No Greater Joy, Volume One [Paperback]

Michael Pearl (Author)

Book Description

Series: No Greater Joy | Publication Date: July 1, 1997

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.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Within three days, my impossibly difficult four year old boy was obeying on command and loving (nearly) every minute... --No Greater Joy, May/June 2000, p. 9.

About the Author

Introducing Michael and Debi Pearl

Michael and Debi Pearl have been married since 1971. They have 5 children and 15 grandchildren. Between them they have authored 14 books and 8 booklets which combined have sold millions. Much of what they write deals with marriage, child training, and homeschooling.

One of their recent books, Good and Evil (Bible stories in Marvel comic format), has been published into 25 languages with another 60 translations soon to be ready for press. The Pearl's also publish a 32 page bi-monthly magazine with a subscription of over 100,000. Needless to say they are prolific writers and public speakers.

On another note, Michael is an inductee into the International Knife Throwers Hall of Fame and holds several world titles, including Gold Cup winner of 2008-9, long distance thrower of the year with a record all time high of hitting a four inch target at 63 feet, and he is the undisputed best tomahawk thrower of 2009, holding the world title.

When he is not teaching the Bible or speaking to audiences on how to have a good marriage and obedient children he is teaching kids how to stick a bull's eye with a knife or hawk.

Debi Pearl and husband Michael have 5 children and 15 grandchildren. Between them they have author 14 books and 8 booklets which combined have sold millions. Learn more about them and sign up for the No Greater Joy bi-monthly magazine at NoGreaterJoy.org.

Debi Pearl grew up during the 1960s at the height of the hippie revolution and the Jesus Movement. The forced draft due to the Vietnam War brought a sense of eternity to the youth, provoking them to seriously consider their souls. It was a time of a great move of the Spirit of God. As a teenager, dressed in tie-dye tee shirt and long drooping peasant skirt, she stood on the highways and byways sharing the gospel and seeing miracle after miracle of God's amazing grace. She married her life mate, Michael Pearl, in 1971.

Product Details

• Paperback: 104 pages
• Publisher: No Greater Joy Ministries (July 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1892112019
• ISBN-13: 978-1892112019
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (197 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #332,397 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #33 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Parenting & Families > Parenting > Babies & Toddlers > Child Development

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

51 of 67 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Let's Be Accurate in Our Assessments, April 3, 2005

By 

daybreaking - See all my reviews

This review is from: No Greater Joy, Volume One (Paperback)

As I read through other reviews, I am amazed at two glaring errors I see being made by those assessing the book:

1. Those who give the book five stars automatically assume that anyone who doesn't follow Pearl's advice to switch children does not believe in discipline and has bratty, uncontrollable rebels. This simply is not true. There are many of us, myself included, who have never spanked our children and yet have very well behaved children. I strongly believe in discipline and setting limits, but believe it is possible to enforce them without the rod. Time-outs, consistent redirection, modeling and removal of privileges or toys all work well at molding children into well behaved youngsters. Please don't assume that the only alternative to Pearl's way is demanding, whiny children having tempter tantrums in the middle of Wal-Mart.

2. Several of those opposed to Pearls have posted totally false information from his book. One poster said Pearls recommends using a wooden paddle. Another said he advocates beating a one-month old. Read the book for yourself or peruse his website and you will never see either of these actions advocated. Pearls' advocates switching - not beating - with a flexible instrument - not a paddle. He even made the point that using a non-flexible instrument could damage the spine. If one is going to be against Pearl's methods (and I am against his views on the use of the rod), at least be honest about what he is presenting.

I gave the book three stars, because I have mixed opinions on what he has written. I think the information he shares on building a relationship with your children and including them in your activities as you progress through the day, rather than leaving them in front of the TV or computer is great. I like the family centeredness he projects and the importance of training our children (not just in obedience, but in all aspects of life). I gleaned a lot of good insight on the vast responsibility I have to tend to my son's soul and protect him from (and prepare him for) the evil in this world that is so ready to entrap him. On the other hand, I think his use of the rod is extremely excessive and overbearing. I believe it is important for children to learn to obey, but I believe there are many more appropriate ways of teaching obedience than switching them for every transgression. I also believe there are many varied ways of disciplining. It seems Pearl's answer to everything is to use the rod and he rejects time honored methods such as time-outs and redirection. In addition, I believe some of his teaching is in direct opposition to child development. For example, he talks of switching his four-month old for trying to climb a set of stairs. He also recommends setting up training sessions where you intentionally put something in reach of an infant, saying "Don't touch." and then switch their hand when they reach for it. The other thing with which I have a problem is the self-righteousness he seems to project. One example is the derogatory terms he uses towards people caught up in sin (e.g., pervert, porno freaks, queers and dope heads). Jesus preached against sin, but somehow I don't see him talking so condescending to or about people. In fact, when I read the New Testament, I see His anger expressed towards the self-righteous pharisees and His compassion expressed toward the sinners. Another example is a quote from his latest magazine issue: "We have had special friends, families that we felt were every bit as righteous as ours." What came to mind when I read that was the pharisee in the Bible who prayed, thanking God he was so righteous and not like the sinner near him. (The sinner was the one whose prayer God heard, not the pious pharisee!) Unlike the pharisees, I do believe Pearl is a genuine Christian who longs to follow God in all areas of his life, but I think it's a shame that some fine teaching gets lost in the self-righteous attitude that is portrayed as it is presented.

23 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I was a little dubious, October 15, 2005

By 

Jennifer Dunlap (Santa Paula, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: No Greater Joy, Volume One (Paperback)

Having been raised by a mother who clearly loved us and yet spanked in anger often enough, the idea of not allowing the situation to escalate to that point is a top priority for me. I have a seventeen-month-old daughter, already a sweet child but occasionally wilfull (aren't we all?). Recently at the park when she tried to eat sand, I said "no" and gave her a slight flick on the wrist. She did not cry, infact she did not look the least bit hurt, even though sometimes she can be sensitive. The flick merely got her attention and reinforced the "no". She tried it I think three more times, with the same result, and then decided she would rather do something else. I could see absolutely no trauma.
My sister has a very bright seven-month-old (already saying a few words), and we flicked her to teach her not to touch the electrical cord. Again, it took about four flicks and "no"s and she was happy to play with something else.
If your emotions are out of control, you need to work on yourself before and while you apply this method. Although I feel that my mother was a heavy-handed disciplinarian, I have come to see that I have a different personality and I don't get angry as easily. You don't have to take his suggestions in every detail; most of us "normal" Americans have much different (often lower) standards of behavior for our children. It's a good technique to apply to situations where you want to draw a line, wherever that may be. The love that he has for his children and the delight he takes in them come through loud and clear. A good read.

22 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Read the book; form your own opinion, February 16, 2006

By 

Homeschooling Mum (UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: No Greater Joy, Volume One (Paperback)

Some of the reviews for this book are not based upon the book itself, but someone else's opinion and their choice of excerpts. I recommend reading this book and forming your own, informed opinion of it. I have found valuable information in it, and that which is not helpful I have the freedom to set aside. But I can only pick and choose from the author's wisdom (or lack thereof) when I actually read his writing. I would recommend this book by Michael and Debi Pearl. In looking up some of the "quotes" used in the reviews of other people about this book, I was distraught by how skewed a picture they portray by omitting the full story within its context, but I was also inspired by some of the stories of other families that are contained in the book. So inspired, in fact, that I plan to re-read it!