"Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children's children-how on the day that you stood before the LORD your God at Horeb, the LORD said to me, 'Gather the people to me, that I may let them hear my words, so that they may learn to fear me all the days that they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children so.'
Deuteronomy 4:9-10, ESV
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and forsake not your mother's teaching, for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck.
Proverbs 1:8-9
Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
Ephesians 6:4
_______________________________________________
According to TV ads and in-store shelving arrangements, we're in back-to-school mode. Yes, this means you can purchase about ten boxes of markers for a dollar. Glue sticks? About fifty for a dollar. Whatever you're looking for, go ahead and stock up. We both know they'll get lost in a box somewhere, only to be found during spring cleaning!
All kidding aside, this is a crucial time for all of us back-to-school planners. If you're like me, you tend to get hyper-focused on school and sports schedules, along with a host of other social schedules. Don't get me wrong: it's great that our kids have wonderful opportunities in life. God has been very gracious to our families at PBF. It's good to have these things in focus — appropriately so. But what I have found in my own life (really, in my own heart-that place of processing life) is that I have underplayed the value of scheduling more important opportunities for my kids. (Scheduling is a key word! Let's face it: for most of us, if it's not set as a reminder on our phones, it's not happening.) So my brief and loving exhortation in this blog is to ensure that parents at PBF give thought and priority to spiritual outings with their kids this school year. This may include larger, church-wide outings, but if I could narrow the scope to just parents and their children, I am advocating for regular meetings with your kids. Even more narrowly, my focus is on fathers and time spent individually with each child discussing spiritual matters. Keep in mind, this would be an additional effort beyond family worship rhythms.
I'm operating in the realm of wisdom here. None of the passages listed above mandate "Testament Tuesdays" or "Thirst for Righteousness Thursdays." There is flexibility in the "how," but rigidity in accomplishing the task: knowing Christ and maturing in Christ.
To help some of you get started and gain traction, can I share with you what I hope to accomplish with my kids between August and October? You may have rhythms and ideas that better suit your kiddos. I just want to offer something to get us thinking. More importantly, I want to offer something that gets us moving.
Pastor Jay's Weekly Discipleship Plan for Easton (age 9) and Bentley (age 6)
Focus: The Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5-7
Timeframe: August - October, 2026
Meeting Times:
- Easton, Mondays, noon at a local restaurant
- Bentley, Mondays, 3pm at a local snack shop
- Weekly alternation of who gets a meal and who gets a snack
Length of Meetings:
- Easton, approximately one hour
- Bentley, no more than thirty minutes
Method for Engagement:
- Easton, COMA Questions
- Bentley, defining terms, sharing truths about Jesus' character, reciting the gospel
- Both, sharing and praying about life issues
Notes:
- Easton is a growing believer
- Bentley is learning about Jesus
Weekly Breakdown:
August 3
- Both - Read Matthew 5:1-6
- Easton - COMA Questions
- Bentley - Focus on Verse 6
August 10
- Both - Read Matthew 5:7-16
- Easton - COMA Questions
- Bentley - Focus on Verse 20
August 17
- Both - Read Matthew 5:17-48
- Easton - COMA Questions
- Bentley - Focus on Verse 48
August 24
- Both - Read Matthew 6:1-15
- Easton - COMA Questions
- Bentley - Focus on Verse 9
August 31
- Both - Read Matthew 6:16-24
- Easton - COMA Questions
- Bentley - Focus on Verse 24
September 7
- Both - Read Matthew 6:25-34
- Easton - COMA Questions
- Bentley - Focus on Verse 33
September 14
- Both - Read Matthew 7:1-6
- Easton - COMA Questions
- Bentley - Focus on Verse 3
September 21
- Both - Read Matthew 7:7-11
- Easton - COMA Questions
- Bentley - Focus on Verse 7
September 28
- Both - Read Matthew 7:12-14
- Easton - COMA Questions
- Bentley - Focus on Verse 14
October 5
- Both - Read Matthew 7:15-20
- Easton - COMA Questions
- Bentley - Focus on Verse 17
October 12
- Both - Read Matthew 7:21-23
- Easton - COMA Questions
- Bentley - Focus on Verse 21
October 19
- Both - Read Matthew 7:24-27
- Easton - COMA Questions
- Bentley - Focus on Verse 24
October 26
- Both - Read Matthew 7:28-29
- Easton - Sermon on the Mount Reflection
- Bentley - Focus on Jesus' authority
By all means, please improve what I've offered. The emphasis is intentionality. The Lord demands it, and our kids need it. As we gear up for another busy school year, let us be sure not to miss opportunities for the word of Christ to dwell richly in us (Col 3:16).