I'm a big fan of the monk. He's easily my favorite Baptist. Matt

That's a great article! I love the part about using religion as a punishment. That is so wrong. If you want to make your kids hate the Bible, make them read it for punishment.

I enjoyed the article also. The first point (trying to raise sinless children) is probably the one I've wrestled with the most as I anticipate our first child--it is so hard to want them to be perfect. One of my Christian coworkers and a father of four would say, and it stuck with me, that they're a bunch of little sinners just like the rest of us. So true. My favorite, though, is the last point (avoiding current culture, etc.). I don't know if it's living in Southern California, or Rob going to Fuller (which has a strong leaning toward workign with the culture you are in), or having gone to a secular university for college, but this has been a big issue with me for some time. I remember one of my friends, who went to public school and became a Christian in high school through a friendship with a Christian friend whose parents chose to send her to public school to be a light, saying that she was so grateful her friend's parents made that decision because how else would she have ever heard the gospel? At Rob's graduation the president of the seminary referenced the final episodes of Friends and Frasier. I've had much better conversations with non-Christians about God over The Matrix, Shawshank Redemption, A Simple Plan, and Monster than I have about the Jesus Film. Most of all, I believe we are clearly called to live lives that are set apart, that are different in a way that is obvious to those around us. But what is supposed to set us apart is our love and our character and our attitudes. That is what I hope to impart to my children, not arbitrary restrictions from all things current and culturally relevant. -Beth

Well said, skittles. I know you guys will make great parents.