Family Devotions: A starting point in the conversation

Most of the parents who are participating in VIP have indicated a desire to have regular devotions with their children. I have shared with some you that I have ideas about how to make this doable. Let me briefly explain my line of thinking. And then, in the days to come, I will share resources, my own creative and practical ideas, and stories of how others are doing it. Indeed, some of you might like to share your success stories. We want to hear them!

Here is how I perceive family devotions in many homes:

An opportunity gone sour. And not just one opportunity, but many. Life gets busy. We try to do family devotions based on what is meaningful for us as adults. Kids get bored. In the past, publishers produced resources that reinforced this notion of looking at kids as miniature adults. We realize it is not working, so gradually we drift away from it or simply rely on instinctive opportunities to instill faith into our children. We know it is not sufficient, but we are not sure what to do about it. We feel bad on one hand, but relieved on the other that we dropped something which so clearly was painful for its boredom.

Does this describe your situation? For some of you, it might. For others, maybe it doesn’t. Maybe you have landed on some solid ways of consistently nurturing your children in the faith. Yet even then, you desire to strengthen those efforts. I pray that this post and others to follow will benefit you.

So, where do we go from here? Here are a few steps I suggest, with more suggestions to follow in the weeks ahead.

1. Mix up the style of your family devotions, based on the ages, interests, activity level, health, needs of your family. More ideas on this in posts to follow. Hint: reading the Bible and discussing it are great. And there is so much more you could do to make it come alive: acting out a story; having kids play-act it; having kids produce a puppet show in the home using simple paperbag or sock puppets, or more sophisticated ones if you have the; going on a family hike in the city, park, countryside, or wilderness and observing life in action. You get the idea…
2. Network with other parents in the church, your small group, and in your wider circle of friends. Think of me as a catalyst, not the expert. I am simply trying to get the conversation started. You all are the parents who are trying to live this out daily. VIP, Very Intentional Parenting, is about owning responsibility for the spiritual nurture of our families. I believe in you because I know God who created you. He is totally jazzed about who you are as a family and as parents. So, network with each other every chance you get. Find out what works and what doesn’t. In  your small groups, share your struggles and your joys.
3. Keep checking the resource page of this blog. New resources are being added frequently.

Now, off you go. Be family! I am praying for you!

The Point of Very Intentional Parenting

VIP, Very Intentional Parenting is meant to be a conversation. Indeed the first batch of conversations are beginning. Via email. Through Facebook. On the phone. In person. And that is the point. We begin talking about the things that interest you and that concern you right now with regard to your family life. So far, six families have signed up for VIP. I am allowing wiggle room through the coming weekend for more to join in. Why? Because I can. And because I care.

I care about coming alongside each of you intentionally and learning about your family and what God is doing in your lives. I care about you as parents. I don’t pretend to have a bunch of answers. However, I do pray for you and I do seek to help you arrive at solutions which best meet your needs by connecting you with resources, other parents, or even suggesting an idea or two which I have learned. This is why I keep telling parents that in the VIP context pertaining to your children, the agenda really is yours. It is also why I am praying intently for you as you seek God’s direction to understand his agenda for you and your children, since you are the spiritual leaders in your homes.

In the process of our conversations, we also spur one another on to worship God by following Jesus and leading our families to do the same. This sort of thing is best accomplished through intentional design. If we simply operate under default conditioning, we tend to rely on our feelings, our experiences during our upbringing (for good or for bad), and the paths of least resistance. This is human nature. I am no different. Discipleship, at its core, requires discipline of self. Yet it also need not be a miserable chore. It should be a joy!

Let’s tap into that joy as we intentionally disciple our children in the coming weeks. And, share your stories. Let’s learn from each other!