When we look at Scripture, there is no doubt that we are called to be disciples of Jesus. But our calling doesn’t end there. We have also been called to make other disciples. We have been given the mission of taking the gospel to the ends of the earth and teaching people about who God is and what He has done through His Son Jesus. The idea is that we would be disciples who make disciples…who make disciples…who make disciples… You get the point.
As parents, one of our greatest mission fields is our home.
2 Corinthians 5 teaches us that we have been given the message of reconciliation (us back to God through Jesus) and that we are God’s ambassadors. As God’s ambassadors, we are to teach our children about Jesus and how to be His disciple. But again, it doesn’t end there. Our mission is to not only lead our children to be disciples but to help them make other disciples as well.
We want to take seriously the spiritual growth and understanding of who God is, what He has done through Jesus, and what He has promised He will do. In doing that we want to teach them how to study the Bible, how to pray, and other basic disciplines that will aid them in their walk with Jesus. However, we can’t forget the importance of helping them understand the call and the mission to take the message of the gospel to the world around us. Part of the process should include learning how to articulate and explain the gospel and challenge them to willingly and openly share the gospel. It is easy to think that being a Christian is a private matter. While there are personal aspects to it, we are taught to be open about it. Rather than sitting back and hiding our belief or simply trying to protect it, we are to be on the offensive in taking the gospel to those that desperately need to hear it.
So what are some ways that we can teach our children to be disciple-makers?
We need to emulate what it looks like to be a growing follower of Jesus.
Kids mimic what they see. Growing up they will take on many of the same characteristics and mannerisms of their family members, especially their parents. Parents, we are being watched! How we behave and the things we do matter for the eyes of those that are watching. This isn’t about perfection, but about showing what it means to be honest, humble, and vulnerable. We should be disciples who are making disciples and letting our kids have a front-row seat to the action. If we are intentional, if we follow through and we allow ourselves to be held accountable to the mission of Christ, think about how this will influence our children.
Engage with your child mentally.
Our children need our instruction. This can seem incredibly intimidating, but it is actually very simple. What are you learning? Share it with your child! What do you think they need to know? Teach it to them! The church can be a huge partner in this process and help you to determine what your child needs to know. Also, don’t let your lack of knowledge or confidence hold your child back. If you don’t feel confident in a subject, learn together. As your child gets older, you have the opportunity to read and listen to things together. Take time to engage them in a deeper conversation. This will help to develop a firmly-rooted authentic faith that they are more willing to share.
Engage in partnership with the church.
How you interact with the church makes an incredible impact on how your child will do the same. Emulate what it looks like to worship, engage, and serve as a member of the church. Help them to connect with others in the church that can serve as another voice in their life that points them toward the gospel and aids in their discipleship process. At Berean, having your child engage in kids and youth programming will partner them with a caring small group leader that can help in doing exactly that.
Engage your child socially.
At a younger age, it is often difficult to find a starting point for kids to share their faith. You can help them by getting to know their friends and their friends’ parents. Together you can help to engage a family with the message of the gospel. Throughout the process, you can provide instruction, help, encouragement, and accountability.
We can’t just focus on being disciples, but also making them. Part of raising the younger generation is teaching them to be disciple-makers. It is what we have been called to do. Are you up for the task? Together we can challenge and encourage each other in this journey.