If you were a fan of the Bates' family's reality TV show, Bringing Up Bates, you probably heard Gil and Kelly Bates share a little bit about what led them to have 19 children. Trace and Lydia Bates recently had them as guests on their YouTube channel and prompted them to share the whole story. You might be surprised to learn that these two began their marriage planning to wait a while to become parents and only intending to have a couple children. What changed their minds?
That was awesome, inspiring, encouraging! Yay to Gil and Kelly JO, you guys followed the Bible! Thank you for sharing your testimony. You know, about eleven years ago when i was still a teenager, my family began to go to this church, and every couple in it, young or older had only two to three kids, (in my family there's the three of us, but my mom had low back problems that made it difficult to conceive and carry. From gymnastics in high school, BTW) but the pastor there began to preach sermons on those verses you two cited and the change was amazing. Within five years, these couples who were "done" now had anywhere from five to seven kids. One lady had her tubes untied and they were blessed with a fourth child. The fruit of the womb really is His reward to us, His Christian people. I started out from thinking i should wait a couple years then to one year and now, if God ever blesses me with a husband, I'm just gonna see what God gives! Oh and Lydia, as for your desire for identical twins, well let me tell you about a lady: she prayed for identical blonde twin girls! She got them and one of those twin girls is me!
ReplyDeleteI went to a church where the pastor and his wife had no kids. Never once did they suggest through Bible verses or whatever that anyone should have more kids than they already have. That's really none of any pastor's business!
Delete2:58PM: What a great comment story! Loved it!!!!! And, I love that you ended up being one of the twins your Mom was praying for.
DeleteNobody should bring a child or children into this world because some minister promoted it. That's irresponsible on everyone's part.
DeleteI grew up in a Baptist church and I never ONCE heard a pastor tell the congregation how many children to have or even suggest that they have as many children as they could. This is IBLP teaching and is a bad idea but from a health (for the woman) and financial status. Look at how the Duggars lived before they hit the TV jackpot.
DeleteYour pastor was out of line and he was abusing his position of authority, IMO. The family size of his congregants is none of his business.
DeleteThat pastor was not IBLP. Far from it. He'd probably preach against Gothard. He didn't tell anybody to have more kids, he just said what Gil said: that God was in control of the womb according to these verses.He and his wife were convicted and merely gave testimony as to why through his sermons. He never ordered, got involved, demanded or belittled anybody. He didn't promote anything but taught what the Bible said. Just like Gil and Kelly Jo said.
Delete@2:58 I hope you're not implying that children are a reward only to Christian people, and that only Christian people get the reward. Seventy percent of the world is not Christian and wouldn't believe that thought.
Delete2:58 Christians aren't the only people "blessed" with children. Some Christians experience infertility and can't have them at all.
DeleteThey might change their minds and have a lot of children too if it’s God’s plan.
ReplyDeleteCan't we figure why they had 19 kids without watching a video?
ReplyDeleteSure. They got caught up with IBLP teachings and presto LOTS of babies.
DeleteIf you want to have a big family and can love and provide for them, that's fine. However, I don't think anyone should encourage others not to use birth control. Dogmatic religious beliefs that preach children are a "blessing" and no efforts should be made to prevent contraception are basically putting the onus squarely on women to be relentless incubators. Children should not be viewed as collectibles. Furthermore, pregnancy and childbirth are not health-neutral events and both conditions pose inherent risks to health, life and well-being of a woman. Family planning is a personal matter and any outside entity, whether religion or government, should stay out of it.
ReplyDeleteGenesis 1:1 "In the beginning GOD created the heavens and the earth." Including you, and He gave His life for you, John 3:16. I believe He provides for all. There is a battle causing suffering, and we must choose sides.
Delete@1:12, Thing is.. no one asked to be born. It stands to reason that a loving Creator provides for us all, without conditions... including one that expects women to not have any say in how many children they have.
DeleteAnon 9:05 The loving Creator that lets people in Africa starve to death? Sure thing. And why SHOULDN'T women have a say in what happens to their bodies?
Delete@8:49- My comment was meant to point out that the claim God provides for us all does not stand to reason, while it's glaringly obvious that he does not. Yes, women should determine what happens to their own bodies. @9:05
DeleteThey were competing with the Duggars for the most kids.
ReplyDeleteTrace Bates's wife Lydia is 3 months pregnant.
ReplyDeleteHow hard this interview had to have been for Michaela.
ReplyDeleteI agree. How do they explain that her prayers for a baby have been ignored?
Delete@1:13 That is the dark side where "letting God decide" anything falls apart. But people still justify it as "not being God's will," leaving the injured person to keep asking themselves what they did wrong or where they fell short.
DeleteAnon 4:33. That's so true. I always say there's no rhyme or reason as to who gets blessings or has severe trials in life.
DeleteSo the Bates fell into the SAME IBLP trap the Duggars did. 1. It's the couple's decision regarding how many children they want and/or can afford to have based on their circumstances. 2. It is irresponsible of a pastor to urge people to have as many children as they can unless he is going to provide for all these extra children (and raise them).
ReplyDeletemy comment is God does think each child is a blessing and no one should tell you how many kids to have. and family planning is up to the family and you could easily figure out when you should not do it. no women should have that many kids and ask kelly or michelle about how many health problems they have because of that. a helathy mom is better then a mom who cannot handle all those kids.
ReplyDeleteExactly. We also need to remember that those men in the Bible who had huge families had more than one wife plus women servants so that ONE woman didn't do all the child bearing and child care.
DeleteI am unaware of any health problems that Michelle and Kelly are suffering. Do enlighten me. They look great to me. My doctor told me the more babies one has the less chance one has of getting breast cancer.
DeleteSo what heppened to "free will"? I don't see us as helpless passengers in this matter.
ReplyDeleteGood grief people. Having lots of babies/anti birth control is NOT original with Gothard! And you're missing the point. Just because a couple does not use birth control doesn't mean they're gonna get swamped with babies!
ReplyDeleteSo true @8:29. We used no birth control and ended up with only three children. I had two miscarriages though.
DeleteThanks for your comment to mine. My mom had three children also and suffered at least two maybe three miscarriages. My parents rarely used BC and quit earlier in their marriage. As a young woman, I see freedom in letting God decide.
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