Resources on Family Discipleship

Overview

By Matt Garcia

In my single years, my life focus was personal and spiritual growth. I wanted to grow to be the husband and father I needed to be potentially in within 10 years. I read books, studied the Bible, practiced spiritual disciplines, and sought after advice of mentors and leaders. I thought I was prepared for a family. But after marrying the woman of my dreams, adopting three kids, and having a biological child, I realized I didn’t know what I was doing. I did have some knowledge about what to expect, but I also had to have a “learn-as-you-go” approach as well. I learned how to understand my wife’s needs better through failures. I learned how to be more patient through the adoption of three of my kids. I learned how to sit and enjoy this season of life as I held my newborn in my arms. Nothing can fully prepare you for being a husband and a father. However, I feel like I had a tremendous advantage because I intentionally tried to implemtent strategies to help my family in discipleship to Jesus.
 
I’ve talked to many leaders who built businesses that have core values, a vision statement, an on-boarding process for employees, weekly checkup meetings with the team, and much more to help their company grow. But how many of these leaders have core values for their family? How many leaders have a vision statement they repeat every morning with their children? How many husbands meet with their wife for a weekly family checkup? If you feel convicted right now, that ok. What’s not ok is if you don’t do anything ab0ut it. Are you taking steps to grow in your relationship with Jesus? How are you leading your family in discipleship as well? My hope is for this page to help you get unstuck in leading your family to grow in Jesus together. There are numerous resources here to get started. So let’s start today!
“We are, all of us, utterly committed and deeply devoted to our “style”, our “way”, our “approach to life.” We have absolutely no intention of giving it up. Not even for love. So God creates an environment where we have to. It’s called marriage.”
John Eldredge

exercises

Dessert & Devo

Some parents have come up with a unique idea of Dessert & Devo, where families come together after dinner for a small dessert to share together while a parent shares a Bible story from a Kids Devotional Bible. This helps children look forward to learning more about God while strengthening family bonds.

Conversation Starters

Many parents don’t know where to start when it comes to talking to their kids about God. If you need help, check out Concrete Conversations.
This conversation starter kit contains 60 fun, engaging, and intentional questions that will provide numerous opportunities to intentionally engage with and disciple your children. You can expect questions like:

“What do you hope your family is known for?”
“Make a list of things you know about Jesus.”
“What family story makes you laugh the hardest?”

These can be used in the car on a road trip or around the dinner table. Asking your kids these intentional questions will create some beautiful conversations and fruitful discipleship moments.

Join a Local Church Together

Parents are the primary disciple-makers of their children. The church can also come along side our children and help in suplementary discipleship. Many churches offer kids services, Vacation Bible Schools, and other kids discipleship programs that your family can get plugged into.

Practice Sabbath Together

Practicing Sabbath together is a great idea to deveop bonds and learn how to delight, rest, and worship as a family. Do things you wouldn’t normally do during the week. Light a candle on Friday night to welcome Sabbath together and say a special prayer before eating a special meal in the dining room. Make it special. Learn more about the practice of Sabbath on my resource page.

Bible Verse Memorization

Make some Bible memorization cards (or buy some here) to place around your house and write on the family white board. Have friendly competitions for whoever memorizes the weekly Bible verse first!

Missions Wall

Create a missions wall with pictures of missionaries or Christian organizations you support around the world. Pray for them as a family each time you walk by the wall. This will help instill a missions mindset with your family.

Create a Family Mission Statement

Many companies use mission statements to help their employees to join in on their business goals. Why not develop one with your family? You can recite it each morning before work or school and be reminded of the mission of your family team.

“…we become our habits, and our kids become us. Which means who our children are becoming is tightly connected to who we are becoming—personally and communally.”
Justin Whitmel Early

Habits of the Household

books

Family Devotionals

Best book for toddlers

Best devotional for kids ages 4-12

Good “first Bible” for kids 8+

Books on Parenting

Books on Marriage

“Families start to break down—and marriages often break down, for that matter—when we stop enjoying each other.”
Gary Thomas

Sacred Parenting

podcasts

The Intentional Parents Podcast

by IntentionalParents.org

The Family Discipleship Podcast

by Training the Church

Tiny Theologians Podcast

by Take Root Ministries

“It is far too easy to raise a Pharisee, a child who knows and follows the rules of God but whose heart is far from him. We want our kids to be obedient to God not because they are intimidated by him (or by us) but because they genuinely love obedience and they trust God’s love and care for them. Family discipleship pursues sincere heart change in kids, true Christian transformation.”
Matt Chandler

Family Discipleship

videos

Video Series for Parents

Youtube Channels for Pre-K

“You are as much serving God in looking after your own children, training them up in God’s fear, minding the house, and making your household a church for God as you would be if you had been called to lead an army to battle for the Lord of Hosts.”

Charles Spurgeon

blogs

Modeling a Living and Loving Faith

The Discipling-Making Parent / Chap Bettis

3 Ways To Respond When Your Teen Has Doubts

Gospel-Centered Family / Zach Cochran

The First 1,000 Weeks

FamilyDiscipleship.org / Adam Griffin

The Present & Future State of Family Discipleship

Renew.org / Bobby Harrington

“Children are not a distraction from more important work. They are the most important work.”
C.S. Lewis

reflection questions

1

On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate where you would like your family to be relationally? What about spiritually? Emotionally? What steps can you take to improve?

2

In the “exercises” section, which exercise can you implement with your family this week?

3

Is there another friend you know who you feel has been successful in their marriage and raising their children? How did they do it? What do you think they implemented in their lives to be successful in their family?

“The goal of parenting is not control of behavior, but rather heart and life change.”
Dr. Paul David Tripp

Matt Garcia

Matt is the creator of this website and curates resources on spiritual formation. He is a husband of Jesika and a father of 4 children. He also helps lead a house church. Follow him on Instagram to see what he's up to.

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