By Megan Clark
A PERVASIVE MYTH HAS SPREAD into families in the Church; the separation of church and life. It’s easy to slip into this separatist mindset leaving spiritual growth to pastors, Sunday school teachers, and youth group leaders. It’s even easier for parents to assume a few hours a week at church will be enough to disciple the children of God.
The remaining days of the week are filled with academic pursuits, sports practices, sleep-overs, piano lessons, swim meets, and science projects. The calendar, the curriculum, and the culture shape the mold of our children’s souls, and before we know it, a new generation of over-achieving workaholics emerge to join the rat race for corporate success or tangible accolades.
Fighting against this current is a Jericho size battle, but with a specific plan God gave in fighting for our children’s hearts, the walls will fall. In Deuteronomy 11:19 God says, “You shall teach them to your sons, talking of them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road and when you lie down and when you rise up.” This is God’s command to parents to disciple their children; to teach and instruct their hearts, minds, wills, and souls towards Jesus Christ.
Discipleship isn’t a Sunday morning bulletin agenda, nor a once a week meeting, not even a daily pep talk. It’s a lifestyle. It’s a sunrise to sunset, walking and talking, breathing and eating, moment by moment conscience choice to build into the lives of your children as parents, stewards, and Kingdom builders. Discipleship is not a casual commitment to learn a few Bible verses and pray before meals. It’s understanding that the child in your arms has an eternal soul that desperately needs oneness with their Savior and guiding them towards Him in every aspect of life, day in and day out.
Somewhere along the line it was determined that the school desk was a predetermined space to instill head knowledge. But this is a ripe ground for sowing seeds of God in souls. Homeschooling, for us, is not a choice for higher test grades or progressive educational techniques. It is the God-given hours in a day to equip our young men in mind and spirit. Our “school” days are ripe with opportunities to further “teach them [scriptures] to our sons.” Physics, mathematics, history—all testify to God’s existence and provides solid launching points for His truths.
Our parenting goal is to disciple men after God’s own heart to become mighty leaders and Kingdom builders. And education, the learning of ABC’s, how caterpillars make cocoons, weights and pulleys, tides and currents, seasons and time, adding and subtracting, creation and redemption—all of it, is discipleship.
One day our children will grow into the roles God has prepared for them. Whether their calling takes them to grad school, corporate workplaces, ministry or any other vocation, our building an early and firm foundation will only serve to provide them a sure footing in a world full of doubt and chaos. The battle plans have already been given; we only need to follow, and our children will grow to enter the world as valiant soldiers, steady and sure, ready to serve God.
Megan Clark is a homeschooling mom to three boys, who keep her pediatric nursing skills sharp. She is married to Matthew Clark, an attorney with the American Center for Law and Justice. Living in Washington D.C. has given their family daily opportunities to explore and learn. Between hiking, running, baking, making messes, photography, and blogging, Megan and Matthew keep Christ the head of their household as they grow alongside their boys in becoming more like Him.
Volume 6 Issue 2 - The Renewanation Review
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