JOHN W. RAWLINGS SCHOOL OF DIVINITY
4MAT Book Review Assignment:
Instructing a Child’s Heart
Submitted to Dr. Anderson /Professor
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of
DSMN 610 – B02
Family Discipleship
by
Shaneil A. Guidry
October 8, 2021
Abstract
Author’s Margy and Tedd informs readers right out of the gate that there is a need to
prepare for battle. This battle that is being spoken of is a battle to save our children’s mental,
physical, and spiritual beings. How can this be done? The Tripps’ provide a very effective
solution and that is biblical formation. “In the absence of biblical formative instruction, secular
formative instructors take over.”1 Within each chapter, readers are presented with a thorough
look into daily combat Christian family are facing. Secular formation in the greatest enemy and
is pushing our kids away by using platforms such as social media, celebrities, marketing between
television shows, and event education.
However, the authors do not just focus solely on the “enemy”; readers will discover that
tools are being provided on how to stand strong against secular formation and its instructors.
Along with tools, examples are provided of realistic scenarios that both readers and parents can
either identify with or open their eyes to some of the things that are stealing children of Christian
families away. In some cases this tactics are right before our eyes and we have become so
oblivious to them.
An army prepares for battle by training physically and mentally. The solider ensures that
their armor is adequately fitted and their strategy for how to defeat their enemy is conveyed, as
well as imprinted into the minds of all soldiers. This is no different when it comes to preparing
children within a Christian family for when they are confronted daily by this world that
deceivingly pulls them away from God and this is what, “Instructing a Child’s Heart” is
meticulously conveying to its audience. “Secular culture is powerful and cannot be quarantined.
1 Tripp & Tripp. Instructing A Child's Heart. 15.
We must understand the overwhelming shaping force of secular culture in order to undertake
formative instruction.”2
The book, “Instructing a Child’s Heart” is a giver of tools to parents and spiritual leaders.
The authors create the image of a classroom and within the classroom a foundation is being built.
The classroom is the training ground for both child and parent, which offers guidance on how to
equip Christian children and to keep them fully covered. “Put on the full armor of God, so that
you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and
blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and
against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of
God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you
have done everything, to stand, Eph. 6:10, NIV.”
According to authors Margy and Tedd Tripp, there is more than just providing Christian
children with biblical formation, there is living what is being taught (God’s Word) in our
everyday realities. “We must actively teach our children, and live the reality, that God defines
life. He tells and shows us the truth about what is valuable, what is worth living and dying for,
what is worth doing and being, and what gives our lives significance.”3
Examples are what is needed for our children, as this is what the world incessantly
present daily when trying to sway our children from Christ. Instructing a Child’s Heart reminds
readers that it is time to become just as aggressive as the world, if we intend on keeping our
children. Our homes must become the only classroom and we must ensure that we are not
allowing outside secular influences to infiltrate.
Concrete Response
2 Ibid., 16.
3 Ibid., 18.
Growing up in a very strict Christian home, I recall Bible study, Sunday church services,
Thursday choir practices, and Saturday church cleaning being apart of my sister and I’s everyday
life. Despite school our second home was practically in the church, as our grandmother was the
Bishop and our parents, as well as all other family members were apart of clergy. This particular
recap took place around the time that my sister was in high school and I in middle school. The
middle school that I attended was very close to my sister school and she was tasked with pick me
up everyday after school.
It was fall, I can remember it as though it was yesterday. My sister was secretly dating a
guy from her high school that was not a believer. I remember her sneaking on the phone when
my parents were sleeping and even making up excuses for staying after school later. Well, on
this one particular day after school, I noticed that my sister was wearing a brand new starter
jacket. Starter jackets were big in the 90’s. This particular brand represented collegiate sports
and so all school mascot were place largely on the back of each coat. With that stated, my
sister’s new boyfriend was being chivalrous on this chilly fall day and gave my sister his Duke
blue devils coat.
