Creating a Family Discipleship Culture
Facial expressions, words, actions. All these things will leave an everlasting impression in the minds and on the hearts of our children. In the early stages of childhood development, a child will often reciprocate a smile that is shown to them. If a two month old child can reciprocate a smile that young, just think of what else they are learning as they develop!
To quote Matt Chandler, “Willfully or not, all parents (guardians) are perpetually discipling the children around them. Children are watching and listening to you as they form their impressions of the world, of faith, and of what it means to be an adult. As a Christian parent (guardian), wield that influence to ‘Bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord’” (Eph. 4:6).
Family Discipleship is not explicitly a family Bible Study. So, how do you create a family discipleship culture in your home? Here are some thoughts:
1.) Do not just add it to checklist as something else to do, make it THE priority in your home.
2.) Teach Biblical values to your children before the world teaches them its own set of values.
3.) Know that every family will do discipleship differently due to the culture of that home.
4.) Know that family discipleship will often be ordinary and that is OKAY!
5.) Create intentional time built into the rhythm of the family life.
6.) Create discipleship moments for the purpose of gospel-centered conversations.
7.) Celebrate and commemorate significant spiritual milestones.
The method of Time, Moments, and Milestones is a great tool to use to develop a family discipleship culture within the context of your family. It is a flexible model that can even be taken on family road trips! I just want to end with this quote from Greg Koukl, “The sobering reality is that if we do not disciple our children, someone else will.”
Cody Simpkins