A few years back, I found a book with a 12-month family discipleship plan. After a stressful day at work, learning that a science project was due the next day, and having no idea what to make for dinner, I was determined to start this plan. After all, a few moments as a family around the Word would be amazing, right? We sat down at dinner table and I opened Lesson 1. For this lesson, I discovered that I needed six containers of play dough, a toothpick, a button, and a marble. Not cool! We closed the book, read a Psalm, and called it a night!
After that experience, I wondered just how many times I had asked the families in our church to do just the same type of thing. We have all read Deuteronomy 6:6-9.
And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 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. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
Why do we over complicate it?
By teaching parents to identify life’s teachable moments, family discipleship becomes easy. Things like asking questions in the car during the week, or verses that are simply read and discussed bring topics to parents in the midst of what is happening rather than trying to squeeze in yet another thing or activity.
Consider creating a monthly focus that will allow parents to tailor it to their own “doorposts” as well as bring community between the other families in your church as discussion continues. This also allows parents with no church background to gain biblical knowledge along with their kids, and as you learn more about your parents this can help you design the content you hand out.
