Discussion: Replies to Strategic Principles (DSMN610)
Post 2 replies of 150 each to 2 of your classmates. Use Turabian Format. You should engage the reading from this course and any outside reading you may have done utilizing citations. Make sure to include citations from your assigned readings.
Student 1 Brandon
As discovered throughout this course, discipleship is commanded not only in the New Testament (Matthew 28:19) but in Old Testament Scripture as well (Deuteronomy 6:1-7). Discipleship is becoming a light for Jesus to “Just Love People.” Our mission: To teach people to become disciples, so that in return they may bear fruit of love by teaching other people to become disciples. When we fill this role within our lives, we bear the love of Jesus in our hearts. To gain a brighter world tomorrow, it becomes the role of parents to spiritually guide and raise their children to become lights. Dr Dan Burrell concluded in the “Closing Thoughts and Summary” lecture that we should read Deuteronomy 6 daily and often to transfer intentionally the message of Jesus to our children; and when we do this, we fulfil a very special part of our mission that gives glory to God.”1 Essentially, this is living out our faith.
Considering the perspectives and knowledge gained from this course, there are three strategic principles that I would like to instil into my family is to model Christ, create personal/collective time for discipleship, and pray regularly with them. I know now more than ever that discipleship begins at home and modelling a life of a disciple for Jesus is what my family needs and must see. Formative instruction is needed to read the Word as a family (to understand discipleship), pray (leaning into other disciples), and lead others to know God (evangelism discipleship).2 We must not be afraid to allow our children to see our failures, as it gives us a chance to show them Whom to go to when they reach failure in their lives.3 Everyday life opportunities give us a chance to model discipleship to our kids.
From modelling to personal/collective time for family discipleship is essential for our children to experience discipleship/devotion regularly, and hopefully, this will help the family grow closer together.4 Teaching children to have personal and collective time as a family for God and discipleship teaches them the importance of developing Godly habits because it reflects a life of truth and establishes boundaries for daily living.5 Finally, prayer is equally essential. We must daily cover each other in prayer because this creates a special place for parent-child relationships. It is only when children know that we love them and are committed to their well-being that they trust us because they know that we understand their strengths and weaknesses, and when they know we are invested in encouraging, correcting, instructing, understanding, teaching, and praying for them that they can trust us.6
For these principles to be effective, there needs to be an intentional strategic plan for implementation. My wife and I try to read books, lean into other parents, and now we can utilize these tools gained from this course for developing our family discipleship plan. For us, modelling and prayer have been our priority and we believe there are many things yet undiscovered that could help us to encourage our children to continually choose to be lights for Jesus. We are grateful for the gained principles in this course to create time for personal/collective discipleship by reading God’s Word together, worshipping, and praying together. Additionally, we need to equip other parents around us with our gained understanding of family discipleship to create healthy families. In this way, we can witness the way other parents model discipleship in action, we can pray collectively with other families, and spend time in God’s Word. As leaders, we have a responsibility to help each family in their spiritual growth.
Student 2 Kaley
One of the primary principles governing family discipleship is the instruction outlined in Deuteronomy 6 that commands parents to teach their children the laws of the Lord throughout all facets of the day. Wray and Wray state, “We are expected to schedule regular teaching times, as well as to be alert to the spontaneous ones.”1 Instructing children in the ways of the Lord requires parents to always be keen to attend to and address matters of the faith in any situation. As I am entrusted with the lives of my children in the future, talking about faith will not merely be a set routine or structure at a given time, but it will be the anthem of my parenting as I impart the wisdom God has given me to them throughout the various matters of our day.
Secondly, children will learn extensively from what they see modeled within their home environment. There is a responsibility God has granted to parents that includes being faithful disciples before working to make disciples of their own children. Parents must be intentional to exercise a stable and healthy marriage relationship and demonstrate obedience to God through the ways they engage with and communicate to their kids. In order to provide and model a stable and healthy environment, I am going to prioritize my relationship with my husband and also work to exercise discipline and wisdom in what I say and do. Perry Shaw states the importance of this principle when he says, “While there is no question that formal spiritual training in the home is beneficial, there is evidence to suggest that even more significant for spiritual formation is the nature of the relationships that are nurtured in the family.”
Lastly, the Gospel must be the governing principle behind discipleship within the family context. Though children will hear about the Gospel at church, children should primarily know the importance of the Gospel from their parents. Aiming for the motivations of the heart in my parenting rather than solely addressing the behavior that is witnessed will help me to address the root of the issue. Thus, as I seek to understand my child rather than reprimand them for their behavior, it provides an opportunity to impart God’s truth into their lives and help reveal to them the deeper and more pertinent issue at hand. As Tripp and Tripp repeatedly state, “Speak to behavior in ways that focus on heart change.” As it says in Proverbs, “So one’s life reflects the heart” (Proverbs 27:19).
