The Not So Loving Side of Gentle Parenting: A Biblical Plea to Parents

A new Trojan horse took baby steps into the nursery and has now launched big steps into the church family-"Gentle Parenting."

It is likely this novel parenting philosophy has been adopted by families in your church body. This book will

    (1) characterize and define what Gentle Parenting is
    (2) critique it by comparing and contrasting it with the Holy Scriptures,
    (3) call believers back to raising their children in truth, and then
    (4) carefully consider the essential need to rely solely upon the sufficiency of Scripture in parenting.

Parenting is a blessed stewardship believers are called to carry out for God's glory in His Word.

Author:

Justin L. Miller is a husband, father, pastor, and, most importantly, a follower of the Lord Jesus. He holds a doctor of ministry from Whitefield Theological Seminary in Lakeland, FL, a master of theology from Union School of Theology in Bridgend, Wales (The Open University), a master of divinity from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary in Lynchburg, and a master of accounting from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. He is the author of several books, including: Ruin and Redemption (2023), What is Faith? (2022), Unity with Rome? (2022), John Owen on Pastoral Preaching (2021), A Family Journey Through Doctrine (2021), True Worship (2020), and Stop Worrying, He Reigns (2018).

Endorsements:

The parenting models of modern psychology are, quite simply, bankrupt to the core. What we need in our day is a return to the authority and sufficiency of Scripture in matters of family life, childrearing, and discipline. Above all, our children must understand that they have violated God's law and that they need the gospel. Biblical parenting, then, is gospel parenting. By focusing on biblical authority, the paradigm of God as the perfect Father, the centrality of family worship, and the necessity of getting to the heart, Miller ably critiques gentle parenting and offers instead the wise, practical, and loving model of God's Word.
--Dr. Joel R. Beeke, Chancellor of Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary and Author of Parenting by God's Promises

Justin insightfully exposes how the advocates of "Gentle Parenting" or "Child-led Parenting" have fallen headlong into a make-believe Alice-in-Wonderland rabbit hole cluttered with dizzying distortions of truth. There, the tour guide experts try to convince us that parental authority, discipline, punishment and consequences are cruel and harmful, while a child's autonomy, feelings, preferences, and freedom are paramount priorities. Miller's careful analysis is a Red Pill bringing enlightenment for parents to recognize the "Yea, has God said" (Genesis 3:1) hiss of the "murderer and liar" (John 8:44) who wants to destroy our children. Get it and read it.
--Mark Chanski, Coordinator of the Reformed Baptist Network Author of Encouragement: Adrenaline for the Soul, Manly Dominion, and Womanly Dominion

This book does a fine job of fairly explaining the phenomenon of gentle parenting while also exposing its unbiblical presuppositions. The author is rightly concerned that Christian parents are influenced by so-called parenting experts who reject biblical authority and don't understand the personhood of our children (made in God's image), their purpose (to glorify God), their problem (sin), and the answer (redemption through Christ). Thus, their parenting approach is flawed and harmful. In addition to critiquing gentle parenting, this book also seeks to positively offer a biblical approach to parenting which employs both loving discipline and gospel-focused instruction.
--Dr. Jim Newheiser, Professor of Christian Counseling at Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte, NC and Executive Director of IBCD (The Institute for Biblical Counseling and Discipleship)

If you ask the wrong question, you will always get the wrong answer. Justin Miller skillfully critiques the modern approach of gentle parenting by asking the right questions regarding parenting, authority, and the nature of the parent/child relationship as laid out in Scripture. This short book will be useful to Christian parents or any who want to know what the Bible says regarding godly parenting. I thank God that my friend, Justin Miller, has addressed this timely subject.
--Dr. Sam Waldron, President of Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary and Pastor of Grace Reformed Baptist Church in Owensboro, KY

What a great stewardship God bestows on us when He gives us children! We hear many worldly voices telling us how to handle this stewardship. Justin Miller's treatment of this subject is one that I would commend to you, especially in contrast to what is now being called "Gentle Parenting." This is because he takes us back to the Bible, to the words of the One who has given us our children and will hold us to account for their souls in the end.
--Dr. Conrad Mbewe, Pastor of Kabwata Baptist Church and Founding Chancellor of the African Christian University in Lusaka, Zambia

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