6 Tips for Summer Family Discipleship

Written by Dianna Wiebe on June 14, 2023.

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Family discipleship can be quite a challenge in today’s world. With the ever-increasing demands of our busy lives, finding ways to help our children grow in faith can sometimes feel overwhelming. However, it’s important to remember that family discipleship doesn’t have to follow a one-size-fits-all approach. In fact, it can take on various forms depending on your family dynamics and the season of life you’re in.

In my own family, we didn’t have a formal family worship time due to my husband’s demanding work schedule. Instead, we embraced the principles outlined in Deuteronomy 6:4-7, incorporating discipleship into our everyday lives. Our children were exposed to the teachings of our faith through regular church attendance, listening to Christian radio, observing us study and teach, and engaging in spiritual discussions during mealtime. Our faith grew as a family, even without a rigid structure in place. Similarly, your family’s approach to discipleship will be unique and might differ from others—and that’s perfectly okay.

As we are in the midst of the summer season, it’s an excellent opportunity for you to make adjustments to your discipleship routine. Here are a few recommendations to consider:

How to Set Family Discipleship Goals

Talk about it and choose together what you want to study. Choose something in which each family member can grow in their faith. Our family loves to teach, so we would choose a topic of study. However, if you are a family who loves music you may study the origin of the great hymns of the faith, or look at the lives of modern artists and pray for them as they tour this season. Regardless of what you choose to do, this can be a fun exercise for your family and launch you into the next season of spiritual growth.
Keep it simple. Study a short book of the Bible, a specific biblical person, or a topic. Summer is a great time for a more in-depth study on a personal level while allowing the family time to center around discussion regarding what each person is discovering. Our new Bible Study Journals would be a great choice for this summer!
Write it down. It is more likely that you will achieve your family discipleship goals if it is written down and posted where the whole family can see it.

Tips for Family Discipleship

Take time to stop and look at the things around you. As you go, ask your children what evidence they see of a Creator or the Flood. Time is never lost when we take time to observe creation and thank the Lord for the little things He has created. Stop and look at the people in your neighborhood, and ask how we as a family can reach out to them.
Take time to pray with your children, and not only before meals and at bedtime. Since we live in Wyoming, we spend a lot of time driving. When we drive into town, go to church, or begin a trip, we pray as a family. Even now, as we talk with our adult children or text each other, we often ask, “How can I be praying for you?”
But don’t stop there; be sure to discuss answers to prayer, especially if you have younger children. All of us need to be reminded that God not only hears but answers our prayers.
Be deliberate about choosing events and trips that include aspects to help you and your children grow spiritually. While on vacation or over the holidays, choose a different kind of church to attend. Get to know believers in other denominations and allow your children to see different aspects of the body of Christ. Our children have attended conventions, workshops, and training with us. When they were teens we encouraged them to pursue training and opportunities to learn and serve.
Introduce your children to their spiritual heritage. When our children were teens, we saved together as a family and went to Israel. It was a deliberate decision on the part of my husband and I to give our children spiritual roots. Part of our plan was to teach them and then take them to see the land. To this day, our children point to that trip as one of the most influential events in their lives. That trip forever changed all of us and deepened our faith. Not every family can take a trip, but we can all point to those in our family who have lived faithful lives before. Visit them, in person or by device, and ask them about their lives and faith. If books have been written by your family, read them together. Connect your children to their spiritual heritage.

As you embark on this summer season, I encourage you to seek guidance from the Lord on how you can enhance your family discipleship, just as Deuteronomy 6:4-7 instructs us. To support you in this journey, we have a variety of resources available on our website, including studies, flash cards, and timelines designed specifically for families like yours. Feel free to explore our catalog and discover valuable tools to enrich your family’s spiritual growth.

Remember, family discipleship is a unique and personal journey for each family, so don’t be discouraged if your approach differs from others. What matters most is the effort you put into nurturing your children’s faith and building a strong spiritual foundation within your family.

May this summer be a time of deepened connections, meaningful conversations, and spiritual growth as you walk hand in hand with your children on this discipleship journey. Embrace the joy of watching them flourish in their faith and know that you are making a lasting impact that will shape their lives for years to come.