Why Discipling Our Kids Starts With Delight - Encouragement for Today - May 5, 2025
Why Discipling Our Kids Starts With Delight
CHRIS AMMEN
Lee en español
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1 (ESV)
As a longtime children’s pastor, I’ve rewritten our ministry’s curriculum many times, but one part has always remained the same. It’s a scripted conversation I have with every child who comes through our program, so I’ve logged well over 1,000 of these by now. Here’s how it goes …
I ask the child to tell me about a friend who likely doesn’t go to church or have a relationship with Jesus. What are they like? Why are they friends? What do they enjoy doing together?
Then I say: “Imagine you and your friend are hanging out one day, and they say, ‘You and your family are Christians. You believe in Jesus, read the Bible and go to church. How would I become a Christian?’” I ask the child, “What would you tell them?”
Ninety-five percent of children respond with something like this: “I would tell them they’re a sinner who needs to repent and receive the forgiveness God offers through His Son’s death on the cross.”
This is a good answer, but I believe it’s not a great answer for one simple reason: The gospel does not begin with sin. Instead, it begins with delight. How we begin when we talk about the gospel changes everything.
Many believe the gospel begins in Genesis 3: The serpent convinced Adam and Eve that God was not as good as they might have thought He was. The first couple fell prey to the lies, sin entered the world, and God cursed the serpent, saying One would come to crush his head. This is good news. But it is not great news if we ignore the two chapters before Genesis 3 and why Genesis was written in the first place.
Moses wrote Genesis to forever record the true story of God’s creation, covenant and faithfulness, which simultaneously corrected any false narratives ancient Israel encountered from the surrounding nations. What did these Israelites hear in Genesis 1-2?
Our God made all things. There are no little gods who made the stars, water and animals. One God, our God, made it all. “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1).
Our God does not struggle. He creates by speaking. Nothing hinders Him.
Our God made us very good. We are the pinnacle of His creation.
Our God is the center of the story, not us.
Our God delights in us. We are not slaves.
The gospel begins with delight. This isn’t a creative reformulation of the gospel. It’s simply how God chose to tell the story. God’s story of good news does not begin with us. It begins with Him, with what He freely wants to do, not under compulsion or pressure from anyone or anything. It’s clear as day to any reader that God wants to both delight in us and have us know that we are His delight.
Lord, help me to teach my children to delight in You as You delight in them. Equip me to communicate Your awesome love for them so that they might love You all the days of their lives. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
OUR FAVORITE THINGS
You can learn how to partner with God to love and disciple your kids with delight. Pick up a copy of Raising Disciples at Home by Chris Ammen.
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FOR DEEPER STUDY
2 Timothy 2:1-2, “You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also” (ESV).
When you hear the word “discipleship” as it applies to raising your children, what feelings does that word conjure up for you?
How would your perspective of family discipleship change if you knew that it is ultimately God, not you, who is in control of your child’s spiritual growth? Share with us in the comments!
© 2025 by Chris Ammen. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 31 Ministries
P.O. Box 3189
Matthews, NC 28106
www.Proverbs31.org
