Family Discipleship

Introduction

Family discipleship is part of the divine command. It is essential in the formation of children. But how can it be achieved? The thesis of this paper is that parents enhance Christian family discipleship by implementing practical strategies such as engaging in regular family devotionals and facilitating faith-based discussions to support children's spiritual growth.

Discipleship in the Christian tradition is a process of spiritual education and moral guidance that subsists in the routine activities of ones day-to-day life. For parents wanting to cultivate an environment that facilitates and supports spiritual growth in their children, the home is a welcome arena for faith formation. Amid the various and often dangerous influences of society, parents have to have a profound part in their childrens spiritual formation: indeed, as parents, Scripture tells them that they bear a tremendous responsibility to impart core Christian beliefs, practices, and principles to their children, and thus nurture them so that the light of faith is passed onto them and they become true disciples of Christ.[footnoteRef:1] Deuteronomy 6:6-7 states, "These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." In view of this spiritual instruction straight from the Word of God, this paper explains the premise that parents significantly enhance Christian family discipleship by employing practical strategies that nurture faith, such as regular family devotionals and faith-based discussions. [1: Renfro, P. (2009). Perspectives on Family Ministry: Three Views (B&H Publishing Group), 1.]

Moreover, these strategies should serve as catalysts. They should anchor faith in the heart of familial interaction and help in the guiding of parents children towards a deeper understanding and appreciation and warm embrace of Christian beliefs. The interplay between faith and family can be a vital source of spiritual nourishment in a world where false ideals and anti-Christian activities proliferate. Parents and the home can act as a place of refuge. As Renfro notes, the family is a normative context for the discipleship of families.[footnoteRef:2] The strategies recommended in this paper can help parents in their discipleship responsibilities. By engaging in regular family devotionals, families can grow together. They can experience a shared spiritual journey. They can foster Christian unity and shared understanding within their lives, which in turn can shield them from the attacks that lie waiting in the world. On top of this, faith-based discussions can be a great opportunity for parents to explore with their children the questions about theology that are likely to arise. It can be an opportunity to address doubts and share personal faith stories. [2: Renfro, P. (2009).Perspectives on Family Ministry: Three Views (B&H Publishing Group), 41.]

In essence, these practices are a way for Christian principles to be brought into daily family life. This should serve as a welcome approach because of its ability to nurse the faith experience that nurtures a childs spiritual maturation. The following sections of this paper will examine these strategies in detail, providing both theological underpinnings and practical implications for effective disciple-making in the home.

Section I: Biblical Support for Family Discipleship

The foundation for the importance of family discipleship and the role parents play in imparting faith to their children is deeply embedded in the Scriptures. Both Old and New Testaments provide clear indications of parents' duty to nurture their children's spiritual growth and the importance of engaging in religious activities within the family context.

Deuteronomy 6:6-7

As previously mentioned, these verses provide one of the most explicit calls for parents to instill faith in their children. Parents are instructed to impress God's commandments on their children, talking about them in different aspects of daily life. This scripture supports the notion of both regular family devotionals and faith-based discussions as means of imparting faith. It should be remembered that the ultimate message here is that parents must assume responsibility for teaching their children the faith: it cannot be shifted to anyone else. The parents set the example in the home. It is a major duty![footnoteRef:3] [3: Renfro, P. (2009).Perspectives on Family Ministry: Three Views (B&H Publishing Group), 41.]

Proverbs 22:6

"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." This verse emphasizes the long-term impact of early spiritual instruction. It encourages parents to take an active and early role in guiding their children's spiritual path. This can be an approach embodied in regular family devotionals and discussions.[footnoteRef:4] The point here is to make sure that children are given the path that will lead them to Heaven. If they are not shown clearly that path and the way forward, how can parents say that they have done their job raising up children for God? [4: Jones, Timothy Paul.Family ministry field guide: How your church can equip parents to make disciples. Wesleyan Publishing House, 2011.]

Ephesians 6:4

"Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." This verse speaks directly to parents, and to fthers in particular, as it emphasizes their responsibility to educate their children in the way of the Lord.[footnoteRef:5] This teaching aligns with the practice of family devotionals and discussions as means of instruction, but it also shows that the spirit of fatherhood should be one of kindness and godly instruction: Our Lord was never bitter or resentful or angry towards His disciples when teaching them. He was patient and showed all virtues in His manner. Fathers should be the same way with their children, remembering that the more they themselves model the behavior and manner of Christ, the more their children will love God. As Tripp states, Those who need to entrust themselves to the Father will be encouraged by the extent of His patience.[footnoteRef:6] [5: Thompson, Tad.Intentional parenting: Family discipleship by design. Cruciform Press, 2011.] [6: Tripp, Paul David.Parenting: 14 gospel principles that can radically change your family. Crossway, 2016.]

2 Timothy 3:14-15

"But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus." These verses illustrate the impact of early biblical teaching, indicating its potential to lead to salvation. The bible says that from infancy one should know the Word of Godand that is a message parents must take to heart as they train up their little ones in the knowledge of the Lord.

Matthew 19:14

"Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.'" In this verse, Jesus affirms the value and importance of children in the kingdom of heaven. This further supports the necessity of parents helping their children understand and grow in their faith. God is not something that should only be discussed by wise old philosophers: children can comprehend the wonder and loveliness and purity of God in their innocent hearts as easily as any philosopherand that is why God Himself says to let them come to Him.

