To pray. To read God's Word. To memorize God's Word. To tithe. To worship corporately. To LOVE submitting to God and those to whom He has delegated authority. To live on mission. To love the peoples of the world. To live in community with NEHBCers. To forgive. To deny oneself. To live the culture of God while living in the American culture. To serve.
There are times of sit down teaching, but as importantly there have to be times to go and practice the biblical concepts we are learning. Teaching without practice produces lives lived divorced from the gospel. Discipleship has to be a process of teach-practice--teach--practice--teach--practice.
Unpredictably, of the list I produced above, I've discovered that discipling my small children in how to serve their church body is the most challenging because there simoly aren't many opps for a small child to serve the body.
Which is why Nicole and I jumped on the Saturday morning set up time for Sunday worship. Ever since NEHBC went to a temporary worship center, I've been taking Colton and Campbell to set up for Sunday worship. They set up chairs, set out the worship service bibles, help carry lobby benches out from storage, etc. It has been so good for Colt and Cam to be serving our congregation and to serve alongside other NEHBCers. Today, on the way home, 5 year old Campbell announced, "big people who love Jesus serve their church".
And just like that the Saturday mornings up at the church have been proven an effective discipleship setting for my small children.
A big thank you to the men and women who patiently let my kids serve with you, even though it slows you down. My kids talk about you with great excitement during our trip home each week as they tell me all the ways they helped set up. Thank you for investing in the spiritual growth of my children. Thank you for being a living community of God.
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