There is no baptism today, but this is our first service in some time without one. We have a lot of small children in this congregation, and that is a great joy and blessing.

It is also a great challenge. Think ahead: What will Trinity look like in 13 years, when dozens of mid to late teenagers replace the dozens of small kids? What will they all look like?

The answer to this question, of course, depends largely on what we do over the next month, the next two years, the next ten years. The answer depends a lot on how well we perform as parents.

Being Americans, we’re always looking for the short-cut, the easy path, the guaranteed outcome. We want to find the sure 10 steps, the inputs that will ensure a good output. We look for guarantees in our Christian lives and in our parenting.

But there are not tricks to Christian living or to Christian parenting. There is nothing more guaranteed or certain than the promises and commands of God. That’s what we have to go on, both in our lives generally and in our parenting in particular. Christian parenting is simply an expression of Christian living.

Successful Christian parenting can only be done in union with Christ, by the power of the Spirit, as an expression of faith, hope, and love. There are no short-cuts. We are called to the disciplined, joyful, persevering pursuit of faith, hope and love.