FAMILY DISCIPLESHIP

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THE GOAL

When Christian parents bring a son or daughter into the world, they immediately realize that this special blessing from the Lord is also a huge responsibility. God directs dads and moms to teach their children about Him and live as Christ followers (Deuteronomy 6:6-9). The term we often use to describe this is “family discipleship,” which simply means leading your home by whatever means you can, whenever you can, to know, trust, and love God.

THE MEANS

Modeling - The single biggest influence on the spiritual life of your children is YOU the parents. How you trust and follow Jesus in words, attitudes, and actions will be the most powerful discipleship your children receive. By praying, reading you Bible, faithfully attending church, being part of the Christian community, confessing when you make a mistake and asking for forgiveness, will all be the things that shape your children’s faith.

Time - Parents build intentional time into the rhythm of family life for the purpose of thinking about, talking about, and living out the gospel. Learning how to do family discipleship time and keeping it a regular part of your family's rhythm can be challenging, so we seek to provide resources for you to utilize at home throughout the week.

Moments - Parents capture and leverage opportunities in the course of everyday life for the purpose of gospel-centered conversations. Effective discipleship can’t be limited and confined to set places and scheduled times. In other words, discipleship is always happening. Moments is the “as you’re going” discipleship that happens through the day.

Milestones - Milestones are the significant moments and markers in the life of your child and family. They present a unique and very special opportunity to receive, celebrate, and remember the Lord’s faithfulness. Additionally, they provide a rallying point for the church and home to partner together for the purpose of celebrating the child and equipping parents.

Some of these milestones but are not limited to - their profession of faith in Jesus, their baptism and baptismal birthdays, first communion, confirmation, birthdays, major accomplishments, etc.

FAMILY PRAYER TIME

Many parents feel overwhelmed by the idea of leading their family in a daily prayer time. Many express one of the following sentiments: “Our kids won’t pay attention, we don’t know enough about the Bible to answer their questions, we are busy and don’t have time.” We want you to know that it doesn’t have to be as hard or complicated as all that! It can be very simple, as simple as READ, PRAY, and SING.

  • READ - Read a short passage of Scripture and ask one or two questions about what stood out to your kids. This might look like reading 2-3 verses and discussing it for 2 minutes.

  • PRAY - Either one parent can pray (giving praise, thanks, and making petitions), lead the family in the morning or evening prayer, or ask each child to thank God for one thing and pray for one other person in their life. Pray is simply talking to God so it doesn’t have to be complicated.

  • SING - You might have a few favorite hymns as a family or you can join Trinity in singing the Hymn of the month in our Prayer Guide.

BASIC RESOURCES EVERY FAMILY CAN USE

  • The Bible - The most basic resource for learning growing in relationship with God is His Holy Word. How to Use: Read 5 minutes out-loud to your family and ask them what stood out to them or what it teaches us about God.

  • The Jesus Story Book Bible - This storybook summarizes the major accounts in the Bible and how they all point to Jesus. How to Use: Take 5 minutes to read a chapter to your children (ages 3-11) before bed and ask them what they noticed about the story.

  • Luther’s Small Catechism - Incredibly helpful resource for teaching your children the Christian faith by helping you walk through the Apostles’ Creed, Ten Commandments, Lord’s Prayer, and Sacraments. How to Use: Read one paragraph or question after dinner time or before bed and discuss as family.

  • Lutheran Book of Prayer - A little book with two prayers for each day of the week (morning and evening). How to Use: You can use both prayers or just one for each day. Great to pray after dinner or before bed.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Stories of Heroes of the faith

  • Heroes of the Faith (5-10 year olds) - These engaging and inspiring books tell the stories of many faithful Christians who followed God and served others.

  • Heroes of the Faith (10+ year olds)

Audio and Video

Books about parenting: