One of the greatest responsibilities given to parents is the discipleship of their children. From a biblical worldview, the task of shaping the faith, values, and worldview of the next generation belongs first and foremost to the home. While the church and Christian schools are valuable partners, Scripture makes it clear that parents are God’s primary means of passing truth from one generation to the next. The table is the place where families gather to eat, talk, pray, and reflect. It is one of the most powerful—and yet often overlooked—centers for discipleship.
Parents: The First Disciplers
The Word of God emphasizes the parent's responsibility in discipleship:
And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. Deuteronomy 6:6–7
The picture here is not one of occasional instruction but of a lifestyle of discipleship. Every moment, every setting—and especially the daily rhythms of life—offers opportunities for parents to build a child’s foundation. Barna Research highlights that nearly 64% of young adults who grew up in church leave the faith after high school, often because their faith was never deeply rooted at home, around the table. A Sunday morning service alone cannot disciple a child. God designed discipleship to flow most naturally from parent to child, in the context of everyday life.
The Table: A Place for Discipleship
Throughout history, the table has been more than a place to eat. It has been the hub of conversation, instruction, and spiritual shaping. Studies on family dynamics show that families who regularly share meals together report higher emotional health, stronger communication, and deeper bonds of trust. More importantly, the table provides a natural opportunity for parents to teach God’s Word, apply biblical principles, and listen to the hearts of their children.
Jesus Himself modeled this. Many of His most profound teachings were given while breaking bread with His disciples (Luke 24:30–32). The table becomes not only a place of nourishment for the body but also of nourishment for the soul.
Kingdom Education:
Order is Essential Kingdom Education teaches that the primary responsibility of educating and discipling children rests with parents—and that this must be done according to God’s Word. Children are given as a blessing and heritage to parents. God’s advancement of truth in society was designed to flow out of the family, and that foundation was meant to begin around the table. Churches and schools should only serve as reinforcements, not replacements, of this God-given mandate. Psalm 78:4 captures this vision:
We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.
Discipleship of the next generation requires intentional, biblical training that connects faith to every area of life. From academics to relationships, culture, and personal decisions, parents must see themselves as the front-line disciplers, ensuring that their children not only know Scripture but learn to think and live through the lens of a biblical worldview. Order is essential, and God gave children to parents—therefore, making them the first and primary disciplers.
A Call to Parents
If we are to raise a generation who will stand firm in truth, discipleship must begin not with a program, but with parents leading their homes. Here are practical ways this can happen at the family table:
- Read Scripture Together – Begin or end meals with a passage from God’s Word. Discuss what it means and how it applies to daily life.
- Pray as a Family – Let children hear parents pray—not only for needs but in thanksgiving and worship.
- Discuss Worldview Issues – Talk about what children hear at school, in media, or from friends, and measure it against Scripture.
- Model Faith – Children learn more from what they see than from what they are told. Parents who live out their faith daily make the strongest impression.
The future of the church and culture depends on the discipleship of the next generation. God has given parents—not pastors, not teachers—the primary role in this calling. The table is where discipleship takes root, where hearts are shaped, and where a biblical worldview is formed.
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6
Parents, the call is clear: take your place as the number one discipler of your children, and reclaim the table as the most valuable place of discipleship.