No Greater Joy Volume 1: Your Child Training Questions Answered

No Greater Joy #1

by Michael Pearl, Debi Pearl

In 1994 Michael and Debi Pearl published To Train Up a Child. The book has sold over 625,000 copies, becoming "the handbook on child training" for many families. The Pearls received so many child training questions in the mail that they began publishing a free bimonthly magazine to answer them -- No Greater Joy. As the subscriptions grew into the tens of thousands, subscribers kept asking for back issues, thus the publication of No Greater Joy Volume One, Volume Two and Volume Three -- each book representing about two years of articles from back issues of the magazine. If you have read To Train Up a Child and you have questions, chances are you will find the answers in No Greater Joy Volume One, Volume Two, or Volume Three.

Genres: Parenting, Christian

114 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 1, 1997

About the author

Michael and Debi Pearl were both raised in Memphis, Tennessee, in good homes, by parents who were faithful to point them to God. Mike, a graduate of Mid-South Bible College in Memphis (now Victory University), has been active in evangelism and the work of the ministry since he was a teenager. He worked with Union Mission in Memphis for 25 years, while he and Debi also ministered to the many military families in Memphis and pastored churches. They moved to rural Tennessee where they continued in the work by holding Bible studies in local homes, which eventually led to regular meetings of the local body of believers, and by starting the prison ministry. God eventually led them into the ministry of writing on child training and family relationships, which they now feel is their life’s work and calling. In addition to the child training ministry, the work of the prison ministry, missions, Bible studies, and family life is still ongoing. The Pearls have been married since 1971, and have 5 children and 18 grandchildren. The Pearl children have always been involved in their parents’ ministry, and in their adulthood continue to be involved in some way in ministering where they are.

Reviews

[Alicia Bayer · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book sickened me. It is a manual for child abuse, pure and simple. It has already led to 2 known children's deaths, and those are just the ones whose parents are known to have followed the advice. This is a guy who recommends beating children with plumbing line "until complete submission" and whipping babies with small tree branches. Pearl is a sociopath.

[Arianto Lawardi · Rating 1 out of 5]

Should be called - how to train your child to be sociopath

Reading volume 3, I decided to buy volume 1....volume 3 is not bad....volume 1....they are doing what they are saying should not be done in volume 3...switching/licking the child if you see something you don't like, and make sure you don't show emotion, make sure we assert superiority until they submit to you (behavior manipulation that should be avoided stated in book 3) Mike pearl, write this, is as if he wants to train them like an animal....although I agree with some of the writings, if we follow them exactly the way Mike pearl stated them, you might mistreat your child.....i wonder how his children will turn up....this book Should be called...how to train your child to be sociopaths.....(not a psychopath).

Second issue, Every child is different, every family culture, environment is different.... in volume 1 I feel, Mike pearl assumed generalization applied based on his (perceived) superior intellect/insight, culture, family situation, and (inconsistent) bible exegesis...my take...skip it, read Voddie Boucham's, Kent hughes', John MacArthur's, Tim Keller's books on marriage and families... is this harsh....yes, but this is scary stuff ... feels cultish....I wonder what denominations they belong to...

[Jessica Gallant · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this book with the intention to skip parts that no longer applied to me. My children are far past the diaper stages and I couldn't care less about reading those chapters. This book was extremely difficult it is not that is written poorly, but it is all over the place they did not go in order by ages nor did they go in order by topics which would have made it so much better so for that I remove stars. These authors have penned several books between the two of them so they should know better. I disagree with pretty much everything that they have taught except for a few things which I did take note of. It seems that they're resolution to everything is spanking. Spanking is what I grew up on and I don't consider it evil although there are men that are evil that would take it too far but to consider everything spankable and the youth of these ages was disturbing. I will continue to read the next two in the series hoping for more helpful hints for teenagers but I would never recommend this book absolutely not.
I should point out that I have read created to be his help meet and truly enjoyed that book so I don't poop on the authors at all but this is definitely a mess!

[Mary Choate · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are some REALLY good points in this series, but you have to sift through some really ugly stuff to get there.

[Rebekah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn't agree with everything, but many of the articles provided sound advice and food for thought. It was also thoroughly entertaining to read!

[Naomi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Written in a Q&A type of style, has some good tips but again, written in white/black thinking and extremely condescending. I'd recommend 'Sherphering a Child's Heart' over this one, although these are also good to have on the side. If there is a specific behaviour in my children that I don't know what to do about it, I sometimes do go to these books to find a similar situation and what the Pearls advice on it is.

[Mel Of Bacchus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant book! First picked it up a while ago, but in God's perfect time I Couldn't put it down. So many teachings in child training you'll need a pen and paper.. I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I did!

[Jackie Turberville · Rating 3 out of 5]

Practical advice

This book helps you think through all the ways children need you to parent them. But proceed with caution- some of the authors material can be disagreeable to say the least.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great practical advice on child training.

[Sharda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This will help many first time moms understand child rearing...even helped me see things about myself and the way my parents trained me...interesting.

[Grace Eells · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of creative ways to train up a child! Definitely will be referencing my highlights in the future

[Adam Balshan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The 3.5 star rating obscures the fact that the Pearls offer some of the most hard-hitting and discerning wisdom on child-rearing that exists. Implementation of their methods makes children (who are selfish) choose against manipulative methods, because the Pearls always give the opposite of that which is desired when a child tries to manipulate with fake crying, whining or tantrums. They are believers in consistency and the rod. On the other hand, they always counsel joy and calmness when dealing with manipulating children.

The lower rating is due to the comparative inferiority of writing talent and other distractions, like their abhorrence of modern medicine, of any type of classroom education, and their defense of a subtle bibliolatry, that is, King-James-onlyism. They are also purported not to lie, yet one of their training situations involved fudging the truth (on page 85); the inconsistency makes me wonder how often that happens. I would have to observe them personally. Last, the implication that a well-reared child will always choose goodness and maturity in life seems latent in their writings, giving no room for the categorical and irrational departure of a well-trained child from "the way they should go."

However, the Pearls seem to have their act together more than almost anyone else. As this book is a compilation of stories from their newsletter, I would probably recommend their book To Train Up a Child rather than this one to inquiring parents. Conversely, this is an easier and shorter read, and perhaps the right place to start for someone without initiative.

[Jaclynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Down to earth practical answers to many questions asked of the Pearls, including advice that has worked for them in the area of child training, marriage etc.

[Martha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great parenting examples to expand on what was written in the book To Train Up a Child.