Why the Family is the Place Where Religion is Taught

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 one’s 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 children’s 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 child’s 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 fathers 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 God—and 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 philosopher—and 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 imperative—an 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 Christ’s 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 Dempsey point out, prayer is what keeps people connected to God: it is like a direct line to God’s love, grace, and support.[footnoteRef:11] If that line is disconnected, no family can survive the tempests that will come to the home. They will be like a family cast adrift in the sea, struggling to withstand the storms and waves while clinging to their small flotsam and jetsam trying to stay afloat. But prayer is not only like a life jacket, a life raft, a tow line, and a vessel all in one, it is also like a shield and a powerful armor that protects and illuminates the soul and warms the heart, gradually, in stages. Its power may not be felt immediately or over night, but the habit of prayer is what ultimately wins hearts and minds and souls to God. [10: Earley, Dave, and Rod Dempsey. Disciple Making Is...: How to Live the Great Commission with Passion and Confidence (B&h Publishing Group, 2013), 179.] [11: Ibid 179.]

Family devotionals serve as a unifying activity, fostering a shared understanding and communal experience of faith.[footnoteRef:12] As it is written in Matthew 18:20, \\\\\\\"For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.\\\\\\\" This scripture reveals the value Jesus places on communal worship and engagement with His Word. As families come together to focus on spiritual matters, they invite God\\\\\\\'s presence and influence into their collective experience. [12: Thompson, Tad. Intentional parenting: Family discipleship by design. Cruciform Press, 2011.]

Moreover, regular devotionals provide a consistent platform for children to learn, understand, and engage with core Christian teachings. Through this repeated exposure, children not only absorb biblical stories and their moral lessons, but they also develop a practice of turning to the Bible for guidance and wisdom. They start to realize the relevance of Christian teachings to their daily experiences, and over time, they develop a personal faith narrative that connects their lived experiences with their spiritual beliefs.

Furthermore, family devotionals give parents a chance to model faith to their children. As children observe their parents actively engaging with God\\\\\\\'s word, praying, and worshiping, they learn to mimic these spiritual practices. Parents, in this regard, become role models of lived faith, embodying the teachings and attitudes they want their children to adopt. The Apostle Paul\\\\\\\'s words in 1 Corinthians 11:1, \\\\\\\"Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ,\\\\\\\" highlight this concept of faith replication through observation and practice.

In the next section, the role of faith-based discussions in Christian family discipleship and how these interactions contribute to a child\\\\\\\'s spiritual growth will be explained.

Section III: The Power of Faith-Based Discussions in Family Discipleship

In addition to family devotionals, faith-based discussions play an instrumental role in fostering an environment of discipleship within the home. These discussions provide a space for exploration, questions, and dialogues about faith, enabling children to deepen their understanding of Christian principles and relate them to their daily life.

Faith-based discussions echo the model of dialogue that Jesus often used to teach his disciples.[footnoteRef:13] His conversations were engaging, thought-provoking, and often involved answering questions with questions to stimulate critical thinking. Similarly, when parents facilitate faith-based discussions, they are providing an opportunity for their children to ponder on their beliefs and seek answers to their questions. This open dialogue encourages children to own their faith journey and enables them to apply Christian teachings to their unique contexts. [13: Talley, Stephanie. \\\\\\\"The necessary conversation: Faith to sustain teaching practices.\\\\\\\" International Christian Community of Teacher Educators Journal 13, no. 2 (2018): 8.]

These discussions are not limited to planned or formal settings. They can occur organically during everyday life situations, as encouraged by Deuteronomy 6:6-7. These verses instruct parents to talk about God\\\\\\\'s commandments during various everyday activities - sitting at home, walking on the road, lying down, or getting up. These \\\\\\\'in-the-moment\\\\\\\' discussions about faith can be particularly powerful as they relate biblical principles to real-life situations, making the teachings more tangible and relevant.

Faith-based discussions also provide an open environment where doubts and questions are allowed and encouraged. It gives children the freedom to voice their doubts, ask questions, and learn that faith is not void of challenges. Parents can help their children navigate their faith doubts, reinforcing the idea that questioning is part of a healthy, growing faith.[footnoteRef:14] This approach encourages resilience and an in-depth understanding of personal faith, fostering a faith that can withstand life\\\\\\\'s trials and tribulations. Now let us look at practical ways to implement devotions and discussions in the family. [14: Steenburg, W. R. (2011). Research Brief: Effective Practices for Training Parents in Family Discipleship. Biblical and Theological Foundations for Family Ministry, 44.]

Section IV: Practical Ways to Implement Family Devotionals and Faith-Based Discussions

While understanding the importance of family devotionals and faith-based discussions is key, practical implementation can sometimes be a challenge. To make these strategies work within the family, parents should be intentional in their devotions and discussions. It should not be willy-nilly, i.e., whenever one has the whim to do it. It should be routine and focused. At the same time, there should be room for maneuvering and for branching out when ideas come up that children want to explore. So parents should strive to be flexible and relatable in their approach to prayer and discussion times.

Intentionality

Intentionality signifies making a planned effort to incorporate regular devotionals and faith-based discussions into the family routine. This might mean setting aside a specific time each day or week for devotionals, perhaps after a meal or before bedtime. According to Early, the features of effective prayer are that prayer is memorable, i.e., it is simple enough that it can be memorized by a child and said at a certain time each day. Another feature is that it should be directed, i.e., have a chapter in a book to read that facilitates one’s prayer life each day. Third, it should be supported by scriptural study—so keep the Bible handy and nearby. Also, have a time to pray, a duration for prayer (10 to 30 minutes may be just right), a place, and a people with whom to pray.[footnoteRef:15] [15: Earley, Dave. The 21 Most Effective Prayers of the Bible. Barbour Publishing, 2005.]

Similarly, parents can intentionally create opportunities for faith-based discussions by bringing up relevant topics, using current events or personal experiences as starting points. They could address topics that are occurring in the news, or they could let children ask questions about something they heard in school or observed in their own real-life experiences.

Flexibility

Every family is unique, and what works for one may not work for another. For that reason, it is helpful to be flexible in the approach and to adapt based on the family\\\\\\\'s dynamics, children\\\\\\\'s ages, and schedule. Flexibility might mean having shorter, more frequent devotionals for younger children or adjusting the timing to fit into the family\\\\\\\'s schedule. In faith-based discussions, flexibility helps families be more open to questions. It is what allows children to express their views. It is what enables parents to be ready to discuss unexpected topics even when they had another area of focus in mind. Rigidity prevents the train of thought from moving forward and discovering new frontiers. Flexibility allows for frontiers to be discovered through the grace of God. One never knows how God’s illuminating grace will arrive or in what manner it will manifest itself, so parents should be open to the wondering imagination of children.

Relatability

Making the devotionals and discussions relatable to children\\\\\\\'s experiences can also make the engagement more effective. Children sometimes do not understand the big ideas that the bible brings. So parents should try to find ways to make these stories simpler for the child. This could involve choosing Bible stories or discussion topics that correspond with what the child is currently experiencing, like fighting with siblings, or starting school, or dealing with sharing and forgiveness issues, or learning to be charitable. The more that children can relate their life experiences with their faith, the more meaningful the discussions can become, and the better the fruit will be as a result.

Section V: Summary and Conclusion

The home serves as a pivotal hub for fostering discipleship and nurturing spiritual growth in a child\\\\\\\'s life. With society offering a myriad of influences, Christian parents shoulder the profound responsibility to guide their children on their spiritual journey. As posited in the thesis, practical strategies such as regular family devotionals and faith-based discussions play a significant role in facilitating Christian family discipleship. Family devotionals are a great way to have a shared spiritual experience, where Christian teachings are learned by parents who model lived faith. Faith-based discussions further the discipleship process by encouraging children to ponder their beliefs, ask questions, and apply Christian principles to their daily experiences. They establish an environment where faith is understood as dynamic and personal, thereby nurturing children\\\\\\\'s resilience and comprehension of their faith journey. Practical implementation of these strategies hinges on intentionality, flexibility, relatability, and the effective use of available resources.

