Family Discipleship

1. What is "Family Discipleship: Leading Your Home through Time, Moments, and Milestones" by Matt Chandler and Adam Griffin about?

• Practical guide for parents: The book provides a practical, biblically grounded framework for parents to lead their families in spiritual growth and discipleship.
• Focus on three key concepts: It introduces the concepts of Time (intentional routines), Moments (spontaneous opportunities), and Milestones (significant events) as the core structure for family discipleship.
• Empowering ordinary families: The authors emphasize that every family, regardless of background or current spiritual habits, can implement these practices in a sustainable way.
• Not a traditional parenting book: Rather than focusing on discipline or child development, it centers on the spiritual leadership role of parents in the home.

2. Why should I read "Family Discipleship" by Matt Chandler and Adam Griffin?

• Biblical mandate for parents: The book highlights the biblical responsibility of parents to disciple their children, making it essential reading for Christian parents.
• Accessible and realistic: It offers encouragement and practical steps without overwhelming readers or setting unrealistic expectations.
• Addresses common fears: The authors address parental feelings of inadequacy, shame, or fear, providing grace-filled motivation to start or improve family discipleship.
• Applicable to all families: Whether you’re a new parent, have older children, or are just beginning your faith journey, the book’s framework is adaptable to any family situation.

3. What are the key takeaways from "Family Discipleship" by Matt Chandler and Adam Griffin?

• Parents are primary disciple-makers: The most significant spiritual influence in a child’s life is their parent, not the church or school.
• Discipleship is ordinary and ongoing: Spiritual leadership happens in daily routines, spontaneous moments, and special milestones, not just formal teaching times.
• Grace over perfection: Parents are encouraged to model repentance and reliance on God, rather than striving for flawless execution.
• Framework for action: The book’s Time, Moments, and Milestones framework provides a simple, memorable structure for integrating discipleship into family life.

4. What is the "Time, Moments, and Milestones" framework in "Family Discipleship" by Matt Chandler and Adam Griffin?

• Time: Intentional, regular routines (like family devotions, prayer, or meals) set aside for spiritual conversations and practices.
• Moments: Spontaneous, unplanned opportunities in daily life to point children to God, such as responding to a child’s fear or celebrating a success.
• Milestones: Marking and creating significant events (like baptisms, birthdays, or rites of passage) to celebrate and remember God’s faithfulness.
• Modeling: The framework is undergirded by parents modeling a genuine walk with God, including repentance and spiritual growth.

5. How does "Family Discipleship" by Matt Chandler and Adam Griffin define the role of parents in spiritual leadership?

• Primary spiritual guides: Parents are called to be the main spiritual leaders and disciple-makers in their children’s lives.
• Intentional and consistent: Spiritual leadership requires a plan and regular engagement, not just hoping children pick up faith by osmosis.
• Modeling faith: Parents are to live out their faith authentically, demonstrating both strengths and repentance for weaknesses.
• Supported by the church: While parents are primary, the church and Christian community play a supportive, not substitutive, role.

6. What practical advice does "Family Discipleship" offer for implementing family discipleship Time?

• Start with existing routines: Attach spiritual practices to daily activities like meals, bedtime, or commutes for consistency.
• Keep it simple and fun: Use short Bible readings, prayer, songs, or discussions that fit your family’s age and attention span.
• Be consistent, not perfect: Regularity is more important than length or depth; even brief, imperfect times are valuable.
• Plan and adapt: Use the book’s planning tools to design a rhythm that works for your family, and adjust as children grow.

7. How can parents leverage Moments for discipleship according to "Family Discipleship" by Matt Chandler and Adam Griffin?

• Be attentive and available: Look for teachable moments in everyday life—questions, conflicts, fears, or celebrations.
• Use gospel-centered language: Prepare simple, repeatable phrases and Scriptures to speak truth into various situations.
• Encourage and correct: Use moments to affirm godly character, address sin, and point to God’s attributes and promises.
• Model vulnerability: Share your own struggles and repentance in the moment, showing children how to turn to God.

8. What are Milestones in "Family Discipleship" and how can families create or mark them?

• Celebrate spiritual events: Mark significant spiritual steps like baptisms, first Communion, or a child’s profession of faith with special recognition.
• Create family traditions: Use birthdays, holidays, or rites of passage as opportunities to speak blessing and remember God’s faithfulness.
• Use physical reminders: Give gifts, write letters, or create keepsakes to help children remember important spiritual moments.
• Acknowledge both joys and sorrows: Mark not only happy occasions but also difficult times (like loss or illness) with gospel hope and remembrance.

9. How does "Family Discipleship" by Matt Chandler and Adam Griffin address common obstacles and fears parents face?

• Releases pressure for perfection: The book reassures parents that God’s grace covers their shortcomings and that faithfulness, not flawlessness, is the goal.
• Encourages starting anytime: It’s never too early or too late to begin discipling your family; every day is a new opportunity.
• Addresses shame and comparison: Parents are urged not to compare themselves to others or be paralyzed by guilt, but to focus on their unique family and God’s calling.
• Provides practical tools: The book offers questions, charts, and language to help parents overcome uncertainty and take actionable steps.

10. What is the role of the church and Christian community in "Family Discipleship" by Matt Chandler and Adam Griffin?

• Support, not substitute: The church equips, encourages, and supplements parents but does not replace their primary role in discipleship.
• Provides resources and mentors: Churches can offer teaching, materials, and relationships that reinforce what’s happening at home.
• Community accountability: Engaging with other families and church leaders helps sustain discipleship rhythms and provides encouragement.
• Cares for spiritual orphans: The church steps in to disciple children whose parents are unable or unwilling to do so.

11. What are some of the best quotes from "Family Discipleship" by Matt Chandler and Adam Griffin, and what do they mean?

• “Your family is the primary instrument and environment for discipleship in the life of your child.” – Emphasizes the unique influence parents have in shaping their children’s faith.
• “Family discipleship is leading your home by doing whatever you can whenever you can to help your family become friends and followers of Jesus Christ.” – Defines discipleship as both intentional and opportunistic.
• “You are not doing this solely to illicit a desired response, but out of obedience to the call from God on your life as a parent.” – Reminds parents that faithfulness, not outcomes, is their responsibility.
• “Family discipleship is mostly ordinary.” – Encourages parents that everyday faithfulness, not extraordinary events, is what shapes children’s hearts.

12. How can families create a sustainable plan for family discipleship using the advice in "Family Discipleship" by Matt Chandler and Adam Griffin?

• Assess your current rhythms: Use the book’s questions and charts to evaluate how your family spends time and where discipleship can fit.
• Set realistic goals: Start small, focusing on one or two new practices, and build as you gain confidence and consistency.
• Involve the whole family: Invite input from your spouse, children, or church community to foster ownership and accountability.
• Review and adjust regularly: Revisit your plan as your family grows and changes, celebrating progress and making necessary tweaks.