The Difference - Christian Clothing

The Difference Pt. 2 from Dan Anderson on Vimeo.

The Difference - Religion vs. The Gospel overview

The Difference Pt. 1 from Dan Anderson on Vimeo.

Advance >> Q and A Night

Advance wants to help answer your questions about God. We will have a Q and A Night on October 17th. Send in your questions by clicking here: http://tinyurl.com/2g84ag9

Feel free to ask questions on any topic: God, Jesus, the Bible, sex, relationships and anything else. All questions will remain anonymous.

Punishment vs. Discipline

Parents should discipline their kids... not punish them.

If someone were to ask you the difference between punishment and discipline, would you be able to distinguish one from the other? A majority of people would see them as pretty similar and some would say they are synonymous, but I see them practically as opposites...

Punishment has to do with a penalty. In other words, when you punish someone, you are making them pay for their actions. For example, if I got caught speeding, I would get a ticket and have to pay a certain amount of money. The payment of money is the punishment for my disobedience to the law. There is no intentional teaching in this case, just retribution.

Discipline, however, has to do with restoring and teaching when someone has made a mistake. When you discipline someone, you have the intent of teaching them that the decision they made was bad, and you try to help them understand why it was wrong. When they can fully comprehend why their action was wrong (through teaching), they can make a better decision in the future. Discipline still involves consequences, but the point is to teach, not for them to suffer the consequence.

The difference between the two is that punishment has no intent to teach how to not repeat the same mistake in the future. It is all about paying the penalty for what you did in the moment. Discipline involves teaching with a future mindset. Discipline is not punishing for the sake of punishing, but instead, it involves correcting and training with the intention of helping someone get on the right track in the future.

I firmly believe that kids LIKE discipline... In fact, I think they LOVE it! Why? Because discipline makes kids feel safe and secure. Discipline tells them that they are still loved in spite of their mistake. Discipline sets boundaries that are in their best interest. Parents that discipline their children have great relationships with them for life because they know they are valuable to their parents. This is not the case when it come to punishment...

Kids HATE punishment... it makes them feel extremely unsafe and insecure. Punishment does not explain why their action was wrong but demands that they pay for it. Punishment leaves kids feeling confused. Ultimately, punishment will make a kid run away from their parent (because they don't feel loved) and will cause a kid to rebel more. The best case scenario when it comes to punishment is scaring kids into submission. This is not ideal... This is the reason behind so many broken relationships between kids and their parents as the kids get older.

Disciplining someone is one of the most loving things you can do for them... Punishment is proving that you hate them.

If you are in Christ, you are a child of God. God does not punish His children, He disciplines them because He loves them. Don't ever confuse God's discipline with punishment.

"My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline or be weary of His reproof." Proverbs 3:11

"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love." 1 John 4:18

Advance >> Kick-Off - 2010

Advance 2010 Opener from Dan Anderson on Vimeo.