Current Blog Series : Biblical Vision Explanation
Mature Parents teaching
children - Deuteronomy 6:7-9
Mature saints
training younger - Titus 2
“Christianity without discipleship is always Christianity
without Christ.” – Dietriech Bonhoeffer (martyr 1945)
Why do we think churches should exist without proper discipleship? Discipleship
is not a program it is the life of an obedient Christian. Yet we think
parenting permits us to yield discipleship to a youth pastor, Sunday school teacher
or a children’s minister. The misunderstanding of discipleship in the home is
due to American ideology of church. Throughout the whole of Scripture we see
believers called to minister to their children, and the adults are called to
minister to younger, in faith, believers. Discipleship in the simplest
terminology is teaching someone the things of God so they mature.
All over America churches put millions of dollars into building a “cool
youth group” or an “awesome children’s ministry.” Our focus should be on
building obedient parents who teach their children the Word at home. In Deut. 6:4-9 Moses taught the parents, who then
lived the Gospel so their children could learn of the Lord. The Gospel
transformation in your life should lead you to desire transformation in your
family, friends and congregation. In my walk recently I have begun to feel like
Jeremiah for “there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones,
and I am weary with holding it in.”
So what are we to teach people we disciple? We’re to teach them to grow in grace and in the
knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Pet. 3:18) to grow by
speaking the truth in love to one another (Eph. 4:15) We should sum
up these two aspects as teach knowledge and teach action. Spiritual knowledge
without action yields legalism; action without spiritual knowledge yields
liberalism.
We are
to model mature Christianity to everyone (Phil. 4:9; Heb. 13:7). Parents should
bring their children into worship to hear the Word of God, and then through the
week ensure the child has grasped the points from Sunday. In Scripture any time
the Word was read the children were to be present (Joel 2:16, 2 Chr. 20:1-13,
Exodus 19, Neh. 8, Deut. 6, Mat. 5-7). In modern times we separate the children because, “they
can’t understand the preacher.” If your students can’t understand the preacher
then that is the fault of the preacher, for we are to teach till all are mature
(Ephesians 4). You child will grasp the
Gospel if you believe that “His word never returns void.” After all, you child
grasps TV sitcoms, so why don’t you think they’ll grasp the creator’s Word?
So why should we teach our children or younger bretheren?
(1)All
Christians will struggle against sin, and we need all the help we can get in
this fight. Christ died for the whole church, not just you! It is time we quit
thinking what we can get from our church, and start thinking what we can
contribute. (Rom. 12:3-8)
(2)
If a church neglects discipleship, or teaches a skewed, unbiblical version of
it, it will wrongly assure false practices, and squelch the potential growth of
young believers.
My current job title is Discipleship Pastor, so this topic is first
working on my heart and will hopefully spill into our church. If we follow Scripture as
listed above and foster a culture of Christian discipleship, we will see true
maturation of all believers regardless of their age. This spiritual fervor will
lead believers to share their faith with others thus leading to a growing
congregation. “A church that is not growing in the faith will ultimately yield
an unhealthy witness to the world.”
