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Saying No | What Are Your Rights As A Spou...

Saying “No” and Meaning It In her book Created to Be His Help Meet, Deb did a great job of presenting the biblical role of a wife. Thousands of women testify to having transformed (...)

What Are Your Rights As A Spouse?

What are your rights as a spouse? Answer: All the rights of a human being.You did not forfeit any of your human rights when you married. Your God-endowed humanity is unalienable (...)

Job | Excerpt from Michael's newest book.

Job is one of the most illuminating characters in the Bible. Scholars agree that the events in the book of Job occurred before Moses and the law, probably before Abraham, for (...)

Last Days

There is a lot of talk these days about signs that we are living in “the last days.” Nothing stirs up more interest than tantalizing tidbits that the apocalypse is upon us. Much of (...)

Water-Walking Faith

About six months into Jesus’ ministry, he got word that Herod had beheaded John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin, during a palace party for the amusement of his guests (Matthew 14:10). “ (...)

Doubt Your Salvation?

Do Your Children Know God? Am I worthy? How Can God Love Me? Have I sinned too much? How Can God save Me? Am I too Far Gone? Surely I am A Good Person....? If you ask yourself (...)

Don't You Dare

!! WARNING TO PARENTS, READ FIRST!! Some Christian parents are growing weary of trying to homeschool all their children. A few have relented and sent their kids to public school (...)

Many Sins Forgiven

For the past six years I have been working on a book that is now finished and in the final stages of preparation to be published. Artwork is currently being done. Those who have (...)

Gideon, A Man Of Valor

This is one of more than fifty stories in Mike’s new book on Faith throughout the Bible. It will be available in late Summer—God willing. Israel occupied the promised land and liv (...)

Lord, Don't You Care?

This is one of more than fifty stories in Mike’s new book on Faith : More Than You Think. It will be available in late Spring—God willing. All day long Jesus had taught and healed (...)

Teaching Your Children To Work

Teaching your children to assume the responsibility of work is paramount. Look around the city; most people are not diligent workers. And many of those that do work, do so (...)

I Hate That Prophet!

Did you know that most of the Bible is prophecy? A prophecy foretells the future. A prophet is someone who hears from God as to the future. The prediction could be in the lifetime (...)

Michael's Reply To Mama Bear

Dear Mama Bear,I truly feel your pain, we have seen it close up. The courts do not recognize perversion as a problem until there is overwhelming evidence that a child has already (...)

Prophets and Wannabe Prophets

The Internet is full of “prophets” vying for clicks. Modern, so-called prophets and biblical prophets are a world apart. I don’t think any of today’s poesy prophets would stan (...)

Female Use Of Porn

Historically we have thought of porn consumption as solely a male vice. The inaccuracy of that is now obvious. The so-called soft science of psychology has provided us with a (...)

Light Bearers | Prison Ministry

Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. “ Matthew 5:14No Greater Joy has made the gospel available all over the world in many languages at the c (...)

The Steele Family | Missionaries Still Ser...

Joshua Steele and family were living in L'viv, Ukraine when it was attacked by the Russians in February.We contacted him and offered to buy their tickets home but he said he was (...)

The Local Church I would Join

I am now 76 years old. In my many years I have experienced every kind of church there is—either as a preacher or attendee. I could spend all day on the front porch sharing with y (...)

My Journey

This article is taken from 'No Greater Joy Volume 3' In my journeys I came to an old wooden bridge. A traveler was halted by a bridging plank that was out of place. He asked my (...)

The Reconciler

When “The Reconciler” left this planet, He committed unto His disciples the ministry of reconciliation. The church exists not as a celebration of our past reconciliation, but as an (...)

Excerpt From By Divine Design

Preface Unrestrained human will, sovereignly permitted, appears to have grown into a malignancy, for we fight and kill to be free only to succumb to a bondage within. Our inner (...)

To Train Up A Child

“Your job as a parent is to make your child socially desirable by the age of four.”—Dr. Jordan Peterson I wish I had constructed that sentence. I have expressed the same sentiment (...)

The Door | YouTube Update

Ellen - So speechless left in awe. This transformed me. A place that just made me grow in ways that woeds can not express. Thank you in Jesus name Amen. Allen - Now that is a (...)

Wow! Did You Know?

Recently I was assisting my 44-year-old son Gabe who was doing some upgrade work on NGJ property. As I was dumping a bucket load of creek gravel inside some concrete forms, he (...)

Excerpt from 'Understanding the Book of He...

My newly published commentary, Understanding the Book of Hebrews, was a thrill to write. It covers subjects generally obscure to most believers. Here is a portion of commentary on (...)

From Urban Life to Homesteading

Dear Mr. Pearl, I watched your YouTube about UFOs and men’s hearts failing them for seeing the things coming on the earth. It was the first time I realized that even though C (...)

2020 Year End Report

The beginning of a major harvest has only grown bigger, easier, and more productive, especially this year with worldwide anxiety and the shut in conditions. 12.5 million people (...)

Niño enojado

Tengo una pregunta ¿Cómo tratar a un niño enojado? Cuando   le preparo un desayuno que no le gusta y no se sale con la suya, actúa enojado y me culpa. A menudo me dice qu (...)

When Rebellion is Godly

Fifty years ago when Mike and I first started teaching our children at home (illegal at the time), we met with resistance from friends, family, and later from the authorities. The (...)

Developing Confidence and Competence in a ...

Lincoln, one of my 26 grand-kids, just turned three. He is my little working buddy right now. During the summer he was my fishing buddy—too much so; I found myself having to c (...)

50 Years, Better Than Ever

In a world of confusion, pain, and uncertainty where the best in us is tried and questioned on a daily basis, where cynicism is exceeded only by bitterness, as a 75-year-old man (...)

Identidad equivocada: Servir frente a prop...

Querido Michael, En el artículo “Estudio sobre los surcos de la depresión” Debi escribió: “Los propiciadores se consideran ellos mismos más comprensivos y amorosos, pero todos los (...)

From the desk of Michael and Debi Pearl

4And in that day shall ye say, Praise the LORD, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted. Isaiah 12:4 During 2020 we reached (...)

Michael and Debi’s Favorite Gardening, P...

Michael and Debi’s Favorite Gardening, Preparedness and Survival Resources We’ve been getting lots of calls from readers and viewers with questions about gardening, survival and pr (...)

Interacting With Your Children

It is easy to recognize when a child has had significant interaction with his parents. His eyes are bright and alive with the pleasure of everything happening around him. He is (...)

Birthday Toolbox

Yesterday I saw child training at its best. The fact that it was my own son-in-law training my favorite grandkid amplifies the pleasure. For his third birthday, Lincoln received a (...)

Ser Abuelo

Pensaste que ya habías terminado con las responsabilidades de criar hijos, pero no. Tu papel ha cambiado, pero es tan importante como siempre. Te has graduado y ahora eres un (...)

Hammering Home a Truth

When you train a boy to use a hammer, when he is old he will know how to use a hammer. After 49 years of child training and 30 years of teaching others, I can testify to the (...)

Being a Grandparent

You thought you were done with the responsibilities of raising kids, but no. Your role has changed, but it is as important as ever. You have graduated to be a “super parent,” also (...)

Real or Fake

How to Appear Righteous Even If You Are Not Many godless people have positive traits that conceal their impiousness. You can pull off a very good imitation of a strong Christian (...)

Papás que abren puertas

En la edición impresa de marzo-abril de la revista NGJ leíste el artículo "Abre puertas en lugar de cerrarlas”. Este artículo es un seguimiento también tomado del libro en proces (...)

Estaciones de juego

Queridos Mike y Debi: A través de su enseñanza y el ministerio del Espíritu Santo me he dado cuenta de que mi familia es mundana y pone a Dios en segundo lugar. Me da vergüenza que (...)

La Raíz Parental

Una madre nos escribió esta carta. Es tan terriblemente típica que nos sentimos obligados a responderle claramente. Mientras lo lees, piensa en ti mismo como si fueras el c (...)

