Possible Spiritual Development Plan for Families
Daily
Pray for your children every morning and through the day. Pray with your children “when you lie down and when you get up” (Deut. 6:7).
· They need to hear the depth of your love for them revealed in those prayers.
· They need to hear how you want to release them to God’s call and to see spiritual impact radiating out from their lives.
Talk about biblical truth and your own spiritual life in the flow of family life, “when you walk along the road” (Deut 6:7). Examples:
· “I’ve been looking forward to spending time with you because I wanted to share with you what God has been teaching me during my quite times…”
· “Pastor Rick’s message hit me hard today. You need to know what I committed to God at the close of the service…”
Strive to daily model a life that is surrendered to Christ - by seeking God’s strength to do it.
Weekly
Gather your family to “sit in your house” (Deut. 6:7) for a time of worship. This time may include prayer, praise and a discussion from God’s Word.
· Make a list of people to pray for that you each are intentionally investing in to reach for Christ.
· Share God sightings (times you saw God at work in you or others).
· Talk about a book or devotion that you are working through together.
· Discuss what you or they learned on Sunday morning, Devotions or in Small Groups during the week.
Monthly
As a family, serve others with God’s Love. Plan opportunities that help your teen focus on the needs of others. When families engage in serving, teens form permanent mental snapshots that what matters most is not themselves, but Christ and His mission of redemptive love to others.
Yearly
Consider having a family “mission trip.”
· Arrange family financing to save for an extended time of service in the US or abroad.
· A scaled back version would be to take one day of your planned vacation to do some sort of service or mission work while you are away.
Ideas above adapted by Bill White - from R. Ross and D. Booth – for the Parents of E-Free
