The Spartan Blog

At Calvary Christian School, we believe spiritual formation begins long before a child steps into the classroom. It starts in the home, where parents are called to be the primary spiritual guides for their children. The Bible clearly emphasizes the responsibility parents have to disciple their kids, nurturing them to grow in faith, wisdom, and love for the Lord.

Biblical Foundations for Parental Discipleship 

In Deuteronomy 5, Moses is given the ten commandments and in the following chapter, God commands us to keep His law and Word always before us, saying, "These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."

This passage reminds me that discipleship is not a one-time event but an ongoing process that is supposed to be a part of daily life. Parents should see the opportunity to use conversations at the dinner table, bedtime routine, time spent hanging around McKinley Fields, to share God’s truth and model a Christ-centered life. This doesn’t have to be a sermon! It can be as simple as recognizing the beautiful day that God has given us or being thankful for the health and energy we have to run around a soccer field.  

Similarly, Ephesians 6:4 speaks directly to fathers, urging them to take an active role: 
"Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord."

This verse is one that highlights the unique role of fathers in shaping the spiritual direction of their children. Research supports this biblical truth. Studies show that when fathers take the lead in spiritual matters, the impact on their children’s faith is profound. In families where the father is a committed Christian and actively leads in faith, approximately 75% (and maybe even a higher number depending on which study you look at) of the children continue to walk with the Lord into adulthood. This is compared to only about 15% when the father is disengaged spiritually. Wow! A 60% increase simply from the father taking an active role in their child’s spiritual development? What an opportunity!

Practical Steps for Parents

So how can parents, especially fathers, actively disciple their children at home? Here are a few practical ideas: This does not have to be intimidating!  

Family Devotions: Set aside time each day to read Scripture together, discuss its meaning, and pray as a family. This could be a morning ritual, during dinner, or before bedtime. Our staff have added monthly devotional plans your family can use in the Calvary app if you aren’t sure where to start. You’ll be able to find annual plans and monthly devotional plans that we recommend.

Model Prayer: Pray regularly with your children! Not just in times of need, but in moments of gratitude and joy. Let them hear you pray for them, their futures, and God’s guidance in their lives.

Intentional Conversations: Use everyday moments to point back to God’s truth. Whether it’s discussing a challenge at school or talking about current events, lead the conversation toward a biblical perspective.

Church Involvement: Regular church attendance as a family is crucial. Show your children the importance of being part of a community of believers, and serve together in your church. From time to time, we’ll hear frustrations about church, which may include serving with challenging people, disagreements over a church policy, or differences in preferred style of worship. The main point here is that the church has been established by God as His way for us to be connected and further our walk with Him. It’s simply our job to be obedient to scripture!

Personal Growth: The most powerful way to disciple your children is to live out your own faith authentically. Children will see this!

Partnering with Parents

At Calvary Christian School, we understand the vital role parents play in the spiritual formation of their children, and we want you to understand it too! Our goal is to come alongside you, provide biblical instruction, support for your home, a nurturing environment, and a Christian community to reinforce the biblical values taught at home. As parents, you have the primary role to disciple your children. We are passionate about seeing young minds turned towards Jesus as they grow not only in academic areas but more importantly in their walk with the Lord. People often talk about future society with fear, frequently worried about the direction the world is heading. We can say on the flipside that we see 500 students currently being rooted in God’s Word every day and will someday soon take that light to Logan county, our state, and our country to shine brightly for Jesus, impacting those around them as well. Now that’s an exciting future!