I just left a restaurant where a seven year old had taken over the place and a local store where a six year old thought it was perfectly fine to ram a store clerk with a shopping cart without remorse. The real issue in both cases was the parents. I really felt sorry for them... they watched their kids create total chaos and they sat there with an exasperated look on their faces... like this was the normal way they lived life. But, at the same time that I felt sorry for them and their sense of hopelessnes, I also felt pretty confident that it was poor parenting over the last several years that led to the current situation they were in.
Parenting is complex... kids are crazy... and sometimes the two mix to create kids that act in ways that nobody can explain, take responsibility for, or fix. However, most cases where kids are out of control leads back to parents that wanted to raise kids in the "easiest" way possible. They thought that this "easy" or "simple" method of parenting was the best approach to life so they went for it. However, they defined "simple" parenting incorrectly at the very beginning and now all they've got is chaos. To them, "simple" meant no guidelines, no advice, no direction... just wait until the kid tells you what they need or want, then give it to them. It sounds "simple," and maybe it is for a while. But, as the kids grow, their demands and their way of doing things become more vocal and brash... and eventually you wind up with little balls of chaos and no way to control them.
"Simple" - in parenting, in business, in ministry, in life - does not mean having a total hands-off approach. It means direction and guidance that is focused on essential things while helping set aside nonessential things. Church At The Grove approaches ministry with simplicity in mind... what is essential in creating environments for people to explore faith, what is essential in encouraging relationships through community groups, and what is essential in starting discussions about spiritual things so that people are pointed to the hope that is found in Jesus Christ. We don't always achieve simplicity... sometimes chaos ensues... but our goal is that everything we do is streamlined so that we can most effectively impact unconvinced people around us. Thank you to everyone that helps us keep things simple around here... you guys are awesome.
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