FAMILY DISCIPLESHIP Chicago Children Bible FellowshipCBF Isaac Y

FAMILY DISCIPLESHIP Chicago Children Bible Fellowship(CBF) Isaac Y. Choi

Hymn # 738 “Jesus Loves Me” 1. Je-sus loves me! this I know, For the Bi-ble tells me so, Lit-tle ones to Him be-long; They are weak, but He is strong. Refrain: Yes, Je-sus loves me. Yes, Je-sus loves me. The Bi-ble tells me so. 2. Je-sus loves me! this I know, As He loved so long a-go, Tak-ing children on His knee, say-ing, “Let them come to me. ” 3. Je-sus loves me! He who died Heaven’s gates to o-pen wide. He will wash a-way my sin, Let His lit-tle child come in. 4. Je-sus loves me still to-day, Walk-ing with me on my way. He’s pre-pared a home for me, and some-day His face I’ll see.

OVERVIEW 1. God wants to expand your vision for your family. He wants to inspire and refresh your heart for the things that matter most. 2. This journey is going to take us to the Bible. The Bible is divinely inspired book, and in it God reveals to us his grand vision and purpose for our lives and families. 3. Everyone’s family is different, but God’s purpose for every family is the same. No matter what kind of family you came from, or what kind of family you are in right now, God has chosen to put you together for a reason. 4. The world needs more disciples who love Jesus more than anything else, and who will bring his love and compassion to everyone they meet. When we raise up the next generation to live for him, we do our part to fill the earth witnesses of God’s glory and grace.

Which one of the following would you as a parent want most for your children? A. B. C. D. To be successful academically. To be successful athletically. To be successful socially. To be a person of faith and character. E. All of the above. What is a parent’s greatest joy? “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. ” (3 John 4)

What is the first and greatest commandment in the Bible? “One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question. ‘Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law? ’ Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. ’” (Mt 22: 3538) What happens when we love God? • • • Read the Bible Pray to God Obedient to God Filled with compassion Share God’s word

Why do we need to love God? • God wants us to have a father & son relationship. • The essential quality in the relationship is love • Love for God brings all that loyalty: devotion, trust, commitment, affection, obedience, sacrifice, trust, thanksgiving and service to God. • Relationship with God can keep on going forever. Then how can we show our love? • Worship God • Be obedient to him and his word • Imitate God’s characters

Three theological foundation of family Through the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, to see what God had said about kingdom purposes for the family (taught until late 1800 s). 1) God created family to be discipleship center. • To have common life together • Discipleship happens in the context of relationship • Small group (domestic church) 2) The biblical purpose of parenting is to impress the hearts of children with a love for God. • Godly offspring (Mal 2: 15) • Salvation through Jesus Christ 3) God created the family as an essential engine for world evangelization through the power of multi-generational faithfulness. • Fill the earth with godly people (Gen 1: 28 a) • Advance the gospel to the world (Mt 28: 19 -20 a)

The first commandment and the great commission Gen. 1: 28 “God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it…. . ’” Mt. 28: 19 -20 a “Therefore, go and make disciples Be fruitful & Increase in number of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. And teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you…. . ” Make disciples Fill the earth Of all nations Subdue it Teaching them to obey everything I Have commanded you

What is the family? • God has formed men in family (parent + children) • Family is a divine institution with divine purpose. • God created the institution of the family as the foundation for all human life, in all places and in all times. Who are the children? • God’s precious gifts (godly offspring) • The most loved (successful) • Sinners like us (salvation) Do you want your children to be successful in life? Success is not helping our children be what they want to be. But, success is helping our children be what God wants them to be.

What is the purpose of family? “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. (Dt. 6: 5) Love God with one’s whole being How to fulfill this in family? 1. Be upon your hearts “ These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. ” (Dt. 6: 6) • Parent must accept a love for God from the heart. • Parent must be a role model (three love).

2) Impress them on your children (Dt 6: 7 a) • God’s primary plan of evangelism & discipleship is from parent to children. • God wants everyone to be in a discipleship small group from their birth (He calls it family). • Parent leads them to know, love and serve God (Dad & mom should be pastors at home). • Parenting is to lead our children to salvation by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ and also help them to bring many others including their own children. • As a parent, making disciples begins with our children that God has entrusted to us. • Parent must lead them intentionally, passionately & fervently while they are in our homes.

Maturity progress chart 18+ years → 5% 14 -18 years → 10% 1 -13 years→ 85% Only 10% of all the Christians in the U. S became believers after age 18.

