Embracing the Joy of Discipleship in Parenting

Devotional

Day 1: No greater joy than children walking in truth.

There is a unique parental joy that nothing else can touch: seeing sons and daughters live in the truth of Jesus. That joy is cultivated through persistent prayer, patient endurance in trials, and a daily surrender of your children to God’s care. Today, recommit to praying by name for your children (or the young people you influence)—for their protection, holiness, friendships, future spouse, and calling—and trust that God delights to answer. Your faithful intercession plants seeds that often bloom long after you can see them. [46:17]

3 John 1:4 (NKJV)
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

Reflection: Choose one child or young person by name and pray for three specific areas in their life (e.g., holiness, friendships, future spouse) at set times today—morning, lunch, and evening—and text or tell them one sentence of encouragement you prayed over them.

Day 2: The home is the primary discipleship classroom.

God designed ordinary moments—sitting at home, walking along the way, lying down, rising up—to be sacred spaces where His Word is planted and applied. Rather than outsourcing spiritual formation to church programs, embrace your role as the chief discipler by weaving Scripture into conversations about school, friendships, news, and choices. Small, regular habits—mealtime Bible talk, bedtime prayers, commute conversations—create a rhythm where God’s truth becomes the family’s native language. [11:20]

Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (NKJV)
And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.

Reflection: Pick one everyday moment today—dinnertime, a car ride, or bedtime—and read a short Scripture (2–3 verses), ask one open question (“What does this show us about God?”), and offer a 30-second prayer together.

Day 3: Pass the faith baton to future generations.

The truth of God can fade in one generation if it is not actively told, retold, and celebrated; therefore, each family must become a storyteller of God’s mighty works. Share the praise-worthy acts of the Lord, recount answered prayers, and explain His commands with warmth and hope so that even “children yet to be born” may eventually rise and tell their children. Your testimony today strengthens your grandchildren’s faith tomorrow. [13:18]

Psalm 78:4-7 (NKJV)
We will not hide them from their children, Telling to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, And His strength and His wonderful works that He has done. For He established a testimony in Jacob, And appointed a law in Israel, Which He commanded our fathers, That they should make them known to their children; That the generation to come might know them, The children who would be born, That they may arise and declare them to their children, That they may set their hope in God, And not forget the works of God, But keep His commandments;

Reflection: Before the day ends, tell a younger person one specific story of God’s faithfulness from your life (include names, dates, and details), then ask them to tell the same story back to you next time you meet.

Day 4: Discipline without provoking; nurture with Christ-centered guidance.

Parents shape a child’s view of God by how they correct and care; harshness provokes and hardens, but loving, consistent guidance opens hearts to the Lord. Aim for clear boundaries with compassionate tone, frequent spiritual conversations, and regular prayer together—an environment where children feel enjoyed, heard, and led toward Jesus. When discipline is necessary, pair consequences with connection, explaining the why and pointing them to the grace and wisdom of Christ. [19:36]

Ephesians 6:4 (NKJV)
And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.

Reflection: Think of one recent interaction where your words or tone may have provoked your child; apologize specifically today, then ask one curious question (“How did that make you feel?”) and listen for five uninterrupted minutes before sharing how you’ll handle it differently next time.

Day 5: Be fruitful and multiply for God’s mission.

From creation onward, God blesses His people with the call to be fruitful and multiply, seeing children as a gift and a means of filling the earth with His representatives. In a culture that often treats children as liabilities, recover a biblical vision: welcome life, value adoption or fostering where applicable, and raise image-bearers who become disciples of Jesus. Consider how your household can participate—by parenting, mentoring, or spiritual adoption—so that the earth is filled with worshipers. [05:00]

Genesis 1:28 (NKJV)
Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

Reflection: Before tonight, discuss with your spouse (or a trusted mentor if single) one concrete step your family will take this year to “be fruitful” for God’s mission—welcome a child, explore adoption/foster care, or begin mentoring a younger believer—and schedule the first action (call, meeting, or application).

