In light of the blog posts of this week discussing Elder Bednar’s statement that the rupture in the cycle between baptism and endowment is “first, foremost and most powerful is, weak Gospel teaching and modeling in the home.” This upset a lot of people. But, it got me wondering, just what is weak Gospel teaching in the home?
So, I started a list. It’s definitely not all inclusive and in some cases, doesn’t start out in the home, but other places, like Church. After that, I put together a small list of what strong Gospel teaching in the home might actually look like. And, I will welcome your comments on both lists.
Weak Gospel Teaching
• Teaching that a pint of cream might be solely responsible for someone leaving the Church.
• Having the same Sunday School lessons on a rotating 4-year cycle for over 30 years and expecting a different result.
• Teaching that the Old Testament had the full gospel in it, but someone took it out.
• Teaching that the husband or wife must take a job that keeps him out of the home for days or weeks at a time so the family can live well and that the Lord is blessing him/her for it.
• Taking a man or woman out of their home doing Church work so much that their children hardly see them
• Constantly pointing out how members are failing rather than praise them for what they are able to do.
• Not reinforcing President Hinckley’s call to “do the best you can” but rather making it seem like we’re never doing enough
• Not disavowing a statement like “When the Prophet speaks the thinking is over.”
• Teaching that a young woman who is worthy in every way is not worthy to be an eternal companion because of an extra pair of earrings.
• Teaching that a female Congressperson with a family is worthy of special attention in Church publications, but a Sister who has to work outside the home is looked down upon.
• Teaching that if a child decides to leave the Church, it must be the parent’s fault.
• Acting as if only CEOs, VPs, or other successful businessmen can be effective Church Leaders.
• Teaching that a worthy, temple recommend holding, full tithing paying, Temple going male cannot be a Temple worker with a beard.
• Modeling that using Church members for free labor when a person can afford to pay someone is called “service.”
• Teaching that the Young Women are responsible for Young Men’s behavior
• Teaching that you must have been a great warrior in heaven to be so well off on earth and not to have been born in a poor country
And so on…
And here is my partial list of Strong Gospel Teaching
Strong Gospel Teaching
• Raising our children to be good people
• Actually understand what Jesus taught and modeled and trying to be more like Him
• Loving our children unconditionally like our Heavenly Parents, even if you are disappointed at their actions
• Respecting others rights to their own beliefs without ridicule
• Just be less judgmental
• Learning to separate religious beliefs from secular practices
• Recognizing that we have a secular Democratic Republic in the US and not a Christian Theocracy
• Not interjecting your politics into a Church lesson
• Being sympathetic to the plight of others less fortunate and trying to help them without expecting anything in return, even a “blessing”
• Making the Sabbath a delight for you and your family, whatever that means.
• ……
What would you add to each list?
Wheat & Tares 
Good lists, Jeff. phew. Luckily, I have never taught any of those weak teachings in my home.
I would add these teachings:
Weak: It doesn’t matter what we do on Sunday. Nothing matters.
– Other people can dictate to us what is right for our family.
– Every imperfect thing matters, if we fail to perfectly keep the sabbath we will be cursed or whipped at the last day. God has no tolerance for failure.
– Tom Brady beat the system because he has good looks, his wife has good looks, and he has enough money to hire the best lawyers. It’s only cheating if you get caught.
Strong teachings in our home:
– Son, I love you.
– Sweet daughter, you are beautiful and unique just as you are.
– God looks upon our hearts.
– There are 2 great commandments that all other rules and commandments hang upon.
– Tom Brady beat the system because sometimes those in authority exercise unrighteous dominion and we have to stand up for ourselves sometimes. Don’t cheat, but don’t let others frame you.
I think some of the best gospel teachings I have had with my teenagers from from topics they are talking about at school, or current events. Real life lessons. Not just things on the table of contents in Gospel Principles.
Go Patriots!
If someone’s children never see him, it’s not due to the dozen hours of the month that the person spent away from home taking care of a church calling, and a dozen hours is stretching it for anyone who isn’t a bishop, Relief Society president, seminary teacher, or scoutmaster.
My contribution: learn not just the rule, but the reasoning for the rule. If the reasoning is sound, apply it as appropriate.
We focus too much on rules and not enough on underlying principles.
Strong Gospel Teaching:
Pray.
