Today we conclude our interview with Steve Zollos, author of Time for the Talk. I hope you have enjoyed this interview. Moreover, I hope that you will make good use of this excellent resource. There is a link for more information and sample chapters at the end of this post. When should a father give his son The Talk? Determining when to give your son The Talk can be a tricky thing. On the one hand, you don’t want to give him information that he is not ready for. On the other hand, you don’t want him trusting information from his peers, or the media. I write in some depth on this subject in Time For The Talk, and it’s […]
Teenagers
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Here is part 2 with our interview with Steve Zollos, author of Time for the Talk, Shepherd Press’ newest release. Steve has answered some important questions about his new book and why he wrote it. Time for the Talk offers wise counsel and is a safe guide to lead your sons into biblical manhood. Let me know your thoughts about the book and the interview. There will be a link at the end of the interview for more information about the book. In your book you encourage fathers to share the gospel and their testimony with their sons. What if a Dad has a ‘bland’ testimony? Jay, as you know, there is no such thing as a ‘bland’ testimony. It […]
Steve Zollos, author of Time for the Talk, Shepherd Press’ newest release has answered some important questions about his new book and why he wrote it. I want to share this interview with you over the next few days. This book is a significant accomplishment. It will families reclaim a biblical view of sexuality for their sons. The book is frank without being sensational. Time for the Talk offers wise counsel and is a safe guide to lead your sons into biblical manhood. Let me know your thoughts about the book and the interview. There will be a link at the end of the interview for more information about the book. Why a book about The Talk? Everything a father […]
Teaching your children to honor God’s authority by obeying quickly and pleasantly has many blessings. One of these blessings is to learn to avoid the world’s wisdom, no matter how attractive it may appear. For example, there is the lie that there can be safe sex outside of marriage. For those of you who missed it, last Monday, September 26, 2011, was WCD day. WCD stands for World Contraception Day. This year the day was sponsored by such institutions as Bayer Health Care, Planned Parenthood, and at least nine other like-minded groups. According to a Fox News report, WCD advocates raise questions such as this one:
Children tend to lie in two types of circumstances. We looked at the first reason in the last post. The response of immediately trying to deny responsibility comes naturally to us and to our children. Children are fearful of the consequences of their sin and lie to avoid them. Christ must be shown as the one who can bring peace to a fearful heart. It is vital that this pattern be addressed quickly and thoroughly. If it is not, then the habit lying will take root and become a means to other ends.
Power struggles are a common theme among parents of teenagers. Even teens who appear to be mild and compliant to others can engage in hard-fought battles at home. At the root of many of these battles is a deep-seated perception that they, the teens, are being treated unfairly. We see this dynamic in the life of Absalom. It is abundantly clear from his narrative that Absalom did not seek God in his distress and troubles. He took matters into his own hands. His outrage over Tamar turned into vengeance towards Amnon. His bitterness at his father’s failure to deal with Amnon’s sin yielded a life devoted to the overthrow of David’s kingship. We see Absalom’s anger, his planning, his obsession […]
Absalom was a troubled young man. He certainly did not present himself as troubled, but he was. He projected power; he manipulated his father, the king. He was arrogant; when his father’s chief general failed to heed his request, Absalom set his field on fire. He was vengeful, taking the life of his brother in payment for the honor of his sister. He had a flare for the dramatic. He had 50 men who ran ahead of him to announce his going and coming. He publically challenged his father’s leadership by standing in pronouncing that life would be better for all if only he were in charge. Yet, he did not appear to be a rebel, but a champion—winning over […]
If you think that this sounds like a loaded question, you’re right, it is! Toddlers and preschoolers can be prolific question askers. However, it is sometimes a challenge to maintain a high level of interest and enthusiasm to a seemingly unending stream of interrogation. By contrast, many parents are starved for questions coming from their teenagers beyond the standard ones such as, “can I have the keys?” (If you live in Europe, substitute train pass for keys.) I believe there is a connection with the wearisome, almost detached response frequently given to the questions of young children and the lack of sincere questions coming from apparently detached teenagers. I have several thoughts along these lines for you to consider, but […]
Any conversation with your children about sex and marriage would be incomplete without discussing sexual attraction. This topic often lacks biblical clarity for Christians because it is most commonly discussed outside its biblical context. The Bible is clear: sex is reserved for marriage. If one is attracted to sexual activity, that attraction can be pleasing to God only when it is focused on its expression within marriage.
I have had the privilege of speaking with parents here in the U.K. about teenagers the last several days. Despite the different geographic and cultural settings the main issues are the same – how do parents effectively reach the heart of their teenagers? The matters are of the heart are indeed universal. I have been talking about the role of influence in the lives of teenagers. Ultimately, your influence as a parent is the most important tool at your disposal as you help your teenagers to honor God.