I watched my sister prance home in that coat but just before we turned onto our street, I
remember her rapidly removing the coat and stuffing it into her backpack. I recall asking, “Tee,
why are you taking your coat off?” She responded with, “Are you crazy, if mom and dad see it, I
will be in so much trouble!” Being only 12 at the time, I didn’t really understand, so I asked a
follow up question. “Is it because your boooyyyfriend gave it to you?” In my very obnoxious
kid voice. She rebuttal with, “It’s not that a boy gave it to me, it’s the fact that there is a huge
devil on the back of it. I can’t bring the devil into the house.” Even in that moment, there was
conviction within my sister. Despite my sister hiding the coat, my mom found it and
immediately asked where she had gotten it. Without interrupting my sister, my mother explained
why such a mascot on her coat was not a representation of someone that is a believer in Christ.
My mom followed with, “sweetie while it may seem harmless, it can carry a message.” Or was
it harmless?
Reflection
While I strongly agree with the biblical formation that authors Margy and Tedd Tripp
speak of, there was one particulare question that did enter into my mind as I continued reading
the text. The authors indicated that we cannot allow the secular world to come into our homes
and we must ensure that we do our best to keep it out. “We cannot invite the secular culture into
our homes and expect its voice not to be compelling to us or our children.”4
To completely isolate oneself from the things of this world seems somewhat impossible.
How can we completely remove every element of the secular world and still advance the
kingdom in this day and age? Some of the advantage of the secular world, such as social media,
video streaming, or just the internet as a whole, has enabled and is enabling us to reach
individuals all over the world and share who our God is. Even completing my seminary degree
online requires me to utilizing secular resources.
I fervently believe that there are some secular mediums that can be used to advance the
kingdom of God and we are seeing those mediums in today’s society. If we just for a second
think about how many more lives would have been changed if the disciples had access to some
of the resource we have today— it would be astounding. Are we to mirror the lives of the
Amish and completely isolate ourself from the world? If so, why aren’t Christians looking to this
group of people as true examples?
Action
4 Ibid., 16.
At the completion of my journey though the assigned reading, I have discovered that our
youth ministry is in need of bolstering. What I mean by that is, we need to be just as aggressive
as the secular world, equipping parents and our ministry with tools that will ensure our youth
understand and puts on the full armor of God prior to leaving their homes. As a youth leader, I
do find it my duty to teach this practice. “The Bible requires those in authority to care for,
provide for, and protect those under their authority.”5
Moving forward, I will speak with those working within the youth ministry regarding
providing lesson plans to not just the youth but Bible lesson plans for the parents to use within
their homes. Meeting more with parents to provide tools that will assist them with combating the
everyday secular forces that continuously seek to devour our children will be an approach to
building that Christian community. This is substantial to making future disciple-makers. Being
more persistent, becoming more creative, and offering the youth alternatives for the things that
the secular world uses to entice our youth will be imperative.
As a parent, I will continuously work hard to ensure that I am the primary influencer in
my child’s life. While am unable to shield my child from all of the influences that will surround
him, I will impress and imprint on my child the teaching of Christ, the bolstering of his self-
esteem, and showing the love of Christ and teachings of Christ through my actions. “Teaching
our children biblical concepts of authority is a huge task. This is not a single lesson in devotions
one night, but a daily activity in which we lovingly teach biblical hierarchy to our children.”6
Cultivating a godly relationship with my child that is completely submerge in the teachings and
5 Ibid., 80.
6 Ibid., 82.
love of Christ is not an option but will be manifested within our relationship daily. I will not lose
my child to the contamination of this world.
Personally, I have much work to do to become the living example my child needs me to
be but also what I need to be, so that I am pleasing to God in my everyday life. I cannot expect
my child to adopt the teachings of Christ just by my words alone. I refuse to be hypocritical and
not building the strong foundation that God had commanded me to build for my son on Proverbs
22:6. Instructing a Child’s Heart has shown me that it is my duty as a parent to show just how
amazing and wonderful my God is! If I am expecting for my child to see God in the same light, I
must present Him as such. “Your children are not likely to grow into adults who truly know God
unless you provide them with a big God who is worthy of worship.”7
Bibliography
Tripp, Tedd, and Margy Tripp. Instructing A Child's Heart. Wapwallopen: Shepherd Press, 2008.
7 Ibid., 93.
Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)
