A reoccurring theme for me at the D6 Conference a few weeks ago was that family ministry in our church communities really needs to start with family ministry in our own homes. Of course, I’ve given mental consent that that is true, but as a husband and now a relatively new father, I’m beginning to take that more seriously in my own home. What does it mean to disciple my kids and to spiritually encourage my wife? How do I do that?

Personally, I feel a lot of responsibility in this area, probably to the point of even feeling some pressure to “get it right.” I’ve been writing about that at MinistryFamily.com and have a lot more I want to share about it, so I sat down with Mark Matlock, Executive Director of Youth Specialties, and asked him about his discipleship plan for his family.

Mark’s response is both helpful and liberating. In a nutshell, ministering to my family isn’t as much about what I do with them as much as it’s about who I become in front of them. I have a feeling the same principle applies to our ministry in the church.

Posted on October 12, 2012