Hana Williams’ parents were given the maximum prison sentences. Articles are appearing in blogs and newspapers across the country that are full of fabrications, lies and misstatements about To Train Up a Child. It should not be taken as fact just because it is written somewhere.
What the Williams did is diametrically opposed to the philosophy of No Greater Joy Ministries (NGJ) and the content of the book. The motivation of NGJ is to provide materials that help parents raise healthy and happy children.
Here are actual quotes from the book that warn against abuse. None of the recent writings chose to include them.
“Train up—not beat up. Train up—not discipline up.” “A child needs more than ‘obedience training’, but without first training him, discipline is insufficient” (page 4).
“Disciplinary actions can easily become excessive and oppressive if you set aside the tool of training and depend on discipline alone to do the training” (page 9).
“Parent, have you trained yourself not to discipline immediately but to wait until your irritation builds into anger? If so, then you have allowed anger to become your inducement to discipline” (page 25).
“Parent, if you are having problems with your children, you can be assured that you are not alone. Your children are also having problems with you. You are going to have to make adjustments in your own life if you are going to help them with their problems.” “… the responsibility for making a significant change is completely yours” (page 32).
“There are always some who act in the extreme. These individuals are capable of using what has been said about the legitimate use of the rod to justify ongoing brutality to their children” (page 50).
“The rod should never be a vent for parents’ anger. Where the supreme motivation is anything other than the child’s good, it is inevitable that such behavior by the parent will assuredly create problems” (page 51).
The methods outlined in the book have been endorsed by psychologists, psychiatrists, and child behavior therapists and are widely used to change inappropriate behavior.
It is alleged that Hana’s parents owned a copy of the book; they either did not read it or totally ignored the content. The book repeatedly warns parents against abuse, and emphasizes the parents’ responsibility to love and properly care for their children. There are hundreds of thousands of parents who have and are properly applying the philosophy of the book with the joyous results of happy, productive, and well-adjusted children.
The proper application of the book could have corrected their poor parenting and prevented the abuse and death of Hana Williams.
Michael Pearl
President
No Greater Joy Ministries
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. 3 John 4
© 1995–2024. No Greater Joy Ministries (NGJ) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit ministry of Michael and Debi Pearl.
NGJ is a Member of the Independent Book Publishers Association.
I have been a supporter/follower of your ministry since meeting you in 1995. Know that you will be in my prayers, and the prayers of thousands, throughout this difficult time. My prayer is that many will rise up to the challenge to get a copy of your book and read it for themselves. It opened my eyes many years ago and saved me and my children from a world ruled by abuse. <3
I just want to thank you for providing such a wonderful guide book for proper child training. In an age of HORRIBLE parents and children all around my children are a breath of fresh air to all around them. People are asking me if they can watch my kids. How often does that happen in this day and age.
Without your book I would have been lost. I give it to all my friends and family for their baby shower.
Pearls, I was appalled to see the attacks against you. I have been following you all for over fifteen years now. It is because of you that I can say I have a happy, healthy marriage, as well as happy and healthy children. I agree that Hana's parents could have never read and applied the teachings in your book and I can't fathom how anyone who has read your book can twist it in any evil way. My prayers will continue for your beautiful, blessed family and my husband and I will stand behind you.
Our family wouldn't be what it is today if it weren't for NGJ ministries. We can't thank you enough for writing "To Train Up A Child."
We're truly sorry to hear about the negative publicity resurfacing again for you.
This is a good example of how the national media can quickly shape views that nowhere close to the truth. We have 4 GREAT kids and and my wife and I used your training methods and loved them.
My family loves you and your ministry. I cannot imagine what kind of wife or mother I would be if not for your books!!
Love your work Pearls!
So saddening to hear of the death of another precious young life. To hear her siblings were watching her and laughing at her in her final moments just breaks my heart.
With each 'accusation' these people throw at you, you have responded with grace and dignity. May God continue to bless you and your wonderful ministry.
Love Mmolesy, Australia.
Dear Michael and Debi Pearl,
My family and I are praying fervently for you through this very difficult time. May our Lord strengthen you and protect you and encourage your hearts.
Your family in Christ,
Tom and Diana Cunningham
Thank you so much for your ministry. Your wisdom has been an extremely great blessing to me, my wife and our little ones. We have 5 young children that are much happier and healthier because of your encouragement. We pray that God's overwhelming peace and joy settle on your home greater and greater every day of your lives because of your willingness to stand up for His little ones. Please be encouraged and again thank you so much!
We support you in prayer and in truth. Thank you to you and your family for all that you do to share, teach and preach the Gospel!!
We are praying for you. Thanks so much for To Train Up A Child and all your other material!
To the NGJ ministry:
You guys are awesome and our family has thoroughly enjoyed AND learned a lot from your teaching over the years! It is absolutely insane that some of the media is attempting to cast your family in a bad light, and they haven't even read the book. I am so sorry for any stress you are dealing with because of that, and just pray that God continue to use your ministry to help families raise up their precious children the right way. Stay loving and courageous, guys!
By the way, these hateful parents who beat and murder their children were probably given a copy of your book from caring friends who saw that they desperately needed help with their parenting style. There is no book out there that could help these terrible people from changing from evil to good...they just need Jesus to have a good heart change!
We need to create some more POSITIVE media attention from your books and teaching because there is soooo, sooooo, soooo much more of that than anything negative that someone could scrounge up and lie about. There are hundreds of thousands of families that have been positively helped because your family selflessly chose to follow the Father in being an encouragement to us all~! Thank you so much!!!
I read your book and thank you for an honest biblical approach to child training! God bless as you proclaim His word!