2020 Eternal Vision

It was sometime toward the end of 2019 when God gave us a certainty that, at the beginning of 2020, No Greater Joy Ministries should focus on getting the gospel to every person we (...)

Amor es amar lo que ellos aman

He amado muchas cosas en mi vida que no tenían ningún significado personal para mí; todo porque amé lo que ellos amaban... porque yo los amaba a ellos. Lo escucho todo el tiempo. L (...)

Ataque al entrenamiento infantil tradicion...

El Dr. Benjamin Spock publicó su libro El libro del sentido común del cuidado de bebés y niños  en el año 1946. Cuando falleció en 1998, se habían vendido más de 50 millones d (...)

7 Important Things to Know in Raising Chil...

1. Make time for them. Children are like plants. They need attention and direction every day. I plant a garden every year, and about half of the time I wait too long to stake my (...)

God Made Jesus to Be Sin

Jesus Christ, God’s sinless son, covered with all the filthy deeds of degenerate mankind! Who would dare? God dared.

Making Your Calling Sure

In my experience, 95% of those who identify with the Christian religion have never been born again. They call themselves a Christian family, but many are false converts (...)

¿Quién define a tus hijos?

El niño acepta la definición de sí mismo que le imponen quienes lo cuidan. No tiene otra forma de saber quién es. Los niños ven su propio reflejo en los ojos de los demás. No hay n (...)

What Happens to Children When the Rapture ...

What happens to children when the rapture takes place?

Gentle Parenting: Part 2

What does the Bible say about corporal chastisement and Gentle Parenting?

Gentle Parenting: Part 1

Gentle Parenting is the craze right now. The name, Gentle, is camouflage for a hidden agenda that is not compatible with the God of the Bible.

Marriage: Sharing the Pie

Love doesn’t keep accounts. It doesn’t keep score. When we start keeping score, it’s a game—a game where we are counting winners and losers. More than anything we want our fai (...)

The Three Types of Men: Junior-Size

Just like there are three types of men, boys all tend toward one personality type. Here's how to tell what natural inclinations your son has, and how you can guide him to (...)

Dejar y Unirse

Suegra Estimados Sres. Pearl: He batallado para tener una relación con mi suegra desde que la conocí. Tiende a ser manipuladora, cruel y crítica. En muchas ocasiones, me ha dicho l (...)

An Upset Mother Writes...

An upset mother unsubscribes from the No Greater Joy magazine to protect the purity and innocence of her sons. Mike recalls a conversation he had a few months ago with (...)

How Do I Choose a Wife?

A young man asks for advice, wondering when is the right time to pursue a relationship? At what point does he need to start engaging her family, and how should he go about (...)

The Screens Between

How do you continue to be submissive when your husband is passive? We have always disagreed where our children are concerned; I’m a disciplinarian and he lets most everything (...)

Prayer in Jesus' Name

Does 1 John 5:14 mean that when we pray we need to add, “Thy will be done” or else God won’t respond to our prayers?

My Husband is a Calvinist

Mike advises a confused reader whose husband has become a Calvinist. Spoiler alert: their marital problem is not one of doctrinal differences.

The Shaft

It is hard being a young man nowadays with porn everywhere. It is even more discouraging when it sits across from you on a high stool at church.

The Key to Keeping Your Kids

If you don’t provide a vision, your children will find their own, and it might not be the proper kind.

Blessings

If I had my life to live over again, knowing all that I know now, I would do many things differently; but having lived in the blessings of God, I cannot imagine being more (...)

(Un)Common Law

Parents write in with their questions regarding teaching their kids to share, while still respecting their rights to personal property.

Mistaken Identity: Serving vs. Enabling

What is the difference between serving and enabling? Can a wife honor her husband and be a good help meet without enabling poor behavior?

Humility Sought is Humility Lost

The lack of humility is an evil; but the presence of humility is not a virtue.

Nagging Wives and Hurtful Husbands

"I struggle with being a nagging wife. I have been married seven years, and it seems we fight a lot more than we used to. how can I stop nagging?"

Raising Boys Who Raise Cain

My sons both have streaks of Command Man in them and have recently begun to assert themselves, and the conflict has resulted in them having bad attitudes. Where do I draw the (...)

Teaching Thankfulness

If children do not see the connection between what you provide and their consumption, they will not be appreciative.

Speaking Your Children Up

A child accepts the definition of self that is imposed upon him by his caretakers. He has no other way of knowing who he is. Children see their reflection in the eyes of others (...)

The Fabric of Life

It is impossible to be a good parent if you do not enjoy your children. They should be your most exciting sport and most frequent recreation. They must be your main (...)

The Parental Root

Letter From a Wife Now I will convey to you the complications I seem to have with rearing my three children. I praise our Lord for a wonderful Christian home. But with the (...)

Mike Answers

My husband is very much both Visionary and Kingly, so he will come up with “let’s do this,” while his idea is totally foreign and too big to be practical; yet he’s Kingly, so (...)

Cake Covered in Grace

I realized again that when children are reared in an atmosphere of blessedness, you will never have to worry that they might drift from their moorings.

Lifestyle Homeschooling

You can’t be too ignorant to homeschool. It is not how much you know; it is how much you are learning. You don’t need to communicate great things; you just need to com (...)

The Old Paths: Hope for the Family

Question from a Father: I have raised three girls and they all turned out well. My last child is a boy who has just turned fourteen. I am seeing signs of trouble and need some (...)

The Devil's Hug

This article is rated R—not for children under 18, and possibly not for any unmarried person who wishes to remain in innocent ignorance. Dear Mrs. Pearl, I don’t want you to think (...)

The 2-Year-Old Terminator

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Pearl, Reading your posts about boys has encouraged me so much. I am married to a visionary (turning into a command man) and I have two little boys, a (...)

Working Women and Dust Pan Men?

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Pearl, First of all, praise God for Created to Be His Help Meet! A woman at my church recommended this book to me. I started reading it and it has changed my (...)

From Our Mailbox: Jesus Paid it All

Dear NGJ Ministries, Thank you for sending my order of Sanctification/Sin No More in good time. It was something I thought I should listen to, as I thought it was going to be (...)

The Two-Brained Kid

Just the other day, I heard an old mule trainer make one of the wisest statements about child training I have ever heard. He was not talking about children; he was talking about (...)

Two Year Old Trouble

A Reader Asks My son is 2 years and 10 months. He is a bright, affectionate, patient, obedient child. Or at least he was until about 3–4 weeks ago. At that point he decided to s (...)

Seven Things I See

We are now old and full of years. It is different than we supposed. Our souls—who we are—haven’t aged at all, and we are not alone in that. All my life I have heard the elderly spe (...)

Seven Pearls for Finding a Happy Marriage

Our 45th wedding anniversary is upon us. That's a lot of wonderful years together. We were sitting at the table this morning discussing

Teenagers Ask...

I am struggling with my faith. I don't understand why God takes kids and good people up to him at such a young age. I've written Christians

How Do You Set Up a True New Testament Chu...

When one believer, joined by other faithful disciples, does the work of the church - sharing the gospel - and they assemble together for prayer, mutual encouragement and (...)

But I Wanted to Ask Mr. Pearl

How can we minister as a family when we live out in the country and rarely encounter unsaved people?

This I Have Observed

Every family I meet, be they delightfully exemplary or sadly dysfunctional, provokes me to analyze what they did right or wrong that brought them to this place in life.

Homeschooling High Schoolers?

I have two sons and we’ve homeschooled them all their lives and loved it. But high school has been a little different. How can average suburbanites accomplish homeschooling t (...)

A Blessed Year (A Word from Mike)

2015 was a blessed year at No Greater Joy Ministries. The US subscription to our magazine continues to increase, presently reaching about 42,000 homes, not counting online (...)

