As a student pastor one of my main concerns and roles is to better equip parents to disciple their children. Today, I want to challenge you with something that I believe God can use to richly bless you and your entire family.
John Newton will forever be known for writing the incredible hymn Amazing Grace. Many who have studied this great man know he was passionately convicted regarding where learning about this "amazing grace" should foundationally begin...in the home.
"I think, with you, that it is very expedient and proper that reading a portion of the word of God would be ordinarily a part of our family worship; so likewise to sing a hymn or psalm, or part of one, at discretion; provided there are some people in the family who have enough of a musical ear and voice to conduct the singing in a tolerable manner; otherwise, perhaps, it may be better omitted...If you read and sin, as well as pray, care should be taken that the combined services do not run into an inconvenient length." - John Newton (1725-1807)
Numerous scriptures anchored Newton's belief: Deuteronomy 6:4-9, Psalm 78:5-6, Ephesians 6:4, Proverbs 22:6, 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12, and Joshua 24:15. Various other places in Scripture point to this wonderful gift which God has entrusted parents.
Church fathers, pastors in former centuries, and theologians saw family worship as a very important priority for the family. These great preachers spoke with clarity and conviction on this subject because they possessed a great theology of family which understood and taught that parents have been commanded and blessed to be the primary disciplers of their children.
There is a great concern that very few Christian families today have an intentional plan in place to disciple their children. Blame it on schedules, sports, work, convenience, or the dog - the simple truth is that for many it is just not happening. Excuses don't hold up in this discussion. I personally believe that until parents embrace their God-given responsibility we will continue to lose this generation of children.
What if our families reclaimed this spiritual discipline? What if our families were radically connected to the Word of God? How would that change our children, church, world, and eternity. I want to equip you to begin this discipline in your own home. I want to encourage you to take The John Newton Challenge. The purpose of this challenge is to give parents a 52-week Bible reading plan that allows them to intentionally disciple their children. Hopefully, this simple reading plan will be used by parents so they can recapture a tremendous gift that God has given to each of you (parents).
Follow this link to view the reading plan. If you would like a hard copy of this reading plan, please let me know. I pray that you will take this challenge and reclaim your God-given privilege of being the primary disciplers of your student(s).
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Amen! I could not agree with you more. We could go back as far as the Old Testament and find that a childs worship was centered in the home and climaxed in the church. George Barna in "Transforming Children into Spiritual Champions" has even reminded us with his statistical data that it was God's plan for families to lead in the provision of spiritual development for their children. The modern experience of churches serving people is as Barna notes "completely unbiblical." Most churches simple enroll kids within a program when they show up, and then the churches may not have-or even seek to have-any contact with the family whatsoever. Our churches are guilty of perpetuating an unhealthy and unbiblical process wherein the church usurps the role of the family and creates and unfortunate and exclusive dependency upon the church for a child's spiritual nourishment. We need to encourage parents to work in tandem with the Church as a partner to shape their children's spiritual well-being. Great instruction.
Timothy Poppell
3 John 4
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