Family Discipleship: A Must-Have Resource for Christian Families

Is family discipleship something you want to pursue in your home? If so, read my full review below to find out why I’m calling Family Discipleship a must-read for Christian parents.

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Every week, I share what I’m reading in “Whatcha Reading Wednesday” posts on social media, but it’s been a minute since I wrote a full book review on the blog! I recently read a book, however, that was too good, too valuable, and too in line with The Merry Momma values not to have its own post.

The book is Family Discipleship: Leading Your Home through Time, Moments, and Milestones by Matt Chandler and Adam Griffin, and it is FANTASTIC.

I have become very passionate about family discipleship over the last year or so, and I’ve spent a lot of focused time and energy learning how to become more intentional and effective at it. One of my big goals I’ve been working on is developing an action plan for cultivating our family culture, and discipleship is a key element of that. When I saw this book, I jumped on it. And it did not disappoint!

Read my full review below to find out why I’m calling Family Discipleship a must-read for Christian parents.

What is “Family Discipleship”?

Maybe you’ve gotten this far, and you’re wondering, “So…what is family discipleship, anyway? What does that even mean??” Knowing what it is will help you figure out whether it’s something you need in your family (spoiler alert: it is) and how to go about doing it. So, let’s briefly define what we’re even talking about here.

Family Discipleship authors Matt Chandler and Adam Griffin define it as “leading your home by doing whatever you can whenever you can to help your family becomes friends and followers of Jesus Christ.”

It is not, they say:

free-form spiritual exploration
using the word of God in order to get your way
a way to raise popular kids
a strategy to become an admired parent
always the most appealing path

But it is intentionally and purposefully helping our kids know, follow, and trust God. And it is our highest priority as Christian parents.

Summary of Family Discipleship

Now that we’re clear on what the term means, here is the official summary of Family Discipleship:

Discipling your family can feel like an intimidating task, but it doesn’t need to be overwhelming or complicated. With a simple plan in place, discipleship is something every parent can do.

Pastors Matt Chandler and Adam Griffin have made it their mission to help you develop a sustainable rhythm of gospel-centered discipleship focused in three key areas: time, moments, and milestones. Filled with suggestions, sample plans, and Scripture references, this book begins with the end in mind―equipping you to create a unique plan for your family as you raise your children in the love and fear of the Lord.

My Review of Family Discipleship

I always love books that inspire with the big picture “whys” but also offer practical “hows,” and this book shines at both. The authors first instruct us by clearly contending (backed by Scripture) for the importance of family discipleship and explaining its various elements and methods. But then they also equip us to live it out in our families through reflective questions, action steps, and a host of creative ideas and helpful resources.

One of the things I appreciated most about the book was that it was not prescriptive. There were no “this works for everyone” formulas or across the board generalizations. The authors laid out the Biblical call for parents to disciple their families, but then allowed for the freedom for each family to carry that out in its own special way.

It was also not some idealistic fantasy, unrealistic for today’s modern family. They showed how family discipleship doesn’t need to be one more thing to add to your already-bursting to-do list, but rather something to incorporate into your everyday life. I loved how their methods and suggestions were completely do-able for any family (which we already know discipleship must be, because whatever God calls us to do, He equips us to do!) This takes a lot of pressure off us as parents to carve out special time or create eloquent sermons in order to disciple our families.

If family discipleship is something you want to pursue in your home, this book provides a helpful framework for a Biblical, practical, gospel-centered, love-filled approach. It’s a must-read for Christian families! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Get a copy of Family Discipleship here!