Listen to God.
Never put down a church leader.
I’ve done poorly on them all and so have most of you.
Thanks Rich. My “guilt” cup was not quite full yet.
Curious…”never put down a church leader”? Ok to put down others?
Jeff, this is a gem…
“Having the same Sunday School lessons on a rotating 4-year cycle for over 30 years and expecting a different result.”
Weak? Yep.
Have that be the church’s sunday school program that is to teach members the gospel…and then point to the parents for not modelling effectively.
This post feels a bit petulant, but I gotta admit it’s hilarious. 🙂
Petulant, but hilarious. Sounds like most of the bloggernacle posts worth reading.
Petulant – my thought was sarcastic. Either way, Jeff, point made. I agree with most of the points in your lists.
I’m sure there’s a million posts on it, but I did a little digging on the prophet speaks- end of story thing. Originally printed in the Improvement Era in 1945. Dr Pope of the First Unitarian Church in SLC had a meltdown when he heard that and wrote an apparently very nicely written letter the the prophet, George A Smith. Pres Smith responded that this was an editorial mistake that allowed that comment to go through – and that was NOT the position of the church. Can’t find any reference to it being officially and publicly denounced, though – as you say Jeff…
Interestingly in 1978 the YW General president Elaine Cannon requoted this phrase – this time uncensored. Further, several months later N Eldon Tanner quoted Sis Cannon, again uncensored. This was at the time of OD 2.
If you want a blast down memory lane, have a read of Sis Cannons talk – November 1978 ensign. Some absolute pearlers about women’s roles, marriage and being “bulging with blessings”. Lucky I was sitting down..!!!
Jeff – ps – nothing wrong with sarcasm…!!!
Okay, if we’re doing pet peeves…
Weak Gospel Teaching
-Using scripture to justify admonitions to women about working outside the home, even though the scripture means something completely different (Proverbs 29:15).
Strong gospel teaching:
Good people make mistakes. That includes you and me. That includes every other well-meaning person too. Forgiveness, a soft answer, thoughtful, gentle articulation, patience, humble integrity, quiet courage and goodwill are all very helpful in managing your response to mistakes(be they yours or those of another well-intentioned person) and in opening the door to improvement.
John Mansfield my husband is gone more than 12 hours a month for his callings and as an ordinance worker at the temple. It is 12 to 18 hours a month just for the temple; about 5-6 for one calling, other calling 1-3 and 4-6 hours hometeaching. Does not include helping people move or giving blessings.
This list really resonates with me. My husband is a bishop. I do not mind the time he spends away actually helping people. But there are far too many hours spent going to meetings where the same thing is preached over and over. We live in the east so for every meeting with the stake president, he must travel an hour one way. Why, in this day and age, can’t there be more use of SKYPE and other technologies?
I almost fell off my chair over the remark about CEOs and successful businessmen being called to higher offices. I have pondered this many times. In our area, stake presidents have almost exclusively been doctors with extremely busy practices. Are these truly the only people worthy of the office— or is there a general belief that the church will gain social stature by appointing more affluent, “successful” people in these positions?
The other thing I really crave for is more talks in church that focus on CHRIST and make me WANT to serve more in favor of those that beat me down and make me feel like I am never, ever doing enough.
Last but not least, I wish we would practice what we preach on Sundays. Sundays should be a day of relaxing from the labors of the week and a day to spend with family. It’s not. Too often, my husband is traveling to meetings even after a long day at church.
m, does your husband have children living at home? Is he retired from paid employment?
The gospel has nothing to do with tom brady.
It’s possible for gospel teaching to be too strong. You’re going to run into the law of diminishing returns if your version of the gospel outshines the version the church puts out. If you want your kids to stay in the church at all costs, you need to make sure that the church’s correlated version of the gospel is thoroughly imprinted.
John we have 6 kids all primary or younger and he works full time.
“The gospel has nothing to do with tom brady.”
And Vis versa
Heber13:
Nope, but I do that to. Shouldn’t though.
Love the lists.
“The gospel has nothing to do with the Tom Brady”
Uh…ya it does. He plays football and God is a big football fan. Did you not see God’s hand directing BYU’s final play against Nebraska?
The Church is True!
Thank goodness for LDS slackers, who put parenting before indoctrinating.