Discipleship for Kids: Keeping it Easy
Do you know what God has called you to do?
So many people ask that question, but there’s good news! It's not mysterious. Ultimately we are called to love God, love others, and make disciples.
Matthew 22:37–38 says,
"'...Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
After Jesus' resurrection, He appeared to the disciples and the book of Matthew ends with these words,
"Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.'”—Matthew 28:18–20
Many scholars believe the phrase “go and make disciples” means “as you are going, make disciples.” In other words, as a natural part of daily life… make disciples. Wherever you are, whatever you are doing.
Living a life of loving God, loving others, and making disciples looks different for each person, but one thing you can know that's a part of your personal calling: As homeschooling mothers and fathers, you have the privilege of making disciples each day right in your own home.
What is Discipleship?
Disciple: a learner, one who follows a teacher (In this case, Jesus!)
Discipleship: helping someone else know, love, follow, and obey Jesus… helping them to grow in Christ!
Does that sound a bit daunting to you? Overwhelming?
It doesn’t have to be.
We’re sharing simple ways to disciple your children… and an easy-to-use, flexible resource that can help!
How to Disciple Your Children
Begin by being a disciple yourself. This doesn’t mean you need an hour-long personal devotional time each morning before your kids get up—unless that’s your thing, of course! You can learn with your children. Steve Demme shares how you can have a no-pressure devotional time with your family that’s incredibly effective.
Walk alongside your children. Discipleship is more than having devotionals. It’s about living life, modeling what it looks like to be a Christ-follower in today’s world. It’s putting feet to the faith so your kids understand how to apply and respond to the truth of God’s Word.
Use good resources to help. We love that there are so many incredible resources today. Do you have to use them? Of course not! A Bible, prayer, and willingness to learn is all you have to have. But a guide, like Discipleship for Kids, can help you be intentional about discipling your children and help you feel more confident through the process.
Discipleship for Kids by Rebecca Ruybalid Stone
Rebecca Stone, who develops curriculum and writes books about the spiritual formation of children, families, and church leaders, brings twenty years of ministry and writing experience to you in Discipleship for Kids: Helping Children Grow in Christ.
Three Things We Love About Discipleship for Kids
1. Designed for kids. With stories, illustrations, interactive questions, and simple charts to help kids understand the process of discipleship known as the Wheel, this book is easy to read and understand. The author uses The Message for the Bible verses making it accessible to children of all ages. If you don’t prefer that particular version, it’s easy to look them up in the one your family uses.
2. Flexible. You’ll notice in the introduction that the author shares that children can either work through the book on their own or with you—and that’s definitely possible with its thoughtful design. There are times in life when you need independent resources… or maybe you have a really independent kid!
But we encourage you to go through this book with your children. Why? Because we believe one of the most important aspects of discipleship is relationship. Our relationship with our children directly affects and hopefully reflects the type of relationship they can have with God.
So even though your children could work through the book on their own, answering questions as they go, consider using the questions as a jumping off point for conversations! And there’s an added bonus: it might just help you grow in Christ, too!
3. Includes helpful resources. In the section, Moving Forward, you’ll find appendices such as
- How to Become a Christian. Use it to help your children understand how to become a Christian or show them how to share the gospel with others!
- More Scripture Memory Ideas. Some ways are covered in the book, but there’s another four ways because everyone is so different! What works for one person may not work for another… but there’s always another way to try.
- Recommended Resources. There are five of them. We love shorter lists that aren’t overwhelming, but have great resources. :)
- Glossary of Terms. These simple definitions are perfect for every age.
Discipleship: A Way of Life
Discipleship seems like such a BIG responsibility. And it is. But it can also become such a natural part of life, it can feel so normal.
That’s one of the many things we love about homeschooling our children. Doing life together.
But doing life together as a family doesn’t mean doing it alone. Isn’t it great to know there’s help along the way!
Get Discipleship for Kids today!
