There was a story a few years ago about a couple who let their kids wander around without adult supervision. I don't want to be judgmental since I don't know the particulars about their exact circumstances, and I was allowed to go different places by myself at a young age when I was growing up some 50 years ago during a much different time. But in this case, the authorities were threatening the couple with all sorts of things if they didn't start keeping a better eye on them. The couple defended themselves by saying they were raising "free-range" children.

I mentioned yesterday that my youngest child was in the process of giving birth to her and my son-in-law's youngest child. I am delighted to announce that everything went very well indeed, and we now have a perfect new granddaughter, Amelia! God is great and He has so graciously answered in a most favorable way the many prayers that have been given for both mother and daughter these past nine months! 

But what now? Will our daughter and son-in-law just leave Amelia to raise her self? Is their job finished and is it now all up to Amelia to fend for herself? Of course not, for that would be a child abuse of the worse type. Their job now is to give their precious new daughter everything they can to help her grow properly. This includes everything she will need physically, spiritually, and emotionally. It will include going beyond merely taking care of her basic physical needs, for they have a duty (and privilege) to raise up Amelia in the fear and admonition of the Lord. This will include teaching, example, discipline and a great deal of love. It's a big responsibility, but I believe these two godly parents are up to the task.

But now, consider this: Have you ever noticed in the religious realm how often we will seek out new converts, only to ignore them shortly after they have been born again? It's almost as if we had just been looking for new recruits and, once having gotten them, treat them as if they are on their own...

As if they had been born again to become "free-range" Christians. But this should never be:

And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.

As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him, who is the head, even Christ.

Ephesians 4:11-15, NASB

Just as God has given parents to raise us up to be prepared to live in this physical world, He has given us numerous men and women tasked with the responsibility to help babes in Christ grow up to maturity. In the writing of the Bible, He gave us the prophets and the apostles. While these men are long since passed, the Holy Word of God that they were inspired to write remains. Since the founding of the church, he has placed teachers and preachers and pastors (the shepherds, also referred to as overseers and elders within Scripture) in the position of helping to train those who are born again.

And, while it is clear from God's Word that each individual has his own responsibility in furthering their studies to find out their duties after they become Christians, it is still a process that is enhanced and guided by those whom God has entrusted to the task. This is why our men and women who serve as Bible class teachers are so important, as well as our men who serve in the capacity of preachers and elders. Scripture reveals that a child left to themselves becomes a disgrace, and this is no less true than when a newborn child of God is left to flounder on their own.

Again, I want to stress the absolute and critical requirement of the individual to find out for themselves what God's Word reveals, for there are many false teachers, preachers and pastors loose in the religious world. Having said that, these teachers (including parents) and preachers and shepherds that take their responsibility seriously, and who correctly handle the word of truth, must do their part in helping to raise the newly born again soul to maturity.

We are not looking for members or new recruits and we are not "counting coup" like a warrior in battle. We are helping to raise the born again Christian into a self-sustaining servant of God who will someday do their part in helping to do the same for others. We are not raising "free range" Christians! Our duty is to help these babes in Christ to truly and properly grow up in their salvation.