Marriage Good Will

Dr. John Gottman's findings are amazingly consistent with biblical truth. We have said before that a good marriage is one that is filled with good will.

Should the Relationship Move Forward?

Sometimes there were lost guys who would come around to "hang out," but if they didn't want to know the Lord, they soon quit coming. And our daughters never hung out with (...)

Tommy's Story

Train your children to yell and tell. Let them know at least once a week that you will believe them and that you are there to protect them. Your children's best defense is (...)

The Church Does Not Replace Israel

No More Bondage to FEAR

Don’t buy the line that brokenness or weakness is inherited personality. It is all in the kind of example you lay down and how you respond to them.

The Net

In our present culture, by the time most children are sixteen years old, they have left a well-documented profile on the World Wide Web. Advertisers say, “We know more about y (...)

Watching Prophecy Being Fulfilled

Conditions are rapidly aligning with Ezekiel's 2,700-year-old prophecy. Fulfillment seems imminent. Our redemption draws nearer with every newscast.

Excerpt from The Bible on Divorce and Rema...

Dear Mike and Debi, My fiancé and I are wanting to get married without a marriage license. We have no idea how such things work. Help us please. — Dana Dear Mike and Debi, My be (...)

Study Guide for The Bible on Divorce and R...

This study guide is a work in progress. Anyone who has further notes to add to the study, please send them to [email protected] so others can benefit from your study. Chapter 1 (...)

What God Hath Joined Together...

The Rod and Reproof

The progressive secularists intimidate parents with assertions that spanking children causes them to use violence to solve problems. It is stated so many times and with such (...)

More Than Controlling Their Behavior

As parents, we want to control the behavior of our children, but there is a danger of becoming content with outward obedience while failing to reach their hearts. We must, by (...)

Prophecy, Preparation, and Panic

In the last five years or so there has been a revival of interest in Bible prophecy. Even the economists are getting in on the apocalyptic predictions.

Divorce and Remarriage

Historically, Christians have been divided on this issue. This couple will be happy to learn I have a new book coming out, The Bible on Divorce and Remarriage.

Spank as a Last Resort

When a spat or spanking is in order, it is not a last resort; it is a God-given tool to put the finishing touches on an eternal soul.

Ahab the Mariner Mouse

I picked up a little toy boat that the children play with in the pool and shoved it over to the desperate mouse. He climbed aboard to the cheers of Penelope.

Two-Front War on Christianity

The Supreme Court is in full stride, not only making sin legal, but requiring the Christians of America to acquiesce to their depraved worldview.

This Is the Last Righteous Generation

The winds of history have shifted on your watch. If the Lord tarries, you can tell your grandchildren that you lived through the last righteous generation before the moral (...)

Homeschooled to Bible Translator

Our oldest child is Rebekah Joy. She knew no schooling but homeschooling until the day we took her to Wisconsin and dropped her off at the College entrance.

Getting to Know Us

This is the welcome from our first-ever newsletter, printed in May 1995.

Attack on Traditional Child Training

Taken from a new chapter in the upcoming 21st Anniversary Edition of To Train Up a Child

Excerpt from Eight Kingdoms

You are not in the kingdom of heaven. No one is in the kingdom of heaven. If you are born again you are in the kingdom of God, but the kingdom of heaven is not yet come on (...)

Excerpt from Revelation Handbook

The Revelation of John John was transported by the spirit of God into the future to witness history’s last chapter, and he was commanded to write in a book “the things which you ha (...)

The Sodom Generation

Cane Creek itself has become infected with cell phone cyber sin. While parents dither about small things, feeling secure in their little house on the prairie, the children are (...)

Jeremiah and Penelope

Eight-year-old Jeremiah was being impatient with his four-year-old sister, Penelope, and talking to her like she was stupid. I said, “Jeremiah, you are being impatient and rude to (...)

The China Connection

This past year, No Greater Joy Ministries sold five times as many Created to Be a Help Meet books in China as we did in the United States, and sales continue to increase. Five of (...)

Family Fountain

Neglect is the most common form of abuse. Good “Christian” parents who would never consider being physically abusive to their children sometimes produce broken little souls who gro (...)

Freedom From Addictions

Are you an addict? If you don’t do drugs or alcohol, you probably think not, but think again. Most of my readers are non-substance addicts, and it is harming your life, your c (...)

Don't Send a Grandpa to Do a Mother's Work

Either I have forgotten what it is like to be solely responsible for a two year- old, or I have gotten out of shape— both physically and mentally.

Family Proverbs Time - Happy Time at Home

It’s raining outside. The kids have been locked up all day with no access to digital media, and they have played all the board games again and again until they are bored. T (...)

Hypocrisy in the Homeschool Ranks?

Why would homeschoolers be singled out as guilty of hypocrisy? Because it's true—sometimes. I have observed parents, who are not hypocrites at heart, employ tactics that r (...)

Family Proverbs Time III

It is “Proverbs Time” at the Pearl house. There are no television shows or video games to compete for the moment. The kids are excited. It is going to be fun. Everyone gets to (...)

Who Defines You?

The best the world has to offer is a lot of hype from a therapist or motivational speaker about accepting yourself as you are, with a mantra of, "I am somebody."

Homeschooling: Success or Failure

Evaluation of whether homeschooling is a successful adventure or a failed social experiment. Goodness without God is humanism at its finest.

Proverbs Time Continued

There is no better tool on the face of the earth to save your children from the wages of sin than the book of Proverbs. And there is no better way to instill these truths in (...)

Who Defines Your Children?

Children see their reflection in the eyes of others. They gaze into the mirror of eyes that love or judge, blame or cherish, or that show delight. The developing child then (...)

Homosexuality and the Brain

You may remember the media delight about fifteen years ago when it was discovered that the brains of homosexual men were different from straight men. The defense, "God (...)

Listen, My Son

There is nothing that can take the place of having a family Bible study with the kids. Here are some guidelines and ideas to get you started.

Marriage Died in 2013

If one group is allowed to redefine marriage, then there is nothing to prevent others from demanding and doing the same. And why is government (state or federal) in the (...)

Résumé Enhancement

Last week I received a call from BBC Radio concerning the recent push in the House of Commons to have my 20-year-old book, To Train Up a Child, banned from sale in Britain.

Crazy Cattle

I have thirteen head of cattle in my front field, most of them just young calves recently acquired from auctions. For the past three days, several of them have gotten out (...)

Family Proverbs Time

Wisdom is the principle thing. Start your own Family Proverbs Time!

Called to Go

One lady is reaching people for Christ that a missionary could never reach. She did it from her home computer while her kids took their afternoon naps. You can do this. What (...)

Larry and Carri Williams Found Guilty

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 m (...)

From Our Mailbox - A "Saved" Amish Lady

I didn’t know what it was; I had no idea anything could feel like this, but I knew for the first time I had peace, a presence, a newness; I mean everything looked new! I w (...)

If I Could Speak in Tongues

How shall they hear?

3,000-Year-Old Child Training Book Discove...

Proverbs is the best child training book ever written.

Around the World with the Gospel in 14 Yea...

When we published the Good and Evil illustrated Bible storybook we immediately contacted a missionary with a specialty in publishing. We asked him to find translators for (...)

A Wise, Happy Father-in-Law

Your children need “hope” possibilities.

Trusting and Supporting Our Children's Cho...

Training children to make wise decisions requires everything you have.

God Keeps His Promises

Israel—Such a small group of people on a tiny piece of land about the size of New Jersey—yet, such productivity. They are dwarfed by 22 hostile Arab/Islamic dictatorships 640 (...)

He that Covereth a Sin is not Wise

Years, prison time, or true confessions do not change a pervert. Any man who is truly repentant never allows himself to be alone with a child, thus proving he is walking in (...)

Marriage Is God's Finishing School

Marriage is an arrangement that forces our imperfections to the surface where we can see the damage they do. It is the “reveal all” of the human experience.

