Live Free with Josh Howerton
Live Free with Josh Howerton

When Should Christian Parents DISINHERIT a Child?! | Live Free with Josh Howerton

September 7, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

When Christian Parents Consider Disinheriting a Child

A Christian mother called into Dave Ramsey's show with a painful question: should she remove her two adult children from her will because they had become socialists? The call went viral, generating a wave of outrage directed at the mother. But pastor Josh Howerton argues the real issue runs deeper than most people realize—and the answer is more nuanced than either side of the viral reaction suggests.

The Generational Resentment Trap

Howerton begins by addressing the cultural undercurrent that fueled the viral backlash. The caller was dismissed as a "boomer mom," part of a broader pattern of generational resentment where younger generations look at their parents' generation and see only advantages. But Howerton points to Ecclesiastes 7:10: "Say not, 'Why were the former days better than these?' For it is not from wisdom that you ask this."

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What you'll learn

  • 1 (00:04) **Principle: Not Funding Rebellion** - Josh introduces the core principle that he will not fund rebellion against his Lord.
  • 2 (01:06) **The Viral Question: Should a Christian Mom Disinherit Socialist Children?** - Josh presents the context: a viral clip of a Christian mom asking Dave Ramsey if she should remove her socialist children from her will.
  • 3 (03:50) **Generational Resentment and the "Boomer" Rage** - Josh analyzes the viral rage against the "boomer" mom, connecting it to a deeper theological issue of envy.
  • 4 (05:54) **The Envy Trap: Comparing End-of-Life to Start-of-Life** - Josh argues that envy causes people to exaggerate a previous generation's advantages while forgetting their disadvantages.
  • 5 (09:59) **Pastoral Comfort for Parents of Prodigals** - Josh pauses to offer comfort to Christian parents struggling with rebellious children, using the Parable of the Prodigal Son.
  • 6 (11:31) **The "Wrong College" Problem and Sphere Sovereignty** - Josh analyzes the mom's complaint that she sent her kids to the "wrong college," connecting it to the biblical concept of sphere sovereignty.
  • 7 (14:09) **When the State Leaves Its Lane** - Josh explains why the church has become more "political": the government has stepped out of its lane.

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Guests on this episode

Josh Howerton Dave Ramsey

Show Notes

Should Christian parents ever remove a child from their will? And is an inheritance something children are entitled to—or something parents are responsible to steward before God?

In this episode of LIVE FREE, Pastor Josh reacts to a viral Dave Ramsey conversation with a Christian mother wrestling with whether to leave an inheritance to her adult children. From there, he tackles the deeper biblical questions behind the controversy: stewardship, generational resentment, school choices, socialism, and what parents should do when their children walk away from the values and faith they were raised to embrace.

This isn't about creating a one-size-fits-all rule. It's about learning to think biblically about money, family, responsibility, grace, and the legacy we leave behind.

In this episode, you'll learn:

  • Whether children are biblically entitled to an inheritance
  • How stewardship should shape the way Christians think about wealth
  • Why Christian parents should think carefully about education and discipleship
  • How Pastor Josh evaluates socialism from a biblical worldview
  • Why inheritance decisions shouldn't be driven by anger or revenge
  • How grace and generosity factor into decisions about a rebellious child
  • How Josh and Jana are approaching inheritance in their own family

Stand firm. Think biblically. Live free.


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