Sermon Summary

I shared why 3 John 1:4 lives at the center of my heart: “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” God’s first command to families—before the Fall and immediately after the Flood—was “Be fruitful and multiply.” This is more than biology; it’s a calling to fill the earth with image-bearers who love Jesus. In a world that now treats children as a liability, I urged us to recover the joy and mission of welcoming children—and forming them as disciples—whether by birth or adoption.

I laid out the parent’s purpose. The home is God’s primary place for spiritual formation. Deuteronomy 6 and Psalm 78 call parents to teach diligently in the rhythms of ordinary life. The church is a vital partner, but it cannot replace mom and dad. Research affirms what Scripture teaches: the single strongest influence on a teenager’s faith is the living faith of their parents. So our own walk with Jesus—our worship, repentance, joy, speech about the church, and daily decisions—preaches louder than any lesson plan.

Healthy relationships open hearts. Teens are most likely to embrace our faith when they enjoy being with us. They also need an ecosystem of care: about five caring adults who know them, listen, and speak truth. Fathers matter profoundly. So do parents who serve in the church, talk often about spiritual things, and pray with their kids.

Practically, I called us to three aims for our children: love for God, a healthy love of self in Christ, and love for others. We spoke candidly about the impact of smartphones and social media on anxiety and depression, and the need for wise, loving limits. I outlined a shift in parenting style: from necessary control in early years, to wise guidance in adolescence, to releasing authority by the time they leave home. Let them make age-appropriate decisions and learn from consequences while home is still a safe place to debrief and grow.

Parenting is the hardest work you will ever do. You can’t resign and you can’t retire—but you don’t have to be perfect. Pray without ceasing. Serve alongside your kids. Guard your speech about Christ’s church. And aim for this priceless joy: to watch your sons and daughters—and the generations yet unborn—walk in the truth.

Key Takeaways

1. Fruitfulness is a calling, not just a count. God’s first command to families is still in force, and welcoming children is a Kingdom strategy in a culture that treats them as liabilities. Christians can resist fear-driven narratives by receiving children as gifts and raising them as disciples, including through adoption. The demographers may predict decline; the people of God can choose faith, hospitality, and mission. [06:37] - The home is the primary school of love and truth. Deuteronomy 6 and Psalm 78 paint discipleship as daily, relational, and generational—conversations at the table, on walks, at bedtime and sunrise. Research confirms it: the most powerful spiritual force in a teen’s life is the lived faith of their parents, not peers, media, or clergy. Your obedience, humility, joy, and words about the church shape what your children will believe about God.
- Build a web of wise adults around your teen. Thriving adolescents typically have about five caring, engaged adults who listen, encourage, and hold them accountable. Many teens long to talk; they just need us to slow down, look them in the eye, and stay present long enough to hear them. Create that ecosystem at home and church, and you’ll lower the odds of drift and raise the odds of durable faith.
- Trade control for guidance as your child grows. Shift from necessary authority in the early years to democratic, authoritative parenting that invites dialogue and decision-making. Let them make age-appropriate choices and feel real consequences while you are still nearby to help them interpret and learn. Expanding a child’s arena of authority prepares them for wisdom when your direct oversight is gone.
- Pray as if everything depends on God—and parent as if your example matters. Talk about Scripture in the flow of life, and pray with your kids about tests, friendships, temptations, and choices. Guard technology and social media with love and clarity, and pray audaciously for their holiness, friends, future spouses, and callings. A praying home becomes a classroom of grace where faith takes root and grows. [06:37]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[02:16] - No Greater Joy: my heart and family
[03:27] - Parenting: the most difficult, most influential calling
[05:00] - Be fruitful and multiply—still in force
[06:37] - Children as gift vs. liability: a cultural shift
[10:11] - Filling the earth with disciples
[11:20] - Home as the primary place of formation
[13:18] - Partner with the church, don’t outsource
[15:47] - What kids catch from us: everyday influence
[19:36] - Research spotlight: parents shape faith most
[23:00] - The 5-to-1 ratio and a listening posture
[28:06] - Habits that anchor teens: conversations and prayer
[36:18] - Parenting styles: from control to guidance
[41:18] - Expanding authority and learning from consequences
[46:17] - Pray without ceasing: blessing and send-off