Not Young Again but Feeling like It

Many of you have written asking about my heart health. Late last fall my heart started to hurt on a daily basis. I knew something had to change, so in January Debi and I started a (...)

How to Survive the Coming Apocalypse, Part...

There have been plenty of times in history when sudden hardship struck a nation and the people were thrown upon their own resources to survive. We could suffer national or (...)

How to Survive the Coming Apocalypse, Part...

Fear can be a self-fulfilling prophecy. Live in faith, thanksgiving, and rejoicing.

How to Survive the Coming Apocalypse, Part...

Dear Michael, I know that we are living in the last times, and I feel an urgency to get my family into a place where we can survive the tribulation that is coming. Have you (...)

How to Survive the Coming Apocalypse, Part...

In the final analysis, it is not the community or the church that produces great children and tremendous adults; it is home life rooted in sincere, relaxed love of God and (...)

Memories

“Big Papa, Big Papa. You have to see this. It’s a mystery!”

Why?

When I tell my 4-year-old son to do something, his first response is always, “Why?” How should I deal with this issue?

Amish Coming to the Light

The Spirit of God is moving and the words of God are finding lodging in good ground.

Six Ways Parents Destroy Their Children Wi...

It is difficult to train up a child in the way he should go, and some very good and sincere people fail.

Excerpt from "In Search of a Help Meet"

Be warned, there is a general misunderstanding, among both men and women, as to the nature of a help meet.

Your Feedback Needed for the Jan-Feb Homes...

The Jan/Feb 2013 issue of NGJ Magazine will be dedicated to discovering what is best for homeschoolers and what is best avoided. We need to hear from you! Ask us questions (...)

A Generation Later

Kids are made of rubber. They bounce back if we don’t get frustrated and throw them away.

The Confidence to Try

One of the greatest disservices we can ever do to our children is to blunt their need to try.

Respecting Your Little Ones

Be careful to never betray their trust, to never be the source of consternation or fear.

Grand Grandparents

Grandparents can be a great blessing or a curse to their grandchildren.

Pacification Parenting

Accepting the sacrifices of duty and self control is a slow process done in increments, like learning to walk on sharp rocks.

Yes Daddies and Amen Mamas

You cannot be the No Daddy; you must be the Go Daddy. Don’t just fence him off from evil influences; open the door to a world that is more exciting and promising than a (...)

Leaving and Cleaving

Dear Pearls, I have struggled to have a relationship with my mother-in-law since I met her. She tends to be manipulative, unkind, and judgmental.

Nuts & Nurturing

Children love to be involved.

Be a Door Opener, Not a Door Shutter

Think of ways to open doors of delight and you will not have as many occasions to say no to their naughtiness.

Come to the Waters

I have to admit that I am surprised at the delightful fruit I see across the board in the homeschool movement. It just gets better.

Book of Luke - Preview Clip - Mary

Another sample audio clip from Mike's upcoming release, Luke. This one is about Mary.

Book of Luke - Preview Clips

Mike is busy editing the audio from his recent messages on the book of Luke. He plans to have it ready in January 2012. Listen to some sample clips!

Eternal Investments

In our last magazine we ran a short article called Silent Presses. Well, the presses are silent NO MORE! Several people stepped into the gap providing the necessary funds for the (...)

Excerpts from Created to Need a Help Meet

Men were created with a need for a helper, a best friend, an encourager and a lover. Read these passages from Michael Pearl’s book about how to gain a happy wife, God’s favor (...)

Don't Give Up on the Prodigal

What is to be done when grown children have turned away from all that parents hold dear? How can flawed parents make an eternal difference in the lives of wayward children? (...)

The Hearts of the Fathers

Fathers have a high calling. Learn about the admonitions and promises written to men with children. Discover the difference in the ways God measures a man versus the way men (...)

Corn Fest Fun!

Our first annual Cane Creek Corn Fest was a day FILLED with fun. While the corn harvest was great, the harvest of grace was even greater. Mike reflects on the quality of the (...)

Taming The Tyrant

Excerpt from the unpublished book, Traditional Child Training Made Easy.

Hana Williams' Death - Official Statement

We share in the sadness over the tragic death of Hana Williams. What her parents allegedly did is diametrically opposed to the philosophy of No Greater Joy Ministries (NGJ) and (...)

I Need Her Counsel and Judgment

This excerpt from Created to NEED a Help Meet outlines ways a wife enriches her husband with counsel, encouragement and prayers. Michael Pearl urges men to benefit from those (...)

Organize and Manage

Avoiding child training can result in frustrated parents and children who are hurtling towards dangerous circumstances. Mike discusses the benefits of consistent, loving (...)

Parenting is an Art Form

Training is not the only thing that children need from their parents. They need an investment that feeds the soul. The deft application of these truths is nothing less than (...)

Excerpt #2 from Training Children to be St...

Leaders and followers Society is composed of leaders and followers. It cannot be otherwise. Followers are essential to the overall good of society. Every engine needs a coal car (...)

Excerpt from Training Children to Be Stron...

As my children were growing up, I was fully aware that the development of their spirits was my number one priority. My familiarity with the training of military men and women may (...)

eNGJ Magazine

Hard Copy Versus eNGJ Magazine

Functioning Community

Parents need help effectively raising children who can swim against the tide in this current society. A community of believers provides a wholesome context in which your (...)

Go Love Yourself?

Mike and Debi offer advice to a husband planning to walk away from a miserable marriage lacking trust and intimacy. Can such a union be restored? Recommended resources are (...)

We Say Good Morning

How do YOU greet each new day? Does the dawn find you pressed to meet deadlines, tackle chores and get everyone else going? Michael Pearl gains a new perspective from his (...)

Apprenticeship

Our interactions with children have a great impact upon their development. Time invested in them today will pay dividends tomorrow. Learn how to plant seeds that will (...)

Old Tom

Tom Slayman has spent a lifetime pursuing his passions. Even before he was a believer, he was a devoted father to his four children. Michael Pearl tells how Tom's passion and (...)

Angry Children, Part 2

Angry Children Part 2 continues to discuss the value in discovering the motive behind a child's anger. Learn why it's important to find ways to grant children limited (...)

Alabama Disaster Relief

Nathan Pearl and crew are in Alabama with a load of supplies and laborers. They are the first wave that we will be sending down to help those in need. We contacted a retired (...)

Family Government

Mike Huckabee stated that the family is the most basic form of government. Michael Pearl agrees and discusses the importance of making sure that children are trained to be (...)

Angry Children

When overcome with frustration, children can lash out in anger. Learn how to become your little ones' advocate and example so that they might acquire the tools necessary to (...)

Grandmother Strikes Again

Grandparents desire that the limited time they have with their grandchildren be positive. However, when the boundaries are crossed, it is encouraging to be reminded how God's (...)

Lazy Husbands, Hungry Kids and Hopeful Wiv...

Facing homelessness, a concerned mother of toddlers asks what her response should be to a husband that stays on the computer, sleeps and leaves bills unpaid. Michael Pearl (...)

Making Sense of It

Academia, media and those in political power are often promoting policies that go against the best interest of our country and oppress the poor. Michael Pearl discusses these (...)

Plain Pain and Plain People

The Meeting of Plain People occurred on schedule without a hitch. We discussed with them how they can recreate community in the tradition in which they were raised and still (...)

Instilling Initiative in Our Children

Just the other day, Deb and I were discussing the young people we know and noting that some are focused and industrious, making the most of their days, gaining knowledge and (...)

Impotent Relationship

Think of them as two old cowboys and you the rancher’s wife. I suggest you ride this horse till it drops. It’s too late to change mounts or to retrain this one.

Cloistered Fruit

What, then, can a woman in this situation do to restore her marriage and win her husband’s heart? Become lovely and useful. Men are interested in more than physical i (...)

Michael Pearl Believes WHAT?

A great many parents listen to the advice of Michael Pearl. In the midst of all the good advice, have they heard everything? Michael Pearl does not believe in the imputation (...)

