Discipleship Parenting

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

- 1 Peter 2:9 NIV

   It is no new discovery that human beings want to know their life has purpose. We want to know our lives have meaning and value. But what is it? What is this purpose? Why has God placed us on this rock? It is natural to dive into, and explore, the details of who you are; your passions, your gifts, talents, and unique abilities. This self discovery is valuable and important as it gives us a deeper understanding of what we have to offer the world around us. However, if we are not careful, it also has the potential to over complicate and distract us from our true purpose - the reason we were created by God.

    You exist simply, first and foremost, to worship your Creator. You exist to recognize that God is God, and you are not. You exist to praise Him and give Him all glory because He is God. We are made to worship, and you are too, whether you recognize it or not. We are always worshiping something, and this is determined through what we place our highest value on. It could be a career or a dream, but more often than not, it is ourselves. Through Jesus, we are correctly aligned placing God as the focal point of our worship. Everything we do is now for His glory. 

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” - 1 Corinthians 10:31 NIV). 

    Oftentimes as a follower of Jesus, I have wondered why I am still on this earth. If I believe in Jesus, why can I not leave this wretched place and be with Him for eternity. I am not alone in this thought process, as Paul - the writer of many letters to the Church in the New Testament of the Bible - struggled living in this body.

“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.” - Philippians 1:21-26 NIV

    Paul’s struggle gives us the answer we are looking for and ties right into Jesus’ final words to His disciples. The reason we remain, the reason we continue to exist on this planet, is because we have been chosen by God to complete His work of making, building, and equipping His Church through discipleship. That is it. This is why we are here. This is why we remain. You are the light of the world (Matthew 5:14).

   After His ministry, death, and resurrection, Jesus completed His time on earth. Through all the incredible teachings Jesus made throughout His life, there has to be some increased weight in His final words to His followers. That makes sense, right? Finish off with a bang! What words were the disciples going to remember but the freshest ones in their minds? So before ascending into the clouds, Jesus blessed His disciples and gave them one final command.

Go. Make Disciples.

    Jesus never did or said anything by accident. His words were intentional and always had purpose. Go. Make disciples. It is so simple, and yet so complex. It is this Truth that has driven us to write this book. It is why we exist. It is our passion.

I am chosen.

YOU are chosen.

YOUR FAMILY is chosen. 

    As a parent, and a follower of Jesus, you have a call on your life to be a Kingdom builder. Stepping out into this calling can be uncomfortable. It can even be daunting. These feelings cause many to stay on the comfort of the sidelines, content to watch what others are doing. They freeze up and develop a short list of reasons for why they are not ready to step into the space to which God is calling them. Over the years, we have heard the same excuses.

“I am not ready.”  

“I am not mature enough.”

“I do not know Scripture well enough.”

    After serving in full-time ministry together for as long as we have, we have caught ourselves spouting off excuses to not dive in. Stepping out is scary. It is full of uncertainty. Yet in the midst of all the emotion, you continue to feel it. That gentle nudging that comes from the Holy Spirit. He is driving you to do more; to step out in your faith. Oftentimes this urge starts out small, under the surface, but it is something you cannot shake. As the urge inside you grows, the battle of thoughts inside your head gets louder and louder.

What if I heard God wrong?

What if I am rejected?

What if I mess it up?

What if I am not good enough?

What if they ask a question and I don’t know the answer?

    It is the “what if” lies of the enemy that keep us from going out and being powerhouses for the Lord. Let’s be honest, we all hate messing up and looking foolish. Nobody wakes up in the morning excited to get it wrong. That is never fun for anyone. We know for certain that if we remain comfortable and in control on the sidelines, we won’t have to deal with any messes. We will be safe. Listen, you are not alone in these thoughts. It is okay that you had them. However, it is not okay to allow the fear of the “what ifs” to leave you sidelined.

    Here is the reality. As a follower of Jesus you are called. Now, when I say, “called,” I am not talking about a specific job, vocation, or ministry. I am saying you are called into a new life with Jesus. You are called to be counter cultural. You are called to live your life differently than the rest of the world. No longer can you live the life you once lived because you are a new creation. This means your priorities have changed. You no longer live for the temporary, but now live for eternity. This shift in perspective must change in your own heart and mind. Your family, your very children's lives, depend on it.