Age Based Resources
Introduction
As a father, raising a boy is one of the more difficult tasks a human can undertake. While the father and son have the masculine makeup in common, the complexities of the dad balancing personal responsibilities and meeting the needs of someone dependent on him for almost everything can seem overwhelming. When we put this task into the context of doing it God’s way, it appears impossible. Indeed, on your own, it is exactly that. Yet, let’s not leave ourselves stuck in a hopeless situation, for with God, all things are possible. Grace makes this attainable.
There are things every father has to come to understand about his responsibility as a father. These largely revolve around personal humility in conjunction with an ordering of priorities. I mention humility because it is the result of our encounter with grace. As we understand our dire predicament as fallen men, we realize the length and depth and width and height of God’s love for us through His Son, Jesus Christ. We were dead in our sin, and it is only because of His decision to freely give us grace, that we can ever enter into paradise with Him. Consequently, the more we understand this, the more we are compelled to help our son understand this.
Understanding God’s grace also compels us to throw off our personal desires, to pursue the ultimate satisfaction in what He desires. His adventure becomes our adventure. His narrative becomes our delight. Our life begins to revolve more and more around humble service to our Father.
With this said, our priority is first God, above all else. This statement reflects the first two of the ten commandments. Setting God as our first priority compels us to read and understand His word, enter into prayer and honest communication with Him, obey His truth in all circumstances, develop compassion for the lost and stagnant, work hard in vocation and ministry, and leave a legacy for others to follow. All the things mentioned become natural AFTER and AS we encounter God’s grace.
Raising a son to follow God is not the by-product of completing a checklist of To-Dos, but a way of life with a strategic and intentional plan. No one will argue that life is busy and complex, both of which can lead to distractions from those things which are most important, or lead to confusion because of the ever changing scope of culture around us. Yet, with the Bible in one hand, and a “newspaper” in the other, we can, through prayer and wisdom, see through the sinful muck, and steer our self, and our boy toward truth.
Every father needs to be a pacesetter. This means you are on the journey with God, seeking Him on a daily basis. It does not mean you are perfect. It does not mean you feel totally equipped. The reality is, you only need to be and stay one step ahead to be able to lead your future man.
There resources shared here will give you good ideas of how you can disciple your son, what you should be teaching him, and conversations to be had, based on his age range. Some of these, like learning to read the Bible and pray, are non-negotiables. Others will remind you that your son has basic human needs that need to be met in order to encourage healthy emotional states, and eventually, spiritual fruit of the spirit.
There are many outside and vetted resources available you can access to help direct you as you lead your son. However, be encouraged; you’re number one resource is always going to be the living, and active word of God, which changes us, washes us, protects us, and saves us. May the Lord be your source of your strength, perseverance, and hope as a father, raising future men.
Resources
0-7 Years Old
8 Years Old
9 Years Old
10 Years Old
11 Years Old
12 Years Old
13 Years Old
14-18 Years Old