Avoiding Vacuums

What conversations can we have with our 9-year-old daughter and our 11-year-old son to inoculate them from the sexual perversions they will come across in the church, etc.? (...)

When the Worst Happens

Sometimes our parental response to a child’s divergence into the profoundly ugly is the deciding factor as to whether it is a one-time curiosity or a permanent turn down the r (...)

Post Nazi Germany

I am a U.S. Army Chaplain and American soldier and know that the United States liberated Germany twice in the last century because of oppressive rulers/dictators and (...)

The Best Medicine

"How do I delight in children that only cause me pain and grief?" You need a small victory to give you hope.

Witnessing

How can I effectively witness to my non-Christian peers, especially when they have such alien worldviews and anti-Christian attitudes?

Sorry

Nine out of every ten letters we receive are from prisoners requesting a copy of our Bible story book. They have seen a copy and want one of their own.

Spank and Save a Child

According to the research, children spanked up to the age of 6 were likely as teenagers to perform better at school and were more likely to carry out volunteer work and to (...)

Laughing

My granddaughters laugh with joy after giving their baby dolls a spanking for “being naughty” because they know their dolls will grow up to be the best mamas and daddies in th (...)

Because We Need Him

The other day Deb and I were entertaining—or, better said, we were being entertained by—four-year-old Jocelyn, one of our 16 grandkids.

Like Father, Like Son

The other day, I was downtown, which, in our neck of the woods, means two blocks of stores on the highway and half of them empty. I had gassed up at one of the two stations (...)

The Kingdom of God is Not the Kingdom of H...

“But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Science Fiction Horror Story

God designs his human creation after his own image...And what do scientists do? They say, “It is good, but not good enough; we can do better,” and then proceed to re-create wh (...)

Let the Little Children

These little ones are unwritten books, a student ready to learn. What a heavenly gift; what an awesome responsibility.

Cheerful, Authoritative, Consistent

Do you feel that you lack the wisdom to train up your children in the way they should go? Do you feel that you have been promoted to a job that is well beyond your skill (...)

Child Training Marathon Revisited and Upda...

Fifteen years ago, when Deb and I were much younger, a homeschooling family invited us to stay with them for an entire week to critique their child training methods. We had (...)

Serious Smile

If you look at the quality of your trust, your smile may vanish, but if you look to the success of Him whom you trust, there will always be more than enough motivation to (...)

Survival

I say again: The best resource against hard times is knowledge. When you add to knowledge a convenient environment to put that knowledge to work, you will be a confident and (...)

They're Smarter Than You Think

Here was my half-pint grandson wrestling with reconciling the sovereignty of God with the free will of a squirrel.

Jeremiah the Fisherman

I will admit it. Everybody in the family knows it, so it is time I state it publicly. I do have a favorite grandkid. It’s Jeremiah, and he is three years old.

The Only Trophies

Every kid is lazy unless he is taught to work. And no one is taught to work with words or admonitions any more than someone can develop muscles in a classroom learning about (...)

Good Ground

We have a vision of animating the Good and Evil book, complete with the voice dramatization and a music score and sound effects...missionaries can use it to carry the Bible (...)

Holy Matrimony

Most of my readers will agree that holy matrimony is not the product of the state, but few understand that it is likewise not the product of the church.

Little Pearls—A Little Child Shall Lead ...

Deb and I were driving along with Jeremiah, our grandson, and he was chattering away as usual, ending every sentence with, “Is that right?” He is not wanting confirmation; he (...)

How to Get Kids to Remember

Every time I look at that pan, I remember picking at every speck of dried oatmeal, wasting my time when I could have been engaged in more important matters. We old men don't (...)

Cutting Edge

Let us forget about building ministries and get back to building the kingdom instead. We have the tools. The church has the money. And we clearly have the commission to do (...)

A Special Day

Speaking of the coming reign of Christ over the earth, the prophet observed, “And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof” (Ze (...)

Little Pearls—The Instructor

How do you judge the age or maturity of a soul? When can it be hurt—perhaps even permanently scarred?

Untold Millions Are Now Being Told

Steve and other missionaries now have a tool that the people hungrily read, re-read, discuss, and ask questions about, and then they turn to the Bible itself to verify the (...)

First Generation Homeschool Missionaries

Joshua takes young men on longer mission trips into the mountains of Ukraine each summer to distribute gospel literature. It’s not for sissies.

Blessed Fruit

Deb and I went to Southern California to conduct a seminar in mid-January and had the privilege of meeting a host of happy, successful homeschoolers.

The Balanced Patriarch

The amount of mail we have received in response to the former articles on the Cloistered Homeschool Movement has been phenomenal.

Hope

A fool is known by his doings. It is not often that a nation gets to elect its own judgment. It is humbling to admit that we deserve our choice.

Hard Times Coming

For believers, there are bad times and then there are BAD times. A recession is not a bad time; it is an inconvenience.

Dogs Cats and Kids

The life principle that will always work for you is one I have stated many times. Never forget it. “Make all negative behavior counterproductive, and reward all positive b (...)

Patriarchal Dysfunctional Families

They plod on in blind faith trying to do better, but they blame their failure on their children...When things don’t work out like the model they have been presented, they s (...)

Cloistered Homeschool Syndrome

The Foger family came to stay with us one spring about 12 years ago while they were on furlough from Mozambique.

Eternal

Have you ever been present when history was made–at that precise moment when decisions are made that will change lives forever? I have been...

Michael Update

Thanks for all the notes and letters. I feel like I have fully recovered from my heart attack. It took about three to four months to return to normal.

Little Men

You want him to be a part of your team but you do not want to be part of his.

Peace and Safety

Did you read this week about the recently released convict who broke into your next-door neighbor’s house? The intruder told the police he thought the house was empty (...)

Silly Boys

Perpetually silly boys are an embarrassment to their fathers and a shame to their mothers; moreover, they are the public proof of a father's neglect and a mother's (...)

Honoring Parents?

My parents have come to live with us. It is the Asian tradition that the oldest in a household is the final authority and that the oldest woman has complete charge of (...)

Serious As a Heart Attack

I'm alive! There was a time there in February that I thought I had written my last article and taught my last Bible study. I have heard the "funny” expression “serious as a he (...)

God Doesn't Have Any Grandchildren

There is no such thing as a second generation Christian. The battle of faith must be fought alone, again and again, each time as if it were the first.

Training In Joy

The following letter expresses the heart of what this ministry tries to convey to our readers. This lady has truly discovered the JOY in "I have no greater joy than to hear (...)

Father Forsakes His Family Duty

Would the Lord take a man away from his children so that he sees them only a few hours a week?

Mike Answers

From Our Daily Letters

"I Am Going To Kill Myself"

Is there hope of heaven for one who commits suicide?

New Book for Men

I am writing a book just for men.

Spurgeon is a Heretic?

I’m writing to ask, “Where is the consistency?” Your newsletter regularly promotes the book, The Other Side of Calvinism. It’s proclaimed to be “...the best book exposing the heres (...)

Sissy Sensitive Son

It is not a tough exterior that God desires or that people admire; it is a tough spirit, an overcoming spirit, a spirit of service, caring not for the sparse thanks, nor (...)

Playstation

I understand the strength of their addiction. They may refuse any alternative. It may be that they do not find anything as fun as punching buttons and looking at a flashing (...)

Can You Believe It?

Spurgeon says, “Christ died for the ungodly.” Read what one ungodly woman experienced.

Answering the Critics

As our ministry continues to expand rapidly, we become more of a target for the naysayers. Of late, we have two primary groups that oppose us.

It's possible to correct the future

I think I know the frustration of a doctor working the Saturday night shift in the trauma unit of a big city hospital.

Blame

Blame was the second sin. Adam fell by eating the forbidden fruit, but he cut himself off from restoration when he blamed God for giving to him the woman who “caused” him to d (...)

