One of the values that guides our church is that the family operating within the context of a local church is the primary place for spiritual development. There are two all important pieces to this value. The family is crucial to its own spiritual development. This means that parents bear a weight in leading their children and in encouraging one another in this work. However, the biblically faithful family is not isolated from the local church. Rather, a biblically faithful family sees the local church as a central part of God’s means for spiritual development. So, for Exodus Church, both the family and the church are crucial to spiritual development.
The family operating within the context of a local church is the primary place for spiritual development.
Some Important Guidelines for Family Spiritual Development
- Be Aware – Before grandiose plans are made for hours of family devotions each week, sit down and think about your family. Ask questions. Look at your schedule. Consider where your family is spiritually. As you do this, you can determine what is needed and realistic for your family.
- Be Intentional – As children age, needs change. When our kids were little, reading through Bible stories was helpful. Now, reading Proverbs, Psalms and Epistles are more helpful. As you discern what is needed, you can determine what you cover.
- Be Realistic – As you think about your family, what is a realistic rhythm for family devotions? Every night is a lofty goal from none. But, starting with once a week and moving forward is a good plan. Make sure you are thinking about everyone in the family. Have a plan that make sense and makes it a joy.
- Be Consistent – Our kids will not likely remember all of what we say…but they will remember that God’s Word was important in our home. This will have generational impact.
Tomorrow, I’ll share some resources my family has used for this that have been helpful.
