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IntroductionBy Dr. Kent McClainInitial evaluation (Committee) 1997 Revised evaluation (Dr. McClain) 2000 Background of Evaluating Author Dr. McClain
Experience of Dr. McClain
The Committee A committee who assisted in this initial evaluation was made up of a number of church elders and leaders, a school teacher, a Christian Psychologist, and many well educated and concerned parents. In response to the evaluation, a report and recommendation was submitted in 1997 to the attending church in Arizona. The present evaluation is based on some of those original observations and assessments. The additional time (1998-2000) afforded me the opportunity to write my own evaluation of the Ezzo program. Abbreviations
1997 Committee Observation Process The overall analysis by the committee took about eight months to complete (March ‘97-October ‘97). 1. All materials (GKGW & PFP) were read by Dr. McClain and an accompanying committee. 2. All of the GKGW videos were reviewed by Dr. McClain. 3. A church committee chaired by Dr. Kent McClain met over an eight month period of time. The committee invited concerned church members and met once with the Regional Director for GKGW, Chris Christiansen. (Dr. Kent McClain met with Chris four times.) 4. Other parenting materials were brought to the committee for comparison, such as Tim Kimmel’s, “Raising Kids Who Turn Out Right.” 5. Dr. Kent McClain talked with Gary Ezzo, over the phone. He later traveled to L.A. to meet personally with Gary Ezzo, who later canceled the prearranged meeting. 6. Dr. Kent McClain spoke with churches who have used the GFI programs. Some of the churches spoke highly of the program, but many others voiced serious concerns. 7. Dr. Kent McClain spoke by phone and personally met with Stewart Scott the Family Ministries Pastor at Grace Community Church in Los Angeles church. John Macarthur’s church was the birthing place of Gary Ezzo’s parenting program. 8. The committee dialogued with many Christian parents who were proponents of the program, as well as those who were dissatisfied with it. 9. Dr. Kent McClain sought opinions from some of the leading Family Life Conference speakers and authors in Christian child development (Dr. Kevin Lehman, Dr. Tim Kimmel, and Dr James Dobson). 10. The committee collected related materials and evaluations from key web sites and major churches (John McArthur’s Church in Los Angeles, Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa, California, and Fullerton Evangelical Free in California). 11. The committee reviewed a number of Christian books relating to raising children (Bringing Up Kids Without Tearing Them Down -Kevin Lehman). 12. The committee spent considerable time in prayer in regard to this evaluation.
2000 Dr. Kent McClain’s Observation The following are my general observations of parenting challenges, The GFI program and individual parent responsibility with any parenting program. 1. The GFI program seems to be gaining popularity with many church families around the country. This is not surprising since many Christian parents are looking for practical suggestions for raising their children. These are nervous times for parents who see many of today’s undisciplined youth disregard adult authority, disrespect classroom teachers, disdain the laws of the land, and gravitate toward drugs, alcohol, and sexual experimentation. 2. Christian parents want answers, and in response many Christian family life leaders have tried to respond in part through Christian parenting books, conferences, and radio broadcasts. But as one parent stated months ago, “It’s too difficult to run from one author to the other trying to find answers, and the expense of each book, or conference is prohibitive.” 3. In response, the Ezzo’s put together a program (GFI) that is well organized, relatively inexpensive, and easy to follow. The Ezzo’s are to be commended for the effort. They have resurrected from our past educational philosophies some excellent principles which, even though they may be behavioristic at points, can be helpful with certain children at different ages. Some of these principles can even be supported by Scripture (Eph. 6:4.) 4. As an example, (Session #5, GKGW, “The Father’s Mandate”), Gary Ezzo teaches in a video session some great principles about the role of a father. He points out how important it is for a father to allow freedom to fail as long as an effort is made. His relationship with his daughters seems commendable in this session of discovery. 5. What is the reason for concern? Since there are some positives in the program in a culture that desperately needs rules and guidance in parenting and the program is growing in popularity, why criticize the Ezzo’s parenting program? In fact, many have said to me, “Let each Christian parent choose out of the program what is good or not for his own children.” Each time I heard this comment, I prayerfully took a step back, delaying my evaluation. But I equally heard from many parents who have had great difficulties with the program and poor results. In response to those comments I continued to step forward with this analysis. 6. The hope in this current (July, 2000) analysis is that you establish a discerning basis when applying any program that will effect the raising of your children. Not surprisingly, faithful Christians are not always right on every issue. 2000 years of church history have proven that. How many denominations do we have today, because one biblical issue or approach could not be agreed upon by fellow Christians? 7. You are responsible! No matter how you respond to my analysis, ultimately, you are the one responsible for raising the children God has given you. Follow the Scripture, it is your greatest written ally from God. As parents of two faithful servants of God (a 24 year old boy & an 21 year old girl,) all the parenting programs in the world pale in comparison to the plan we followed, which was a daily commitment to pray, obey, and seek the advice from other Christian parents who traveled the trail before.
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