Start at Home

Discipleship begins in the home. Our greatest influence
will be those with whom we spend the most time.

Start at Home

"And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up."

(Deuteronomy 6:6-7)

Discipleship begins in the home. Our greatest influence will be those with whom we spend the most time. A pastor friend of mine told me, "Spend the majority of your time with those who will attend your funeral." Well, that would be our family and close friends. I am currently in a discipleship group with two other men in our church. We have had a blessed time together over the last couple of months. We are near the end of completing Jim Putnam's excellent tool on disciple making: Real-Life Discipleship Training Manual: Equipping Disciples Who Make Disciples. If you are looking for a good, step-by-step process on how to lead believers to become disciple makers, I highly recommend this manual.

One day last week, my wife called and shared with me that our 2-year-old granddaughter, Claire, wanted to go swimming with her Pops. So, I left the office at lunchtime, swam with Claire in our pool at the apartment complex, and then finished up my work at home. I love spending time with Claire and her sister, Riley (aka Ry Ry). I enjoy telling them how much Jesus loves them and how much I love them. Often, I will simply quote John 3:16 over them as we spend time together.

The following picture was taken the day I left the office to go swim with Claire:

At this time, we were probably talking about a really important topic like Baby Shark or Hide and Seek (two very popular themes with Claire!). It is impossible to disciple another person if you never spend time with them. The Shema (taken from the Hebrew word which means to hear or listen) in our scriptural text for today instructs us in how to teach and train our children. It is helpful and most practical. It is so neat how in the time you spend with your children, God will provide some wonderful teachable moments.

Jesus did this perfectly. He preached to the masses, hung out with His friends, and taught the 12 Disciples, but a large portion of His time was spent with Peter, James, and John. Why was that? He was discipling them and training them so they would be world-changers and disciple others.

Parents and grandparents, let me encourage you to maximize those moments God gives you with your family. Time goes so fast, and you will never regret the time you spend with those who love you the most.

Embrace your call to make disciples

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Podcast of the Week

Readings and Homilies in Romans, Pt. 4

Pastor Danny continues his series reading through the book of Romans one chapter at a time and afterwards offering a homily (a brief commentary on the Scripture that was just read). In this episode, he reads and comments on Romans Chapter 4.

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