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). “ (...)
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 (...)
!! 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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
This is one of more than fifty stories in Mike’s new book on Faith throughout the Bible. It will be available in late Spring—God willing. All day long Jesus had taught and healed t (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
“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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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, Preparedness and Survival Resources We’ve been getting lots of calls from readers and viewers with questions about gardening, survival and pr (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
Jesus Christ, God’s sinless son, covered with all the filthy deeds of degenerate mankind! Who would dare? God dared.
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 (...)
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 takes place?
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.
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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?
Mike advises a confused reader whose husband has become a Calvinist. Spoiler alert: their marital problem is not one of doctrinal differences.
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.
If you don’t provide a vision, your children will find their own, and it might not be the proper kind.
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 (...)
Parents write in with their questions regarding teaching their kids to share, while still respecting their rights to personal property.
What is the difference between serving and enabling? Can a wife honor her husband and be a good help meet without enabling poor behavior?
The lack of humility is an evil; but the presence of humility is not a virtue.
"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?"
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 (...)
If children do not see the connection between what you provide and their consumption, they will not be appreciative.
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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.
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
Our 45th wedding anniversary is upon us. That's a lot of wonderful years together. We were sitting at the table this morning discussing
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
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 (...)
How can we minister as a family when we live out in the country and rarely encounter unsaved people?
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.
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 (...)
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 (...)
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.
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 (...)
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 (...)
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.
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 (...)
Conditions are rapidly aligning with Ezekiel's 2,700-year-old prophecy. Fulfillment seems imminent. Our redemption draws nearer with every newscast.
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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.
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.
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.
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.
The Supreme Court is in full stride, not only making sin legal, but requiring the Christians of America to acquiesce to their depraved worldview.
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 (...)
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.
Taken from a new chapter in the upcoming 21st Anniversary Edition of To Train Up a Child
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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.
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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."
Evaluation of whether homeschooling is a successful adventure or a failed social experiment. Goodness without God is humanism at its finest.
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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.
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 (...)
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.
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
Proverbs is the best child training book ever written.
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 (...)
Training children to make wise decisions requires everything you have.
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 (...)
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 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.
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 (...)
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 (...)
Fear can be a self-fulfilling prophecy. Live in faith, thanksgiving, and rejoicing.
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 (...)
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 (...)
When I tell my 4-year-old son to do something, his first response is always, “Why?” How should I deal with this issue?
The Spirit of God is moving and the words of God are finding lodging in good ground.
It is difficult to train up a child in the way he should go, and some very good and sincere people fail.
Be warned, there is a general misunderstanding, among both men and women, as to the nature of a help meet.
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 (...)
Kids are made of rubber. They bounce back if we don’t get frustrated and throw them away.
One of the greatest disservices we can ever do to our children is to blunt their need to try.
Be careful to never betray their trust, to never be the source of consternation or fear.
Accepting the sacrifices of duty and self control is a slow process done in increments, like learning to walk on sharp rocks.
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 (...)
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.
Think of ways to open doors of delight and you will not have as many occasions to say no to their naughtiness.
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.
Another sample audio clip from Mike's upcoming release, Luke. This one is about Mary.
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!
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 (...)
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 (...)
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? (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
Avoiding child training can result in frustrated parents and children who are hurtling towards dangerous circumstances. Mike discusses the benefits of consistent, loving (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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.
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 (...)
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 (...)
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.? (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
"How do I delight in children that only cause me pain and grief?" You need a small victory to give you hope.
How can I effectively witness to my non-Christian peers, especially when they have such alien worldviews and anti-Christian attitudes?
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.
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 (...)
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 (...)
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.
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 (...)
“But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
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 (...)
These little ones are unwritten books, a student ready to learn. What a heavenly gift; what an awesome responsibility.
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
Here was my half-pint grandson wrestling with reconciling the sovereignty of God with the free will of a squirrel.
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.
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 (...)
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 (...)
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.
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
How do you judge the age or maturity of a soul? When can it be hurt—perhaps even permanently scarred?
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 (...)
Joshua takes young men on longer mission trips into the mountains of Ukraine each summer to distribute gospel literature. It’s not for sissies.
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 amount of mail we have received in response to the former articles on the Cloistered Homeschool Movement has been phenomenal.
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.
For believers, there are bad times and then there are BAD times. A recession is not a bad time; it is an inconvenience.
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 (...)
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 (...)
The Foger family came to stay with us one spring about 12 years ago while they were on furlough from Mozambique.
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...
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.
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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.
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 (...)
Would the Lord take a man away from his children so that he sees them only a few hours a week?
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
Spurgeon says, “Christ died for the ungodly.” Read what one ungodly woman experienced.
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.
I think I know the frustration of a doctor working the Saturday night shift in the trauma unit of a big city hospital.
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 (...)
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.
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?”
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?
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.
My wife read "Created To Be His Help Meet", but it did not change her or our marriage.