Sermon Clips

For those of you that are in the room that are parents and those of you that anticipate being parents, I want to say that the home is the primary context for the spiritual formation of your children.Where are they going to learn that God loves them? Where are they going to learn that Jesus died on the cross for them?Where are they going to experience the acceptance and the love and the encouragement and the joy that they should have as a child if it's not in the home?And in fact, the church does a lot of that for us, but the church should never take the place of the home. [00:10:43] (36 seconds) #HomeFirstForFaith

The church can and should partner with you by providing encouragement, accountability, and resources for the job that God has squarely put on your shoulders. I'm speaking to the moms and the dads in this room. God has put the responsibility of reaching a discipling, your children, not on Dr. Tan, not on any of the other staff members. He has put that responsibility on your shoulders. It is your responsibility. You have to step up and do what God has called you. Scripture is clear, what God has called you to do. [00:14:28] (38 seconds) #ParentsOwnTheCalling

This guy's name is Chap Clark, wrote a lot of books on youth ministry. And he discovered that the recommended adult to teenager ratio for healthy development adjustment through adolescence is five to one.Now most of you are probably thinking five teenagers to one adult. That's not what he means, exactly the opposite.Five adults for every one teenager.What he discovered is that the students, the young people that were adjusting well in their lives in pretty much every aspect had on average five significant adults speaking into their lives, caring for them, loving them, guiding them, holding them accountable. That's important. Five adults. [00:23:17] (49 seconds) #FiveAdultsForOneTeen

they found in this study that parental involvement in the lives of their teenagers was one of the strongest indicators of preventing this from happening if parents are actively involved in the lives of their own children then the chances are they will not fall away they will not walk away from the church when they're out from underneath your direct influence [00:27:38] (25 seconds) #ParentalInvolvementRetainsYouth

parents not liking the church youwas a strong predictor of dropping out so moms and dads if you are regularly criticizing pastor tan for his sermons or disagreeing with something that the youth leaders did or you're upset about the color of the paint on the wall or i mean there are so many things to get upset about at a church and if you're voicing those things on a regular basis guess what your children are going to think this isn't worth being a part of why would i want to go why would i want to be there and be around that if my mom and my dad think it's so terrible be careful what you say and how you say it in front of your children be encouraging help them understand that no one's perfect the church isn't perfect we're all sinners but we're trying to please the lord and we make mistakes and we get into arguments but that's okay that's a part of life and we forgive one another and we move on they need to see the body of christ in action without constant criticism and constant negativity from the parents so be careful about that in your life because it drives your youth your young people away from the church [00:28:03] (80 seconds) #ModelRespectForChurch

here's one that's very significant for me fathers staying in the church is predictive of teens staying in the church more than moms they found in the study moms are important obviously please moms don't hear me say otherwise but fathers the father figure in the house if dads take their faith seriously and and and are striving to walk with jesus that is a stronger predictor of young people embracing the faith and staying involved in the church in the community of faith [00:29:23] (36 seconds) #FathersShapeFaith

parents who prayed together with their teens was a strong predictor of teens staying in church so moms and dads if you're not praying with your young people with your own children on a fairly regular basis make a commitment to start doing that doesn't have to be an elaborate thing it doesn't have to last 30 minutes just pray with your kids if they're about to go take an exam at school say hey let's stop and pray about that if they're about to to deal with a friend that's kind of getting under their skin and irritating them a little bit pray with them about that relationship and how to navigate their way through think about how you can encourage your young people through praying with them about each and every thing that's going on in their lives that is a strong predictor of young people staying committed to the community of faith [00:31:17] (49 seconds) #PrayWithYourKidsDaily

and please don't miss this pray for your children pray for your children i actually testify to this on a regular basis the reason my four children are walking with jesus is because of the prayer life of my wife my wife is on her knees praying regularly daily throughout the day on a regular basis for each of my four children and now and their spouses and my five grandchildren she is the reason in so many ways that they are living their lives the way they are so don't miss that pray for your children for their protection for their provision for their holiness for their blessing for their peers for their attitudes for their future spouse are you praying for the future spouse of your son or your daughter you should be on a regular basis who is god going to bring into that person's life for their career and their career choices [00:46:19] (63 seconds) #PrayPersistentlyForYourChildren

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