Dedicated: Training Your Children to Trust and Follow Jesus

PART 1: Understanding Spiritual Discipleship

Chapter 1: Dedicated to Discipleship

In this chapter we create a basic framework for discipleship in the home by way of introduction.

Chapter 2: Dedicated to Relationship

We describe the importance of relationship in the discipleship process from our experiences and the life of Jesus. Section titles include:
* Relationship and Rules
* Relationship and Position
* Invest Quality Time
* Be Intentional
* Learn Their Language
* Get Away
* Grow with Them

Chapter 3: Dedicated to Spiritual Parenting

Just like physical parenting, Christians are responsible for taking care of their children spiritually, even more than physical parenting. This takes real sacrifices and it’s more than just going to church. Section titles include:
* The Root of the Problem
* Making Necessary Sacrifices
* The Ups and Downs
* Show the Shema (from Deut. 6:4ff)
* Talk about the Lord At Home, On the Road
* When you Lie Down and Get Up
* Dedicating with Your Hands, Head, and House

Chapter 4: Dedicated to Jesus: The Person

Before we can lead our family into spiritual health, we must be connected to the person of Jesus personally, as a couple, then altogether. This means that we are dedicated to the person of Jesus from the inside out. Section titles include:
* Your Life Built on the Rock
* Your Marriage Built on the Rock
* Your Home Built on the Rock

Chapter 5: Dedicated to Jesus: The Teacher

Not only are we dedicated to Jesus, who is alive today, but the Jesus who taught on earth. We learn not only what to teach but how to teach our children by Jesus’ spiritual parenting methods. He taught by example--his life was the lesson. *We are looking for stories of parents whose example changed their children for better or for worse. We used examples of prayer, fasting, forgiveness, and mowing the lawn.


PART 2: Basic Practices of Discipleship

Chapter 6: Dedicated to Family Worship

The home is our primary place of worship. We use this space to give a basic template for family worship, but then give our specific family practices for worship. *We are looking for other specific examples of how families worship together--their habits, preferences, and quirks.

Chapter 7: Dedicated to the Word

This chapter accentuates the primacy of God’s word in family discipleship. *We are looking for stories or examples of how parents use the word of God in practical, creative, and engaging ways to teach their children. The more specific the better. For example, Chad’s dad encouraged scripture memorization for money (e.g., Proverbs 31).

Chapter 8: Dedicated to Prayer

Discipling parents are praying parents. Section titles include:
* What Parents Pray For: Conversion
* What Parents Pray For: Character
* What Parents Pray For: Calling
* Praying Alone
* Praying With Your Spouse
* Praying with Your Church
* Praying With Your Kids
* Praying Spontaneously
* Praying Regularly

Chapter 9: Dedicated to the Church

Dedication to discipleship in the home includes involvement in church. This chapter is about how to be part of a church as a family. Section titles include:
* Consistently Invest in Church, Don’t Just Attend
* Connect Kids to Other Christian Kids
* Continue to Value Church When Your Kids Don’t
* Decide to Influence Your Kids
* So They Don’t Leave the Church When They Leave Home
* We’re looking for stories of the struggles and victories of being dedicated to involvement in a church as a family (e.g., getting involved in a ministry as a family or simply convincing your kids to be a part of the church).

Chapter 10: Dedicated to the Kingdom of God

Dedication goes beyond the church into the world. Parents are to live out the kingdom in all of life. This happens through our 1) words and 2) our actions. *We are looking for stories of when families served God through word or deed outside the four walls of the church. Specifically in your c