Over a period of 50 years, I have spoken with many professing atheists and agnostics. I always find the encounter most interesting.
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 (...)
You can learn a great deal about child training from watching other parents relate to their children.
Lately, we have received so many lettereslike the two below, that I think we need to answer them in this open letter to all.
I can’t tell you how many letters I have received from men telling me that they grew up never developing the manly skills.
When is a child too young to spank? The answer is obviously dependent on your definition of the word "spank."
Our granddaughter, Gracie, is what many people call "a handful." Her eyes are alive with investigation, always searching for opportunities to change her environment.
"The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple" Ps 119:130.
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.
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!
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.
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 (...)
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.
There is an epidemic of young adults jumping ship from their Christian upbringing to join the world's parade.
Should I expect her do more than what she is commanded? Isn’t that asking too much?
I now know why I must go on, why the time I spend writing and teaching is so important.
Everywhere we went it felt like a reunion. We met so many absolutely delightful Saints of God.
This summer we had a thrilling experience watching Kolya, one of the Russian boys, raising a sparrow hawk.
Our last daughter, Shoshanna, 20 years old, has joined the ranks of her married sisters. She is now Shoshanna Easling (husband James). There are weddings, and then there was (...)
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 (...)
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.
Just the other day, I heard an old mule trainer make one of the wisest statements about child training that I have ever heard.
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 (...)
Hi Mike and Debi, Its a churchs decision that confuses me lately. We are going to have two new female pastors at our church
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 (...)
...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...
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
...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 (...)
...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...
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.
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).
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 (...)
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 (...)
"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 (...)
I am impressed. I am impressed with my Heavenly Father. He has done what he said he would do and a whole lot more!
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." (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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…
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 (...)
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 (...)
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.
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
The dangers of the betrothal system are exposed with the light of Biblical truth, bringing objectivity back to an often-misunderstood subject.
I am 70 years old. My husband went home to be with the Lord a year ago and my problem of overeating got worse.
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 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 (...)
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 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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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.
My thirteen-year-old has very low self-esteem. My younger son always seems to "out-do" him in obedience and schoolwork.
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 (...)
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.
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?
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 (...)
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.
"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 (...)
...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 (...)
Have you ever seen teenage boys slouching with their pants hanging limp, walking down the sidewalk like a loose-jointed snake?
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.
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.
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 (...)
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.
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.
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 (...)
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 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 (...)
Most of our child-training examples come from our friends (at least they were friends before we published their stories).
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 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 (...)
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.
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 (...)
...In a way, I feel worse with my pretty-well-balanced kids than I did with the unruly first one...
I have new information confirming our former hypothesis concerning the recent technological advances in child training and behavior control.
The names and some details have been changed to protect the guilty, but the events are true.
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 (...)
...In recent weeks things have escalated into what can almost be described as full-fledged gang war between the older and the younger boys...
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 (...)
There are two aspects to child training. One is technique and the other is example.
Many need a community, a church, a sanctuary, a new start, a place to save their marriage or their children.
As I sat on the sidelines of the volleyball court, I observed a good example of child training.
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.
Although the man was old and stooped, he walked with the urgency of driven youth.
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.
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 (...)
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.”
In keeping with our article on boys I have decided to relate an event that occurred last week.
Question: Do you have any cures for rowdy boys during school? It’s almost always in fun, but is always disruptive.”
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 (...)
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.
When we travel, teaching seminars, Deb and I enjoy observing the many different families, each with it’s own unique personality.
This past week there was another development in the ongoing saga of the Caroline files.
Children attempt to control their environment, which means the people around them, through pity or threat.
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 (...)
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.
I like all kids and old people; it is those in between that I have…well enough said there.
I recently met a little three-year-old girl who is the product of life with her parents.
A sinner by faith - Kneeling in the garden, Jesus believed God and received the weight of sin.
Five to seven year old boys are like the rain, they are seldom convenient.
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.
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.
Until recently, our family didn’t sit down at a table, we sat down at a continent.
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.
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.
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 (...)
When I see orange, the same shade as the fruit, I experience an involuntary citrus constriction in the muscles of my jaw.
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 (...)
You remember the many “Johnnys” in our book. His reputation was further confirmed as he came to visit us this week.
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.
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.
“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 (...)
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?”
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 (...)
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…"
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.
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 (...)
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.
In one of our recent seminars, a mother complained to Debi, “The children frustrate me so much...”
As we sat at the kitchen table talking with T. J. Slayman, he expressed his views on home-schooling and rearing strong young men.
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.
“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 (...)
As the father left the volley ball court headed for the house, his little four-year-old daughter began to scream.
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 ' (...)
I want to introduce you to another homeschooler, T. J. Slayman.
“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?”
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.
"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?"
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 (...)
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 (...)
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 (...)
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.
How can it be called success if your children turn out to be part of the world’s problem rather than its cure?
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...
What irritates the mother about her child is actually a developing character flaw in the child.
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 (...)
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.
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. 3 John 4
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