Don't send a grandpa to do a mother's work

Either I have forgotten what it is like to be solely responsible for a two-year-old, or I have gotten out of shape—both physically and mentally.

What Are We Going to Do?

I remember so clearly how it used to be: “What are we going to do, Daddy?” Now it is: “What are we going to do, Big Papa?”

The Salvation of Children

My kids are 6 and 8 years old and are not saved. How do I explain the plan of salvation without "scaring" them into a false sense of security?

Fear

From a reader: We have a question about fear. We are a missionary family in Guatemala, where it is very common to see armed guards outside of almost every store.

Men Only, Not Boys

My wife read "Created To Be His Help Meet", but it did not change her or our marriage.

Angels, Good and Bad

A Study of the Cherub Face

Learning From the Atheists

Over a period of 50 years, I have spoken with many professing atheists and agnostics. I always find the encounter most interesting.

Hearts of the Fathers

Father, do you have the heart of your son?

A Good Pair of Glasses

Women view life through glasses that see everything in terms of feelings, while men view life through glasses that sometimes seem to be without any feelings at all—just plain (...)

Tumbling Tots

You can learn a great deal about child training from watching other parents relate to their children.

Fear Not

FEAR! That stifling emotion that stalks the average person like a sinister enemy

Wonderful Words of Life

Greater than the name of God

What Is the Best Method of Studying the Bi...

Starting with the final authority

Where Do I Go From Here?

Lately, we have received so many lettereslike the two below, that I think we need to answer them in this open letter to all.

What does it mean to be a Man?

It's time to draw the line between boys and men.

Recovering the Skills of Manhood

I can’t tell you how many letters I have received from men telling me that they grew up never developing the manly skills.

Too Young to Spank?

When is a child too young to spank? The answer is obviously dependent on your definition of the word "spank."

Jumping Ship (Part 5)

What to do when you have a child who has jumped ship.

A Little Child Shall Lead Them

You Ask, Michael Answers

Dad's Daughter

Dad, you must get this one right. If you mess up here, all that you have invested in your daughter could be wasted on a dud.

Provide Entertainment

Our granddaughter, Gracie, is what many people call "a handful." Her eyes are alive with investigation, always searching for opportunities to change her environment.

Translations Now In Progress

"The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple" Ps 119:130.

Tomato-Head Kids

It is easy to recognize when a child has had significant interaction with his parents. His eyes are bright and alive with the pleasure of everything happening around him.

The Illustrated Bible Story

Complete at last! After seven years, countless days of work, and over $125,000 in expenditures, not counting any printing, that great missionary project is complete!

Jumping Ship (Part 4)

If you want to almost guarantee that your children will not jump ship (other factors being equal), provide a community life that holds promise of suitable future mates.

Organize and Manage

Eleven-month-old Suzie was hurrying across the store toward the big, swinging, automatic doors. Her Daddy saw the danger and called, "Suzie, come back here." But the sound of (...)

Jumping Ship (Part 3)

I was one of those children who jumped ship, and I did so for all the reasons you listed. My parents were hypocrites and expected the same from my sister and me.

Jumping Ship (Part 2)

There is an epidemic of young adults jumping ship from their Christian upbringing to join the world's parade.

Jumping Ship (Part 1)

What to do so your children don't jump ship to the world when they get older.

Bible Conference Report

It was like a big family reunion

More Than Obedience?

Should I expect her do more than what she is commanded? Isn’t that asking too much?

Sanctuary

Face it, the church today is not a sanctuary from the world nor is it a "holy" place.

Living Parallel Lives in the Same Space

"We appear to be on track in every way, and very "together." But those on the outside do not see, as I do, the missing component in our parent-child relationships." - From a (...)

Three Encounters

I now know why I must go on, why the time I spend writing and teaching is so important.

We Went West and Came Back Rejoicing

Everywhere we went it felt like a reunion. We met so many absolutely delightful Saints of God.

Is it Love?

Musings by Mike.

He sees the sparrow (hawk) fall

This summer we had a thrilling experience watching Kolya, one of the Russian boys, raising a sparrow hawk.

Love is Loving What They Love

I have loved many things in my life that had no personal meaning to me. All because I loved what they loved...because I loved them.

A Timeless Lesson

From time to time, I like to provide you with examples on how to teach boys.

Training Boys

I am often asked how to raise boys. It has been so long since my boys were 12 and 14 that I had forgotten much of what we did, but because we have the Russian boys back with (...)

Certified

My son-in-law Gabriel and my daughter Rebekah came for a two-week visit. At my request, Gabriel examined the web history on my computer to confirm that I have not visited any (...)

Homeschooled

Our Western culture is evangelistic and totalitarian in its zeal to promote secular humanism.

One Size Fits All?

Not all children can be trained equally with the same techniques.

Prisoners Freed

You may have heard me mention that my favorite ministry is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to the inmates at a nearby state prison. There is nothing to compare to it.

The Two-brained Kid

Just the other day, I heard an old mule trainer make one of the wisest statements about child training that I have ever heard.

Another Generation

Just the other day, Deb discovered the article “Of Utmost Concern,” written 9 years ago, back when we first started the No Greater Joy publication. When she read it to me, she (...)

Women Speaking in Church

Hi Mike and Debi, Its a churchs decision that confuses me lately. We are going to have two new female pastors at our church

Your Authority Voice

Do you have an authority voice? How is it different from your regular voice? What are your children hearing? Do you command respect when you give orders, or do you whine out (...)

Eating Meat - The "Doctrine of Devils"

...Some say that it was not God's original plan for us to eat meat. His original plan was for us to go around naked, but things have changed...

Church Youth Group

Dear Pearls, We homeschool our three children. Now that the oldest one has turned 13, we feel under some pressure for him to participate with the church youth and their (...)

To Teach or Not to Teach?

Dear Debi, We have read your thoughts on the woman never being the spiritual leader in her home (not leading the kids in Bible studies, etc., even if Dad doesn’t do it), but i (...)

Low Self-Esteem

My 9-year-old son has low self-esteem. He expects too much of himself. He feels rejected. We have never talked down to him, although there have been others who have expressed (...)

Spanking a 7-Month-Old?

...Is it right to spank a 7-month-old for crying when put down for bed? I grew up with just ignoring the child, thus training them that they will not get their way. My (...)

Different Techniques to Control Parents

...Children (as well as adults) throw fits as a means of controlling the actions of others. Your daughter screams and runs away because it works in reducing the pain...

A Husband for Laura Rose?

Are you raising a husband for Laura Rose? This is not just any Laura Rose. This one is a real Pearl — our six-month-old granddaughter.

"It's Patrick Henry Against the World."

These were the words of the tournament director at the national Moot Court championship tournament held this past January at the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA).

Russian Invasion

The Russians are coming again! Two wonderfully ornery, hyperactive, attention-needing, hardworking, hard-playing, easy to get along with, thirteen-year-old orphan boys from (...)

WHERE ARE THE MEN?

An in-depth look at the role of leadership and authority meant for pastors and elders, and the issue of adults honoring and obeying their parents. This article will release (...)

Working Character into Your Children, Part...

What does the Bible say about working? Working is godly for God works. The Bible starts off in the second chapter of Genesis telling us about God resting from his work.

Working Character into Your Children, Part...

"All work is pain," said a French philosopher. You don’t have to be smart to know that. I could have uttered such words of wisdom when I was five years old. The older I get t (...)

THREE CHEERS

I am impressed. I am impressed with my Heavenly Father. He has done what he said he would do and a whole lot more!

Boys, Snakes and Men

When I was about twelve, I had 26 snakes in captivity and about fifty lizards. The snakes were non-venomous—what we called spreading adders—pronounced “spreadin-adders." (...)

The Challenge

There was a time when somewhere in every large city there was a dirty building, dimly lit, tucked back where decent folks would never go. Nearby was a liquor store and a (...)

Summertime at the Pearls' (Once More)

Well, it’s summertime again at Cane Creek. Shalom and Shoshanna each have their outside work to do and plenty of chores at home. But there is always time for fun, especially n (...)