Colossians 3:16

"Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts." This verse encourages the sharing and teaching of Christ's message within the community of believers, which includes the family. It supports the idea of sharing faith through singing and thanksgiving, which can be part of family devotionals.

Thus, it can be seen that throughout the Bible a common thread emerges: the home is to be a place where faith is lived out, where love and faith are shared, and where Christ is imparted from one generation to the next through devotion to the Word of God. The Bible not only supports the practice of family discipleship; it also makes it an imperativean essential aspect of Christian life and community. For this reason, it is a duty of the parents that they must uphold as their raise their children for Heaven.[footnoteRef:7] [7: Sherman, Doug, William Hendricks, and Steve Johnson.Your work matters to God. Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 1987.]

Section II: The Role of Regular Family Devotionals in Family Discipleship

Regular family devotionals form a fundamental pillar in nurturing a thriving spiritual life within the family[footnoteRef:8]. Brody et al. specifically note that religious participation provides spiritual assistance, delineates norms for moral and interpersonal behavior, and acts as a source of social support, which are likely to influence family interactions positively.[footnoteRef:9] In other words, these intentional gatherings are perfect for creating opportunities for families to engage all together in studying God's word, in praying together, in worshiping and reflecting, and thereby creating a structured framework for discipleship that will help bring them closer to one another in Christs love. What more can a family ask for than this? [8: G. Brody, Z. Stoneman, D. Flor and C. McCrary. "Religion's Role in Organizing Family Relationships: Family Process in Rural, Two-Parent African American Families.." Journal of Marriage and Family, 56 (1994): 878-888. https://doi.org/10.2307/353600.] [9: Ibid 878.]

Prayer is an especially helpful strategy and should really be the foundation for family discipleship.[footnoteRef:10] As Early and...

Sherman, Doug, William Hendricks, and Steve Johnson.Your work matters to God. Colorado

Springs, CO: NavPress, 1987.

This handout gives a simple explanation of how parenting is a meaningful type of work, one among very many other equally meaningful kinds of labor. The handout emphasizes that every worker's job when done faithfully ultimately contributes to God's work in the world. And Gods work is to bring people to Him. Thus, the work we do is His work. It includes serving people and meeting their needs. But work is also a means to meet one's own needs and those of their family. The document encourages people to love God through their work, by doing jobs that God wants done and doing them because God wants them done. Thus, parents can fulfill their duty to God by loving the work of parenting. Thus, the concept of work is broad, encompassing traditional jobs, homemaking, parenting, job-seeking, studying, and various activities in retirement. In the Christian tradition, work is not just a means to make a living but a way to support family, realize dignity, promote the common good, and participate in God's creation. This i relevant to this paper because it brings together the idea of parenting being Gods work.

Steenburg, W. R. (2011). Research Brief: Effective Practices for Training Parents in Family

Discipleship.Biblical and Theological Foundations for Family Ministry, 44.

This was a two-phase sequential mixed methods study that looked at the best practices for training parents for household family discipleship. The study sought to understand the role and relationship of parents and churches in family discipleship, with Scripture being the authoritative base for this understanding. The study's purpose was to identify and explore the most effective methods for training parents to pursue household family discipleship. It was conducted among a variety of churches and parents who are actively involved in family discipleship. The findings were intended to help churches realign their efforts to empower parents to engage effectively in family discipleship. The research suggests that there are specific lessons and practices that parents should learn and implement to become effective in their role. Overall, this study showed that strong families equal strong fathers equal strong churches.

Talley, Stephanie. "The necessary conversation: Faith to sustain teaching practices."

International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal13, no. 2 (2018): 8.

The author discusses the role of faith in supporting and guiding teaching practices. The article is published in the International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal, and provides a good exploration of the intersection of faith and education, putting new focus on the importance of bringing religious and spiritual beliefs into teaching methodologies. Talley sheds light on how faith can serve as a source of inspiration, insight, motivation, resilience, and ethical guidance for educators and students alike, thereby giving everyone in education more of an effective approach to personal well-being and growth. The article also discusses challenges and strategies in implementing faith-based teaching practices and what teachers might want to consider along the way. Overall, it is relevant here for its emphasis on faith-based practices as it relates to teaching young ones.

Tripp, P. D. (2016).Parenting: 14 gospel principles that can radically change your family.

Crossway.

This book gives a biblical perspective on parenting that aligns with the concept of family discipleship. Overall, it gives practical and gospel-centered principles that help parents view their role through the lens of God's grace. It emphasizes that successful parenting is not about achieving personal goals or upholding personal values. Instead, it is about changing the hearts of parents so that they can help shape children into the individuals God designed them to be.

Overall, the book unfolds a more biblical perspective on parenting than merely adhering to a list of rules and thus is very relevant to this paper for that reason.

Thompson, Tad.Intentional parenting: Family discipleship by design. Cruciform Press, 2011.

This book focuses on the transformative power of grace and forgiveness within the family and how parents should model these values in their interactions with their children, so as to create a family culture that reflects the teachings of the Gospel. The book stresses that the family is the place where the children learn what true religion means because it is where they see the example of their own parents. It is thus relevant to this paper for the reason that the parents are the role models of the gospel for the children and need to make the gospel a lived reality for their eyes.