Over the past week or so, we have spent several posts detailing the Reishes’ Recipe for Rebellion—and we ended with the Ingredients for Intimacy. Today I am providing questions that you can review with your spouse (or in a small group, if applicable) to see where your family stands concerning the Recipe for Rebellion.


If you are just joining us, you can find the Recipe for Rebellion detailed in the past eight blog posts. Thanks for joining us!


1. Do you believe the Recipe for Rebellion is a valid recipe? Which areas do you disagree with?


2. If you find yourself reacting to the Recipe for Rebellion, thinking that you are the parent and they are the children–and they should obey and listen to you–spend some time praying and discussing this with a non- biased party and/or your spouse. How does God treat you?


3. Can you think of rules you have made that do not have logical reasons? Can you think of more logical reasons for these rules or should you eliminate this unnecessary or illogical rule?


4. When you use a Scripture for your reason for a rule or lifestyle guideline, is it accurately used? Are there other verses that say the same thing? Is the verse speaking to you or to another culture or people group (like in Leviticus)?


5. Can you think of something you have recently read or heard in which a Scripture was used and then extra-biblical and often unreasonable links were made to it? How can you teach your children to evaluate things more carefully using the premise that a verse should not be given and then outlandish or illogical links made to it?


6. Do you agree that God allows us to respond to his rules and decisions for our lives? How do you feel about letting your children respond to you?


7. If your children respond incorrectly now, but you desire to let them respond to you, how can you train them in correct responses?


8. Do you believe in the godly appeal? If so, decide when and how you and your spouse will begin implementing this in your home to eliminate “Rules Without Response.”


9. Can you think of times recently in which one or more of your children said something that inferred that you were being inconsistent? That last time it was different than this time? How can you become more consistent in your rule making and enforcing?


10. Think of a rule (or more than one rule) of which your children are unhappy. Take it through the “ingredients” list from this week. Does it contain one of the ingredients in the Recipe for Rebellion? How so? Should it be changed or altered in some way?




Are you ready for me to switch gears? I have much more to say about teens, but to keep the blog varied, we will switch to preschoolers tomorrow—and stay with them for several days as we unveil—“Jonathan’s Journal”—an unpublished picture book with parent notes about parenting preschoolers.


For those of you with only teens, please recommend our blog to others with preschoolers! And stay with us as we will come back to teens and other general topics in several days.