Creative Discipleship in the Home

I took a black-and-white film class in college, eager to absorb the knowledge my professor gained at a prestigious art school. To my disappointment, I struggled to grasp the concepts she taught through lectures and PowerPoint. My knowledge didn’t convert to understanding until I started actually using my own camera (wasting a lot of film in the process!) and asked my husband for help. He helped me apply the concepts I learned in the classroom to my camera. Were my classroom lectures ineffective? Certainly not, but it was the hands-on learning and experience that grew me as a photographer and cultivated the love I still have for it, inspiring me to go and share that gift with others.

As Christian moms, we long for our children to grow in their love for the Lord. We pray that the faith we share becomes their own longing—to be disciples who go and make disciples. We strive to “train up a child in the way he should go” with the hope that “even when he is old he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). However, as a pastor’s wife, I’ve met many believers whose only experience of “discipleship” was more of a sterile, let-me-lecture-you style than hands-on, life-on-life. There are many means that the Lord uses to grow his disciples, including in formal settings like sit-down studies and church services, but some of the most impactful moments of formation come in the everyday, creative discipleship opportunities we capture as moms.

Deuteronomy 6:6-7 gives us a clear picture of these “less-formal” settings where parental training and discipleship take place:

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.

Here, we see that discipleship happens at a variety of times, places, and spaces. We moms can talk to our kids when they’re walking, sitting, waking, or going to bed. Instagram might show us a number of reels or carousel posts prescribing how to do this, but discipleship isn’t a one-size-fits-all formula. We each can consider our own unique family dynamics and seek to be faithful with the opportunities before us.

Discover What Motivates Both You and Your Child

One way my husband and I try to bond with our kids is by discovering a shared joy. My son used to love playing with his army men when he was smaller. He would engage in battle, but I would attempt to befriend my enemy instead. Those playtimes never really lasted long. The reality is that children notice when their parents are actually delighting in the activity or not. They are careful observers, and sometimes, they do a better job at figuring out what delights, motivates, and drives their mom and dad than we do. We can get so busy with our schedules that we fail to study and observe our children—their individual interests and giftings. Sure, there are activities that are easy to share together, like watching movies or going shopping, but think of a hands-on activity that requires growing in a certain skill, learning something, or solving a problem together. This creates a wonderful environment for discipleship.

Keep God’s Word Central

What is it that actually brings about true change in the heart of a person? It’s the work of the Spirit and the Word of God, which is living and active.[1] So this must be the foundation for our discipleship. Once we’ve established the activity, we want to intentionally direct our conversation to the things of the Lord. Remember Deuteronomy 6? We are to teach our kids diligently and to seize every opportunity as the Holy Spirit prompts us.

My youngest daughter loves nature, and I love gardening. So she helps me harvest lettuce while we talk about God’s creation in Genesis. Or maybe as we plant seeds, we talk about concepts from “The Parable of the Sower,” paying special attention to how the same type of seed may produce in one spot of our garden but not in another because of the conditions. Rather than just spiritualizing the activity we are doing, I try to use it as a springboard to get back to the Word of God as a focal point. While we both enjoy the activity, gardening is just another medium that helps reinforce what we are already learning in Scripture.

Make the Most of Your Current Season

Spending time with our kids can be intentional without being rigid. These moments come as a natural overflow of our own walk with God. As we delight in the Lord, that delight spills into the bread we bake, the soccer balls we kick, and the books we read and discuss. In the process, we can help stir our kids up in their affections for the Lord, grow a deeper bond together, and also cultivate new life skills.

Additionally, some of the creativity involved might just be the times and places we engage our children in conversation. If you are a working mom and the only window of time you’ve been given in this season is the drive to your child’s school, utilize that. Listen to memory verse songs or an audio Bible. Discuss the meaning of the verse or the passage you just listened to. If your child enjoys reading, look for a quality audiobook and then discuss elements of the story while filtering its message through the lens of Scripture. What problems occurred? What might a biblical solution be to that problem? Did the character make the right choice?

Whatever your context, there is no one-size-fits all application when it comes to your unique relationship with your unique child. The beauty of God’s Word is that it is profitable and applicable in all life situations. While participation in a local church and the formal study of his Word are vital, parents also have unique opportunities to talk about the Lord and train their kids throughout the day. So, with careful observation, let’s find organic ways to apply Scriptural principles and teach our kids to steward their gifts, all for the glory of God.

[1]  Heb. 4:12