[This is a post in a series on Discipling Your Family Well.]

It is so important that you take the responsibility to disciple your family serious. In order to be successful in this, you must be realistic in your approach and your expectations of family discipleship. While a huge part of discipleship does happen naturally, it won’t be sufficient. Effective, lasting discipleship does not happen automatically. Sure, you will disciple your children regardless. But in what? We seem to do a great job often at discipling our children to be fans of our favorite sports teams. After all, we buy them team apparel, we talk about the team, we watch the games with them on TV, we put stickers on our car, and we take them to games. How could we not be discipling them to be a fan?

In reality, we do not accidentally show up at a sporting event. Nor do we accidentally sign them up to play that sport. Do not misunderstand, I am not saying sports are of the devil (Go Vols!), or that it is wrong for our children to be fans of a team or sport. What I am saying is whether we realize it or not, we are intentional. Likewise, you must be intentional when it comes to discipling your family. The fact that you are able to so effectively disciple our kids to pursue our hobbies only shows you are able to effectively disciple your children. When it comes to being intentional with discipling our family in their faith here are a five suggestions:

To be intentional, eat dinner together…not in front of the TV

There have been numerous studies and reports that show the benefits of families eating together.  There are many for sure.  Dinner time can be a very easy time to talk about faith and a very easy time to “informally” disciple your family.  Beginning a meal with prayer naturally begins things with faith in mind.  Talk about your day, ask about theirs.  What ways did you see God in your day?  What are things you can be praying for that you saw today?  Share about what God is doing in your life personally.  Discipling your family doesn’t have to be difficult or “another thing.”  Use natural times that are already available to your family.  Eat dinner together…and talk.

To be intentional, schedule time each week as a family

It will be different for every family, but an intentional time each week that is set aside for a family devotion is extremely effective and I think important.  It will change as your children age and there will be times you have to miss, so be realistic with this.  This time does not have to be an exegetical Bible Study.  Read a chapter together and talk about it.  What do you think it means?  How can we apply this to our lives?

To be intentional, pray for one another and for the lost

Praying together as a family does so many things for you.  Your family needs to see and hear you pray (get caught doing your personal Bible Study).  Praying together allows your family to be aware of God’s faithfulness as you see prayers answered.  Intentionally praying for the lost helps keep the gospel at the center of what you do.  It also will help build a burden for the lost into your family.

To be intentional, go on a family mission trip

There are fewer impactful ways to disciple your family than serving alongside them.  These trips are memory makers as well as disciple makers.  Memories made on mission trips will never be forgotten.  Going on mission trips together will help build a heart for the lost and for the nations.  Serving others builds an appreciation for what your family has.  If you are in student ministry, you most likely lead mission trips for your students…lead one for your family, or bring them along.  The best thing I have ever done.

What ways are you intentional with family discipleship?  What would you add to the list?  Leave a comment and share!

[This is a post in a series on Discipling Your Family Well.]