In conclusion, parents play a crucial role in enhancing Christian family discipleship. By implementing the practical strategies of engaging in regular family devotionals and facilitating faith-based discussions, parents can effectively guide their children on their spiritual journey, nurturing their growth as disciples of Christ. Societal influences abound, but the home stands as an indomitable bastion of faith formation. It is the place for profound Christian discipleship.

Annotated Bibliography

Brody, G., 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.

The authors explore the influence of religion on the structure and dynamics of family relationships, particularly within the context of rural, two-parent African American families. The specific mechanisms of how religion organizes these relationships, the outcomes of such organization, and the aspects of these processes in the black community are discussed and evaluated. The article\\\\\\\'s findings could provide valuable insights into the intersection of religion, family processes, and cultural context and thus be relevant to this paper. Overall, it is a work that shows the power of religion in the stable family life.

Earley, Dave. The 21 Most Effective Prayers of the Bible. Barbour Publishing, 2005.

This book could be very beneficial in a family discipleship context as it gives precise, practical approaches to deepening faith. It is especially helpful in explaining the features of effective prayer and suggestions for effective prayer. For a family that might be struggling with approaching prayer, this book is really a great resource. It is relevant to this paper because it offers easy to understand guidelines that are so matter of fact it will seem like common sense once it is read and appreciated.

Earley, Dave, and Rod Dempsey. Disciple Making Is...: How to Live the Great Commission with

Passion and Confidence. B&h Publishing Group, 2013.

David Wheeler and Rod Dempsey are both known for their work in the area of discipleship, particularly in the context of the church. This book explores various aspects of discipleship primarily focusing on the Great Commission – Jesus\\\\\\\'s command to his followers to spread his teachings worldwide. The central premise of their work emphasizes that discipleship is not just about knowledge acquisition but is also about a transformational process that occurs within the context of relationships. They promote the idea that every Christian is called to be both a disciple and a disciple-maker. Their practical strategies were helpful in the formulation of this paper’s thesis.

Jones, T. P. (2011). Family ministry field guide: How your church can equip parents to make

disciples. Wesleyan Publishing House.

This book is relevant as it explores strategies churches can use to support parents in their role as primary spiritual influencers in their children\\\\\\\'s lives. It gives a practical guide for church leaders aimed at equipping parents to be the primary faith trainers in their children\\\\\\\'s lives. The book is based on solid research and offers a practical plan to move past mere programming into genuine spiritual transformation. The book is also a study of how churches can better set up families to disciple their children. The guide unpacks how real-life churches can narrow the gap between the present reality and the biblical ideal of faith-nurturing families and churches. The main premise of the book is that scripture calls parents to train and nurture their children\\\\\\\'s faith, and it is the church\\\\\\\'s role to lead the way. It is helpful to this paper in the sense that it shows families are not alone in their task; the church has their back so to speak.

Renfro, P. (2009). Perspectives on Family Ministry: Three Views. B&H Publishing Group.

The book is based on three basic assumptions: (1) God has called parents—and especially fathers—to take personal responsibility for the Christian formation of their children, (2) The Family-Based Model, explained and defended by Brandon Shields, maintains age-specific ministries while also affirming the importance of family, and (3) Every church is called to some form of family ministry. The book argues that the most effective family ministries refocus every church process to engage parents in discipling their children and to draw family members together instead of pulling them apart. The book emphasizes that family ministry is about ministry which honors the Bible\\\\\\\'s guide that the primary context for the faith-training of children is the family. In essence, the book makes the case that family ministry is not simply one more program to add to an already-packed schedule. Instead, it is about considering how the church can equip parents to make disciples in the home. It is most relevant to this paper because it emphasizes the great role that parents play in turning their home into a sanctuary for their children where the faith can be most fully loved and lived.