, the In Touch With Paul stewardship series, and What About War. He has studied and taught about biblical childrearing for 30 years. He and his late wife Ruth have five adult children.

The Wonder of Christ – Immeasurably More

The apostle Paul ends this section with a strong benediction in Ephesians 3:20. He says that God is able to do immeasurably more that we would dare imagine. The ESV wording is even stronger: it says infinitely more than we might think or ask. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us. NIV  Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. ESV Let me get right to the point. If this passage is true, then why are we so easily discouraged with our parenting? […]

The Wonder of Christ – More than a Wall Plaque

Marriage and parenting are not human ideas. They are created by God for his purposes. The institution of the family was not made primarily for us. Does that sound illogical? Let me explain. Yes, things work best when we follow God’s direction for family living. But the bigger picture is that first and foremost, the institution of family exists for the glory of God. So we should not claim marriage primarily for our own enjoyment and fulfillment and then, secondarily, seek to honor God in marriage. No, marriage is designed to be a human picture of Christ’s relationship to the church. Ephesians 5:21-33 is not an afterthought. The idea of Christ and his bride, the church, came first; then came […]

The Wonder of Christ in You

Parenting can seem to be a lonely occupation at times—just you, the kids, and the digital clock on the nightstand. Gone from your memory are the baby showers, first steps, birthday parties, and adoring friends fawning over your children. Instead, you are faced with one child who is sick and another one who is whining that he has no one to play with since his sister is sick in bed (the same sister that has gifted you with the same cold she has). Your husband is out of town for three days and it is raining, a cold winter’s rain. Lonely, indeed. Two thousand years ago, your brother Paul knelt before his Father and yours and prayed a simple, profound […]

Parenting & The Wonder of Christ

We have looked at some challenging topics in recent weeks: Facebook, Schoolwork and Gaming. Now I want to take the next several posts to focus on the wonder of Christ. Parenting is a demanding and draining calling. The tendency of our flesh is to fall into a routine and then to count on that routine to keep us on track. While there is value in routine, it must not drive your parenting. To present the wonder of Christ to your children, regardless of their age, Christ himself must be a wonder to you. Ephesians 3:14-21 will help you to see the awesome wonder of Christ. Too often, this passage is seen as a summary statement, or inspirational thoughts, but it […]

Wisdom and Gaming

As we conclude this series on gaming, there is one more question that remains: Can Christians engage in gaming with a good conscience? The answer, I believe, is yes, given a significant qualifier:  This pursuit must be done with biblical wisdom. Wisdom is the skill that comes from a deep passionate love of God’s truth. You may have been born with intelligence, precocity, and a good memory, but with regard to wisdom, you were born a fool. Wisdom is a skill that may only be acquired through great energy and faith. Protection from the allure of gaming comes from a vigorous pursuit of wisdom. Take a moment to read Proverbs 1:30-2:6. 30 since they would not accept my advice        […]

Gaming and Faith

 Whenever you find an activity that is not directly mentioned in Scripture, it is necessary to find the biblical principles that apply to the activity. It is important to identify the appropriate principles because no activity is neutral before God. As Romans 14:23 says, "…whatever does not proceed from faith is sin." "Electronic gaming" is one of those phrases that is missing from your concordance, but it is surely a part of life to which the Bible applies. As we have seen in previous posts, it is helpful to place any activity (such as gaming) in the context of creation, the fall and redemption. The process of biblical analysis would be to ask the following questions:  How was the principle […]

Gaming: The Alternative (part 2)

Here is brief summary of the posts on gaming to date. There are at least two defining biblical principles that can be applied to gaming: 1.  Gaming must not detract from a biblically productive life. 2.  Gaming, if it is to be done, must proceed from faith. Proverbs 12:11 demonstrates that electronic gaming can definitely lead to a lack of productivity. ("11 He who works his land will have abundant food, but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment." niv) The next issue, then, is to understand what drives the desire for gaming. This was examined in the post on gaming and pursuit. Finally, in the last post, we began to look at how to offer a biblical alternative. We’ll pick […]

Gaming: The Alternative

Creation. Fall. Redemption. These are the great themes of humanity.  No, you won’t see these three themes given much status by  AP, CNN, USA Today, Fox News or for that matter, Rush Limbaugh. These are however, God’s themes. Creation speaks of the majestic plan and purpose of God for planet Earth. Then came the fall and all of mankind was plunged into darkness and pursuit of the glory of self rather than the glory of God. The stunning creature that was man, the creature that Psalm 8 speaks of, began to use his powerful  attributes in self-worship.  What has followed in human history has not been pretty. But, God in his mercy did not leave man in futile, evil darkness. […]

Gaming: The Pursuit

In the last post on gaming we looked at the difference between the pursuit of productivity and the pursuit of fantasy. The operative word here is pursuit. Proverbs 12:11 contrasts someone who productively works his land with someone who chases or pursues empty fantasies. Both individuals are in active pursuit of a goal. Sometimes the one chasing fantasies becomes obsessed with his pursuit, even though it is meaningless. This is true of hard-core gamers. Everything else in life becomes secondary—the game is the thing. While your children may not be at the level of the seriously hard-core, it is not difficult to see when the games pull them toward obsession. You may think to yourself, what is the big deal, […]

On the Radio

This Monday, February 2nd, I have the privilege of doing a live radio interview with Rick Horne, author of Get Outta My Face. You can listen live on the Internet at 1 pm, at this location: http://www.christiantalk660.com Just click on the listen button. It is a call-in program, so call 1-888-660-9535 if you would like to join in. I would love to hear from you. This book is a needed and helpful addition to the field of dealing with teenagers. Sadly, too many Christian families are plagued by intense and disturbing relations between parents and their teenage children. Rick Horne takes these issues head on and offers targeted help from the rich resources of biblical wisdom literature. Here is an […]