Family Discipleship: Slow Down ⚠️
Read Time: 4 minutes
We quickly become overwhelmed in our fast-paced culture, where schedules are packed with school, work, extracurricular activities, and social events. Amid the hustle, an important aspect of a family’s life—discipleship, can easily be neglected. Family discipleship, the intentional guiding of children in faith by parents, is not just an extra responsibility but a biblical mandate. It’s a necessary investment that has eternal significance. But how and when? Let’s talk about it.
Why does this matter?
Scripture heavily emphasizes parents’ role in their children’s spiritual formation. Deuteronomy 6:4-7 also known as the Shema in ancient Israelite and Jewish culture, says,
“4 Hear, Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! 5 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. 7 And you shall repeat them diligently to your sons and speak of them when you sit in your house, when you walk on the road, when you lie down, and when you get up.”
This gives us the blueprint for a continual, everyday nature of discipleship. It’s not just about church attendance or Life Group lessons; it’s about the day-to-day interactions where faith is woven into the fabric of life and discussed within the family.
When we take the time to intentionally disciple our children, we’re planting seeds that will grow over time. The family unit is the first and most important context for spiritual development as designed by God. Research consistently shows that parents are the most influential figures in their children’s faith journey. What children see modeled in the home; they often carry with them into their own adulthood. If they see faith lived out authentically, with grace and truth consistently, they are more likely to follow those same rhythms. Note that I said consistently, not perfectly.
The Challenge of Culture
The busyness and distractions of culture often become a significant deterrent to family discipleship. Between work deadlines, school activities, sports practices, and social engagements, time for meaningful spiritual conversations can easily be squeezed out and rushed over. Growing up, my grandpa often reminded me, “If the Devil can’t make you sin, he’ll make you busy.” Many parents feel the pressure to keep up with life’s demands, avoid mom guilt, and have their kids involved in every extracurricular activity, leaving them exhausted and with little energy to focus on the spiritual nurturing of their children. Yet, the reality is that what we prioritize reveals what we value most in our lives. If discipleship is not intentionally prioritized, other activities will inevitably overshadow it.
The Need for a Slow-Down
To fight against this, we must recognize the need to slow down and create space for discipleship. Slowing down doesn’t mean abandoning all activities on the calendar but rather making intentional choices about how time is spent. A wise mentor once told me, “Every time you say yes to something, you’re saying no to something else.” It means setting aside specific moments for prayer, scripture reading, and faith conversations around real-life scenarios. It involves being present with your children, listening to their questions, and guiding them through the challenges they face with a biblical compass.
Some ways to put this into practice would be:
- Talking to your kids in the car and asking them about their day.
- Having dinner with the family around the table and conversing about each other’s day.
- Praying with your child at the beginning and end of each day.
- Follow the Bible Reading Plan as a family and discuss it.
- Serve a local ministry together as a family and talk about the importance of it.
- Asking your child what’s heavy on their hearts currently, etc.
These are on-ramps to conversations where we can point our children back to Biblical truths and how to live a life following Christ.
Family discipleship is not about adding another task to an already packed schedule; it’s about reorienting life around what truly matters. I often think that if I just had more time, my problems would disappear. But the problem is not time but how we steward it. John Mark Comer says,
“The solution isn’t more time; it’s to slow down and simplify our lives around what matters.”
This might involve saying no to some activities or simplifying the family calendar, but the rewards are worth it. Slowing down allows families to cultivate a deep, authentic faith that is not rushed or superficial but is instead grounded in the consistent, loving guidance of parents who model a life devoted to Christ.
In a world that constantly demands more, choosing to slow down and focus on family discipleship is a countercultural decision. It’s a decision that acknowledges the eternal value of nurturing faith in the next generation, ensuring that faith continues to grow and flourish in the hearts of our children.
Additional Resources:
Habits of the Household by Justin Whitmel Earley
The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer
Age of Opportunity by Paul David Tripp
Podcasts:
*All scripture NASB unless otherwise noted.
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