SINFUL Sensitivity

This sensitivity to not offend is a symptom of this hedonistic generation. The last virtue of a wicked society is tolerance. A sinner will throw away all the Bible, but still (...)

MORE OF SODOM

Dear Michael, I am a husband and a stepfather of a three-year-old. I'm hooked on pornography. I sometimes think I can't make it without it.

How Can This Be?

Mr. Pearl, Within your teaching tapes, you clearly and plainly teach that we have power over sin because…the means of sin resides in the flesh…

Fear of Bees

Dear Pearls, Please Help. My 3-year-old has developed a fear of bees. One day a few flew close to her head and scared her. She was so scared that night that she would not go (...)

Great Expectations

In addition to your letters, we are prepped by the real life experiences that confront us daily.

Recipe for Angel Food Cake

You may be tempted to use your mother’s old recipe. If you liked her cake, fine, but if it fell when baked, or slid off the plate, or left a bad taste in your mouth, then you (...)

In Defense of Biblical Chastisement, Part ...

This is the second half of “In Defense of Biblical Chastisement.” We have examined the Word of God and seen God's perspective on the necessity of incorporating the rod as par (...)

Summertime at the Pearls

Debi and I had four Russian orphans living with us this summer. What a summer! We discovered parenting all over again. I'd forgotten how much fun it was.

In Defense of Biblical Chastisement, Part ...

The following article is designed to be used as a resource in defending your faith on Biblical child training. If the Federal or State agencies take me to court over (...)

Barbie Dolls Revisited

Barbie Dolls are very popular with some lascivious men. At the least, Barbie dolls erode the innocence and natural modesty of young girls.

Insulate Your Children Within

In our recent article on betrothal, I mentioned that many homeschooling parents insulate their children without, but fail to insulate them within. We have received a number (...)

Starting Over

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Pearl, A faithful friend handed me your books. I wish I'd read them 10 years ago before letting my kids learn many ways of quietly disobeying. Do you have (...)

Breaking the Bondage of Shyness and Fear

Shoshanna was shepherding two small children the other day and noticed that when the little fellow, nearly three years old, asked for something, he reverted to baby talk with (...)

To Betroth or Not to Betroth? That is the ...

The dangers of the betrothal system are exposed with the light of Biblical truth, bringing objectivity back to an often-misunderstood subject.

To Train Up a Grandmother

I am 70 years old. My husband went home to be with the Lord a year ago and my problem of overeating got worse.

Sitting Still in Church

I am unable to find any specific advice on how to get a young child (ours is 18 months) to sit still in church.

Teenagers, An Epidemic

Teenagers don’t make sense or cents but cost us dollars. They eat ravenously, sleep like it was an incurable disease, and work like communists whose government has collapsed (...)

Little Foxes Spoil the Vines

This past Sunday, during our gathering to worship, I saw several examples of little foxes. One little fellow interrupted the children’s story to tell his mother that he (...)

The Will To Dominate

The following article deals with a very important subject that we have touched on before but never discussed in detail—a child’s will to dominate. I chose this letter because (...)

Self-Control

Two-year-old Johnny was sitting in his mother’s lap at the kitchen table. He reached for a dish of steamed squash, but his mother pulled him back and said "No." He twisted h (...)

Pornography—Road to Hell

WARNING This article contains information targeting married couples and mature teenagers. You should read it first and then decide if you want your children to read it. Be (...)

Questions Answered

Dear Michael and Debi Pearl, I am a young mom with four small children (ages 5 and under.) I am still learning so much as I have been a selfish mom and wife in the past.

Low Self-Esteem

My thirteen-year-old has very low self-esteem. My younger son always seems to "out-do" him in obedience and schoolwork.

Ramblin'

A young father dropped by to confer with one of my sons on some item of business. His little boy, not yet two years old, wandered over to the toy box and began to drag out (...)

The Goo-Goo Lady

I may be just fifteen months old, but I am not as dumb as my muttering makes me look. After all, I’m learning the King’s English from adults that all talk like babies.

How Early Should I Start Training?

At what age should I start disciplining my children? At what age should I start homeschooling? At what age should I begin teaching my children to work?

Preventive Training

Dear Pearls, Our 9-year-old son (the oldest of 5) wakes up wanting to do only what he wants, no chores. He drags through work and often does an incomplete job. He pouts and (...)

Infant Manifesto

To all you little kids out there, I would like to lend my advice on how to train your Mommies and Daddies. Let me tell you, this is easier than you think.

Rodless Training

"Is there a way to train children if you are prevented from Biblical application of the rod?" The Bible says, "Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of (...)

Church or Children?

...I’m planning on homeschooling and am wondering if you had a “rule of thumb” as to how involved you were in your church when you were homeschooling and also having small chi (...)

Consumption of the American Male

Have you ever seen teenage boys slouching with their pants hanging limp, walking down the sidewalk like a loose-jointed snake?

New Age Bible Versions

Some of you have asked why we make available the book New Age Bible Versions. Thirty-five years ago I was a student at a very conservative Bible College.

Getting in Tune

Just this week, I heard a mother tell with amusement how her son had announced that he was going to be a musician—a guitarist.

The Parental Root

A mother wrote this letter to us. It is so terribly typical, we feel compelled to answer it plainly. As you read it, think of yourself as the counselor and take note of your (...)

Butterflies and Backdoors

With five children still at home, their friends come in like mosquitoes in Louisiana; you just try to ignore the buzz and hope they don’t eat too much.

What Daddy Doesn't Know Won't Hurt Him

Linda, just three years old, loves to go to Grandma’s house. The first thing she does when she runs through the door is ask for the candy.

The Bruiser

This testimony was in a letter to Beka from Larry and Mary Barber of Kentucky. They sent me a copy of the letter, and I enjoyed the testimony so much I thought you might like (...)

12 Parenting Essentials

Love is many a thing, from a feeling that might be selfish, to a service done in secret. Love can be the crest of an emotion, or it can be the toil of assistance.

My Brother is a Brat

My 18-year-old daughter calls her younger siblings brats. My son hardly acknowledges he has a sister. Among the younger children there is a lot of anger and they avoid being (...)

Something Right

Most of our child-training examples come from our friends (at least they were friends before we published their stories).

My Little Knuckle-Head

A little knuckle-head came to visit me the other day. I call him knuckle-head because he is the type that makes people want to give him a rap on the head with their (...)

The World's Greatest Need

..The last verse in the Old Testament is a promise and a warning. It is a promise of a man who will come to prepare the nation of Israel for the coming of Messiah. It is a (...)

Angry Child

I do have a question. How do I deal with an angry child? When he doesn't get his way, when I fix a breakfast he's not fond of, he acts angry and blames me.

The Flavor of Joy

Parenting, like courtship, must be properly seasoned with joy. Parenting without joy is not only tasteless, it is tiresome. Joy is the expression of present life—yet more, it (...)

It's the Book's Fault

...In a way, I feel worse with my pretty-well-balanced kids than I did with the unruly first one...

The Power of the Media Revisited

I have new information confirming our former hypothesis concerning the recent technological advances in child training and behavior control.

Broken Circles

The names and some details have been changed to protect the guilty, but the events are true.

Drug Addicts

Several years ago many little boys became drug addicts...

Training Fleshy Flesh

Occasionally we receive criticism about our emphasis that parents should set up training sessions for their children. Our first book on child training, To Train Up A Child (...)

A Mother Asks

...In recent weeks things have escalated into what can almost be described as full-fledged gang war between the older and the younger boys...

The Reformed School of Alexandria

We did not raise our children in a classroom environment. I conducted my "classes" in the front seat of the pickup or in the cabinet shop. Deb conducted her classes in the (...)

Training and Example

There are two aspects to child training. One is technique and the other is example.

Movers or Shakers?

Many need a community, a church, a sanctuary, a new start, a place to save their marriage or their children.

The Return of the Volleyball Bawler

As I sat on the sidelines of the volleyball court, I observed a good example of child training.

A Stinking Situation

From time to time, here at the church at Cane Creek, among our young people and children, incidents develop that reflect upon their personalities and characters.

The Doer of the Word

Although the man was old and stooped, he walked with the urgency of driven youth.

Child Training Marathon

Deb and I were teaching several seminars in a one-hundred-mile radius. One family requested that we stay with them the entire week and critique their child training.

In Defense of Boys—Again

You are not alone. We have received several letters from confused readers. However, for every confused reader there were ten who found solace in knowing their boys didn’t h (...)

So, Who's Disabled?

Mother, why are you cleaning up this room; isn’t this your little girl’s room? “Yes, but she’s only three, not big enough to clean up yet.”

Sorry, I'm Tied Up at the Moment...

In keeping with our article on boys I have decided to relate an event that occurred last week.

Rowdy Boys

Question: Do you have any cures for rowdy boys during school? It’s almost always in fun, but is always disruptive.”

The Power of the Media

If you come to the Church which is at Cane Creek, and maybe hang around the volleyball court with your children, then you are eventually going to become the “star,” dis (...)

On Close Examination

When you have spent ten minutes with a parent and child, you can feel whether or not there is a healthy environment for growth and development.

One for the Money

When we travel, teaching seminars, Deb and I enjoy observing the many different families, each with it’s own unique personality.

See I'm Happy

This past week there was another development in the ongoing saga of the Caroline files.

Sibling Squabbles

Children attempt to control their environment, which means the people around them, through pity or threat.

Happy as a June Bug

Most of you live in cultures quite different from here in Middle Tennessee. One of the dear ladies in our church, widowed, 57 years old, lives alone, deep in the woods, on (...)

Training Roseanna's Flesh

Twelve-month-old Roseanna has one adoring mama, one adoring daddy, one adoring five-year-old sister, one adoring seven-year-old brother, and dozens of adoring friends.

The Country Store

I like all kids and old people; it is those in between that I have…well enough said there.

Family Productions

I recently met a little three-year-old girl who is the product of life with her parents.

God Made Jesus to Be Sin Article

A sinner by faith - Kneeling in the garden, Jesus believed God and received the weight of sin.

Channel 23

A modern Psalm taken from “The New International Unchristian Perversion.”

Sunday School at Cane Creek

Five to seven year old boys are like the rain, they are seldom convenient.

Carnal Husbands, Cranky Wives, and Cantank...

In our child training seminars there is always a time for questions and answers. It is during these times that we gain a grasp of your needs.

Sitting Down Inside

Several times I have been asked by parents how they can make a child sit in a car seat when he or she refuses to do so.

An Idea We Tabled

Until recently, our family didn’t sit down at a table, we sat down at a continent.

Herbs—Physician, Heal Thyself

Debi has always written the article on Herbs, but she has requested that I, her most recent patient, extol the virtues of her healing skills.

Tying Strings Beards

Last week when I was mildly suffering from loss of a wisdom tooth, I drifted down to where some of the saints were playing volley ball.

The Folly of Fairness

There is a universal tendency to try to make life fair. We tend to think of legislated fairness as equality, when in fact it is inequality. This is so ingrained in us that we (...)

After Its Kind, and Then Some

When I see orange, the same shade as the fruit, I experience an involuntary citrus constriction in the muscles of my jaw.

Uncommon Common Sense

Recently I asked two old-timers (men who remember seeing the first airplane or automobile that came to town, and they go to sleep before they finish telling the (...)

The Selfishness of a Tender Heart

You remember the many “Johnnys” in our book. His reputation was further confirmed as he came to visit us this week.

Laying Down Habits

You might consider chickens to be on the lower end of the intelligence scale, though on the upper end of preference in the food chain.

The Bottom

I had left my wife at the airport, coming to this distant city to teach several seminars. My hosts showed me to an upstairs hallway where I was to sleep.

Rights Are Right

I receive many letters and public inquiries on the issue of personal rights.

What Can We Do?

“We are starved for fellowship with believers who are of like mind. I am ashamed to say that we cannot relate to most of the families in our church. We love our pastor and h (...)

Coming Out

As we choose our school, church, occupation, and neighbors, let us not become like the Pharisee who, seeking to justify himself, said, “Who is my neighbor?”

Pubermania

Mother number One: “I simply can’t understand what has happen to my son John. He has always been the one child I could trust to always do right. He has always been so tho (...)

Imputed Righteousness

What does one do to have God’s righteousness imputed to his account? “Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness…"

Five-Year-Old Whine-Baby

My daughter Shalom came home telling the following experience.

Training Teens

For a teenager it is too late to "train up a child," but it is not too late to lead them into the paths of righteousness.

Volley Ball No Bawler

This past fall on the volley ball court another episode in the ongoing saga of child training was played out on a nearby pallet where a mother daily deposited her crying (...)

Training at Three Months

One of the young mothers in the church tells how she trained her three-month-old daughter to cry and whine to be picked up and held.

Bad Attitude

In one of our recent seminars, a mother complained to Debi, “The children frustrate me so much...”

To Train Up a Child

Excerpt from the book "To Train Up A Child", by Michael and Debi Pearl.

Do You Feel There is Anything Good On TV?

From our mailbox

The Opinion of Three

As we sat at the kitchen table talking with T. J. Slayman, he expressed his views on home-schooling and rearing strong young men.

Plowing Under Weeds

Last week I was in Florida staying in the home of a young family. They had a son, 2-years old, who exemplified good training.

Epistles Epitomize Parental Performance

“Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with i (...)

The Volley Ball Bawler

As the father left the volley ball court headed for the house, his little four-year-old daughter began to scream.

Consistency

A parent describes her dilemma: “I get so frustrated with the children. No matter how many times I tell them or spank them, they just do the same thing again. We just go ' (...)

Homeschooler Obeys the Great Commission

I want to introduce you to another homeschooler, T. J. Slayman.

3-Year-Old Screamer

“My three-year-old daughter often screams when she is aggravated by the other children or when she doesn’t get her way. Is this normal? Will she grow out of it?”

Noah and Elijah on the Mount

Some good friends of mine dropped off their twenty-four-month old son to stay with us for a week while they worked in a youth camp.

Rule of Law

"Should a mature ten-year-old be allowed to switch a two-year-old if the mother is unavailable, for example, during a temper tantrum?"

Aiome Tribe Welcomes Missionaries

This news letter will go to the printer before Rebekah and Gabriel get home from Papua New Guinea. For us, it has been a matter of daily, nearly constant prayer. We know that our (...)

Handling Sibling Aggression

A reader asks, “How do you handle sibling aggression, fighting over toys, etc.? How do they learn to handle situations and not run to mama? How does mama learn not to i (...)

Homeschoolers to New Guinea

By the time you receive this news letter my twenty-one- year old daughter, Rebekah and eighteen-year-old son, Gabriel will be on the other side of the world, hiking the (...)

Emotional Squeeze

I just received a call from a young mother who tries very hard to properly rear her children. They are very obedient and pleasant. However, she has one concern.

Of Utmost Concern

How can it be called success if your children turn out to be part of the world’s problem rather than its cure?

Twinkie Twerp

My wife was standing in a yard talking to the young mother of a seven-year-old boy and two girls. The girls are fairly obedient and even tempered. But the boy...

Emotional Manipulators

What irritates the mother about her child is actually a developing character flaw in the child.

Why? But Why?

When a child is told to do something that he doesn't want to do, he will often ask, "Why?" It most cases the question is not prompted by a spirit of cooperative inquiry — it i (...)

A Whole Way of Life

The number of homeschoolers is rapidly increasing. Home-schooling is not just an alternative educational procedure; it is one of many expressions of a whole way of life.

What Age?

Because some children are ready to begin learning to read at the age of four to six, it has been accepted as the time to start all children.

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