Take God’s authority and power as you parent

“Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise: If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth.” EPHESIANS 6:2 NLT
…the wife must respect her husband. EPHESIANS 3:33 NLT
Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: PROVERBS 31:28 NLT

Understand and appreciate that you parent differently

So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. GENESIS 1:27 NLT
In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered. 1 PETER 3:7 NLT
Fathers can give their sons an inheritance of houses and wealth, but only the LORD can give an understanding wife. PROVERBS 19:14 NLT
God designed opposites to attract

See both men and women as essential

Then the LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.” So the LORD God formed from the ground all the wild animals and all the birds of the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would call them, and the man chose a name for each one. He gave names to all the livestock, all the birds of the sky, and all the wild animals. But still there was no helper just right for him. So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. While the man slept, the LORD God took out one of the man’s ribs and closed up the opening. Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man. “At last!” the man exclaimed. “This one is bone from my bone, and flesh from my flesh! She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken from ‘man.’” This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one. GENESIS 2:18-34

When one gender wins, both genders lose

Boys and young men are losing at life

How to help boys

a. Affirm masculinity
b. Help them communicate their feelings
c. Enforce boundaries
Know then in your heart that, as a man disciplines his son, the LORD your God disciplines you. DEUTERONOMY 8:5 ESV
d. Identify male role models
And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ. 1 CORINTHIANS 11:1 NLT
e. Celebrate who God made them to be
The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus’ mother told him, “They have no more wine.” “Dear woman, that’s not our problem,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.” But his mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” JOHN 2:3-5 NLT
God made men to lead and love like Jesus
For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her… EPHESIANS 5:25 NLT

Community Group Discussion Guide

1. Why do you think God’s plan for the family included a mother and a father?
2. What are some of the specific things you received or missed from having or not having one parent of each gender?
3. Read Ephesians 6:2. We have all made mistakes as we learned how to live life growing up, but in general, did you tend to honor or dishonor your parents? How did that work out for you?
4. Read 1 Corinthians 11:1. Whether you are male or female, who have you imitated or followed that has shaped your life most significantly?
5. As you look at your life right now, what needs to change for people to be able to see Jesus in you so that they can follow Jesus by imitating your life?
6. As you think about the people in your life, is there a child or a single parent who needs your help? What is one small thing you can do this week to begin investing in them?

Personal Reflection Guide

Find a quiet place where you can be on your own. Sit for a few minutes and think about your life and the places where you feel like you were led well by others and the places where you feel like something might have been missing. Do you notice any places where you needed someone to step in for you and they didn’t? Spend a moment bringing those pains to God, and the fears that you have of being incomplete because of those blank spaces. Ask God to be for you what you lack; if it is a father’s guidance, ask God to be a father to you as he was to Jesus and as he longs to be to you (John 20:17). If it is the love and care of a mother that you have lacked, allow God to gather you as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings–as Jesus longed to do with those he loved (Matt. 23:27). And if it is a guide and friend you lack, allow the Holy Spirit to be the helper and counselor he was sent to you to be (John 16:13). Intentionally accept God’s help and thank him for his love. Now look for a place this week where you can help fill in the blank spaces in someone else’s life, offering freedom to them in the same way God has offered his freedom and healing to you.