The building block of society is the family, and the family is led by parents who must, indeed, parent. That means, among other things, that parents assume authority and take responsibility to teach (Prov 1:8), protect (Prov 3:21-23), guide (Prov 22:6), correct (Prov 19:18), and mold (Eph 6:4) their children. As the family goes, so goes society.

One metaphor for parenting, albeit a bit of an odd-sounding one, is that of a captain on a ship. The parent, in this picture, may be seen standing up on a chair in the kitchen of the family home and declaring, “There will be no mutiny on the ship!” As a metaphor of family life, it most directly speaks of order in the home. It pictures parents who assume their responsibility, earn their authority, and implement and practice both. It argues for equality and respect among family members while at the same time recognizing the natural fact that equality does not mean sameness. It refers to proper leadership and its natural fruit of unity. It promises an avoidance of anarchy via reawakening the authoritative role of the parent in an age of mutiny. Parents…hear this! It is okay to assume an authoritative role in the home. Indeed, it is critical.
 
The building block of society is the family, and the family is led by parents who must, indeed, parent. That means, among other things, that parents assume authority and take responsibility to teach (Prov 1:8), protect (Prov 3:21-23), guide (Prov 22:6), correct (Prov 19:18), and mold (Eph 6:4) their children. As the family goes, so goes society. The first issue brought before man by God in the Bible had to do with family (Gen 1:28), and the last issue in the Old Testament had to do with family (Mal 4:6).
 
War is being waged in our culture against the natural and biblical authoritative role of the parent in the home. The religion of humanism has woven an unnatural fabric into the process of parenting. It has told parents that they need not be (indeed should not be) those who guide and direct their own children. Parents, instead, should be neutral bystanders who only facilitate the natural leanings of their child. Of course, this tragic mentality has an obvious and inevitable result – mutiny on the ship.
 
Children who are left to go their own way will, indeed, go their own way. They will migrate toward mutiny, first, in the home and then, in society. When parents lose or abandon their role of authority, children are deprived of their safety net and drop off into the dismal abyss of rebellion. We need a parenting revolution. This revolution must steer us away from the lies of humanism and toward the truth of God’s natural ways. We must again capture the authority of parenthood as we embrace the responsibility of it.
 
And so, there are two different, yet not separate, parental roles aboard the proverbial ship. The role of parental authority must be attached to the role of parental responsibility lest it be unnatural and, ultimately, ineffective. Yes, leadership must be the result of service (Matthew 20:26-28). A parent who practices parental responsibility gains respect and authority (1 Tim 3:13). So, shout it in the streets. Parents…hear this! It is okay to assume an authoritative role in the home. Indeed, it is critical.

Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction
    and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. Proverbs 1:8

My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight,
    preserve sound judgment and discretion; they will be life for you,
    an ornament to grace your neck. Then you will go on your way in safety,
    and your foot will not stumble. Proverbs 3:21-23

Start children off on the way they should go,
    and even when they are old they will not turn from it. Proverbs 22:6

Discipline your children, for in that there is hope;
    do not be a willing party to their death. Proverbs 19:18

Fathers,[a] do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. Ephesians 6:4

God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” Genesis 1:28

Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 3:13

A biblical study of the institution of marriage with a focus on marriage roles. Special attention will be given to understanding family dynamics and applying authority and responsibility in parenting. Special emphasis will be put on the importance of our words in fostering healthy relationships.

Shepherding a Child's Heart
Tedd Tripp

Boundaries with Kids: How Healthy Choices Grow Healthy Children
Henry Cloud &  John Townsend

God's Blueprint for the Family
Ps. Erich & Joanne Eisenhart