A TLP Snippet 10: How to Use The Nashville Statement in Your Parenting

The Purpose of Creeds, Confessions, and the Nashville Statement

Welcome to a TLP Snippet, Parenting Wisdom in 5 Minutes or Less. I'm your host A .M. Brewster, and today I want to talk about the importance of the Nashville Statement to your parenting. For those of you who aren't familiar with too much church history, any time a significant number of people have decided to cause division in the church by separating from God's clear teaching on a subject to promote their own skewed agenda, faithful men have met to solidify a statement that supports and affirms the biblical doctrines on the issue.

Sometimes they've also been called creeds, confessions, catechisms, and canons. Either way, they were designed to do two main things. One, clarify the biblical truth, and two, allow those who wanted to side with God's Word to band together with a unified front.

Many times in the past decade, godly men have suggested that it's time for the church to create a new statement, specifically in regard to human sexuality. Our world has been tailspinning out of control on this matter and the church has been following right along, and I'm happy to say that over the past years, the center of biblical manhood and womanhood has collected a number of qualified men and women to author what is being called the Nashville Statement.

What the Nashville Statement Says About Human Sexuality

In their own words, the Nashville Statement proclaims that, quote, God's design for his creation and his way of salvation served to bring him the greatest glory and bring us the greatest good. God's good plan provides us with the greatest freedom.

Jesus said he came that we might have life and have it in overflowing measure. He is for us and not against us. Therefore, in the hope of serving Christ's church and witnessing publicly to the good purposes of God for human sexuality revealed in Christian scripture, we offer the following affirmations and denials, unquote.

The statement then deals with the topics of gender, marriage, homosexuality, fornication, adultery, and other sexually related content. It's made up of 14 articles that faithfully affirm a biblical truth and deny the contemporary notions and behaviors that reject that truth.

Its initial signatories include John MacArthur, John Piper, our friend Heath Lambert, Denny Burke, J .I. Packer, Wayne Grudem, D .A. Carson, Al Mohler, R .C. Sproul, Rosaria Butterfield, Francis Chan, Nancy DeMoss-Walgamuth, Kevin DeYoung, Alistair Begg, Randy Alcorn, Burke Parsons, Jackie Hill Perry, and many others.

Why the Statement Matters for Parenting

The point is in me reading off all those names is that this collection of believers represents faithful stewards of God's Word. People who can be trusted to know God's truth on the subject and can clearly and lovingly communicate that truth.

I've also signed the statement and everyone here at Truth Loved Parent fully supports everything the document says. We highly encourage you to read the Nashville statement and we'll include a link to it in the description of this episode, but I also want to share with you how important this document can be to your parenting.

The Nashville statement covers the 14 most misunderstood concepts of human sexuality in the world today, but it does so from a biblical foundation. Now, we've already discussed on this show the importance of you being the first and most prolific voice in your children's ears on the matter of biblical sexuality, but many of us still struggle knowing what to cover and how to say it.

Three Ways to Use the Nashville Statement with Your Children

Well, number one, the Nashville statement provides an outline that you can discuss with your children as you parent them to a right understanding of biblical sexuality. It can help you not leave anything out.

Two, since it covers the major issues the world is trying to shove down your children's throats at this very minute, it's extremely timely and exceptionally relevant. And three, the statement covers these issues with brevity, honesty, and love.

It may have 14 articles, but it's a very quick read. If you use this statement with your children, it will provide a very easy example of the tone with which to cover the material and the ultimate purposes God wants to communicate to us.

My friends, I cannot encourage you enough to read this statement, sign this statement, and use this statement as a springboard for discussing biblical sexuality with your children. Thank you very much to Denny Burke and the other authors.

We praise God for using you to be a shining light and flavorful salt in this world.