fAMILY Discipleship

Family discipleship is the conscious and subconscious leading and teaching our families either to God or away from God.

Consciously we are constantly making decisions about discipline, meals, giving orders, etc. that either point our family to God or away from God.
Subconsciously we form habits of waking, mealtimes, discipline, screentime, marriage, work, play, conversation, bedtime, etc. that either point our family to God or away from God.

You will disciple your child. Your children will be discipled by you for good or for worse. They will also be discipled by those whose authority you put them under, i.e. pastors, teachers, mentors, etc.

Click Here for Devotionals for This week
Click Here for information on how to do Family Worship

“How many send their children to get sciences or trades or to travel in foreign lands before ever they were instructed at home against those temptations which they must encounter, and by which they are so often undone!”

- Richard Baxter

We live in an age where “narcissistic parents spoil their children materially while neglecting them spiritually”

- J. I. Packer

4 “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

- Deuteronomy 6
7 Principles for Family Discipleship:
Note: These principles are not Law or Scripture. They are intended to help guide you to steward your responsibility well. All of these principles are based in Scripture.
  1. If you want to lead your family, you must ensure that you are being led by the Holy Spirit. You must lead and teach your family from the overflow of your personal walk with Christ (Lk. 6:43-45).
  2. Discipline with discipleship as your goal. Focus on building holy attributes within your household instead of military-minded obedience (Gal. 5:22-23).
  3. Constantly ask: How can I do _______ and point to the Gospel? We do not have to live barren lifestyles only made up of church and home but rather everything that we do in our business must point to the Redemption of Christ. If it doesn’t, reform or remove (1 Cor. 10:31).
  4. Model what your family is learning at church and home. Was the sermon recently on patience? Make it an emphasis to model that for your children the next week. Did you recently cover repentance? Show your children what it looks like to ask them for repentance when you mess up (Jas. 1:22).
  5. If you are married, this is a joint effort. One of the great beauties of marriage is whenever two lost sinners reconciled by the Gospel endeavor to commit their family to God together (Eph. 5:22-6:4).
  6. If you are a member of the local church, it is a joint effort. While parents are the chief disciplers of their children, the local church still has responsibility. Let your brothers and sisters in Christ bear your burdens. Partner with pastors, deacons, teachers, and other Christians (Eph. 4:11-12).
  7.  Family Discipleship is a spiritual matter and cannot be accomplished without the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Depend on Him
    (Rom. 8:12-14).

Resources to help your family

Habits of the Household
Justin Earley
This book details how we form habits that disciple our children to Christ or away from Christ.
Website on Parenting
The following link will take you to a website with countless blogs and resources on Biblical Parenting.
God, Marriage, and Family
Andreas J. Kostenberger
WARNING: This is a very theological book. It is rather thick and not a quick read. That being said, it is excellent and covers a lot of topics. This is a great book to have on your shelf as a reference.
Learn More
Learn More
Learn More
Learn More
Learn More
Learn More
Parenting
Paul David Tripp
This book outlines 14 Gospel principles that change your perspective on parenting and alleviate you of the burden we often put on ourselves.
Tech-Wise Family
Andy Crouch
We live in a digital age where you must have guidelines and boundaries or technology will rule you and your family. Clicking on the link will take you to a study that we as church did a few years ago.
Church Membership
Jonathan Leeman
This is a small book that focuses on the importance of church membership and why it matters. The very best place for your family to be is active in the local church, this will help you do that.