How do we start to impress? “…. . Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. ” (Dt. 6: 7 b) • God instructs parents to talk with their children about a love for God (spiritual things). • The context of a heart relationship that vital & spiritual tool have an influence & discipline on children. • To impress the hearts of our children must be rooted in daily conversation. • Our transition times (our ‘in-between’ times) • The first few moments and the last few moments of the day are powerful windows into the hearts of our children.

The necessity of family discipleship 1. Europe was the center of Christianity on planet earth. Now, Bible believing Christians represent less than 2% of population (Many Nigerian pastors in Europe). 2. In 2006, George Barna’ research in US indicates that 7080% of children who grew up in Christian churches leave their faith when they start college. (Not many young people in churches). 3. Many Christian churches today are offering more and more programs, and making fewer & fewer disciples (Just because the seats are full, doesn’t mean disciples are being made). These facts show that the evangelism and discipleship are in dire crisis, and also it become a generational and global problem.

What are the fundamental causes? 1) Missing the core of the Christian family (Dt. 6: 5 -7) • 19 th century industrial revolution • No one is ever home • No passing faith from parent to children 2) The loss of belief in the word of God (2 Ti 3: 16) ”All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. ” (2 Ti 3: 16, 17) • Out-sourcing children’s spiritual discipline & discipleship (from home to church / from parent to youth pastor. *3 Hx 50 W<8 Hx 365 D *) • Spiritual growth and obedience cannot be separated from one another. These causes indicate that we, parents and youth ministry, are doing in our own way using the latest creative approaches, new ideas and human innovations with the neglecting God’s way.

What are the immediate results? • Children’s spiritual life became more of a performance. • Due to the postmodernism, children refused to recognize the absolute truth. • Technology began to redefine the average kids and control them. • Parent’s focus became more about the child’s outward behaviors and spiritual image-control. • Too many children became the victim of their parents’ ego. • Parents became distracted from their higher biblical calling and responsibility at home. • Church’s priorities moved from evangelism and discipleship to building and budget.

Family discipleship from family worship For many centuries, the priority of spending spiritual time together in the home has been called “family worship. ” • John Calvin boldly called the church back to a biblical view of family and the need for the Great commission to begin within the jurisdiction of the home. • John Knox wrote in 1556, “you must share with your children in reading Scripture, exhorting, and in prayers, which I believe should be done in every house once a day, at least. ” • Jonathan Edward wrote in his farewell sermon in 1750, “Every Christian family ought to be as it were a little church, consecrated to Christ, and wholly influenced and governed by his rules. And family education and order are some of the chief means of grace. If these fail, all other means are likely to prove ineffectual. If these are duly maintained, all the means of grace will be likely to prosper and be successful. ”

Family discipleship from family worship Charles Spurgeon wrote in his article, “The kind of Revival We Need. ” “We deeply want a revival of family religion. The Christian family was the bulwark of godliness in the days of the puritans, but in this evil times hundreds of families of so-called Christians have no family worship, no restraint upon growing sons, and no wholesome instruction or discipline. How can we hope to see the kingdom of our Lord advance when His own disciples do not teach His gospel to their own children? Oh, Christian men and women, be thorough in what you do and know and teach! Let your families be trained in the fear of God and be yourselves ‘holiness unto the Lord’; so shall you stand like a rock amid the surging waves of error and ungodliness which rage around us. ”

Family discipleship from family worship 1. Dt. 6: 5 -7 say that parents are to be the primary spiritual leaders for their children at home. 2. Family worship is the time for the family to gather and turn to God in worship through prayer, singing praising songs, reading Bible and engaging in spiritual conversation. 3. Family worship deepens and strengthens the family relationship, and provides an opportunity to take the lead in passing faith to our children. (Family discipleship) 4. Family worship brings the spirit of worship into the church.

Family worship time has 5 suggested components: 1. Activity - Start with something fun! This activity from crafts 2. 3. 4. 5. to games, to object Bible lesson. (based on time limit or can skip activity) Singing - One of the ways that God invites us to worship him by singing. Bible reading - This is the most important part of family worship. Because God uses his word to transform us. Talk about it - Through Bible reading, we will find some questions that will help our family dig into the truth of God and apply it. Prayer - End family worship with united prayer. One way to pray together is to use the ACTS model. A= Adoration, telling God how wonderful he is! C= Confession, admitting our sins before God T= Thanksgiving, showing our gratitude to God S= Supplication, asking God for things we need

What else can we do? • • Catechism study – questions and answers Bible verse memorization Singing spiritual songs Sharing prayer topics Writing Bible testimony Reading spiritual books Watching influential movies Participating in God’s works(serving worship service, writing letters, visiting campuses, trip to ministry and Bible related places, and so on) Conclusion: 1. Who can God call to evangelize and disciple our children? 2. How can parents to do this? One word: Strong church does not make strong families, but strong families make a strong church.