Discipling the next generation is one of the most important responsibilities entrusted to parents, church leaders, and educators. Scripture reveals God’s intentional design: children and youth are to be shaped and trained through a coordinated partnership of the home, church, and school. When these three strands are firmly grounded in the truth of God’s Word, they form a cord that is not easily broken.
The Home: The Primary Strand
The first strand in this cord is the home. Parents are God’s primary disciplers of their children, responsible for teaching, modeling, and living out biblical truth daily.
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 home is where discipleship begins—at the table, in conversations, in prayers, and in modeling a Christ-centered life. It is also where children learn to discern the influence of friendships, forming bonds that either reinforce or undermine the faith instilled by parents. As previously discussed, guiding children toward friendships that invest in their discipleship growth is essential.
The Church: The Strengthening Strand
The second strand is the church. God designed the church to support and reinforce parental discipleship by providing teaching, mentoring, and a community of faith.
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. Psalm 78:4
The church models generational faith, creates opportunities for discipleship, and equips parents to lead spiritually at home. When the church intentionally invests in children and youth, it strengthens the home strand, creating a cord of faith that cannot easily be unraveled.
The School: The Supporting Strand
The third strand is the school, which can significantly influence a child’s worldview, moral development, and spiritual formation. Kingdom Education is not a buzzword; it is a biblical framework that integrates Christ into every aspect of learning.
Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. Colossians 2:8
Schools that implement Kingdom Education intentionally partner with parents and the church to provide consistent biblical teaching, mentorship, and an environment that nurtures spiritual growth. When the home, church, and school are aligned in truth, children develop a deeply rooted faith that can withstand the pressures and temptations of the world.
The Strength of the Three
Ecclesiastes 4:12 provides the perfect analogy:
And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Discipleship is most effective when it is multi-faceted. The home provides daily training and modeling, the church provides communal and intergenerational reinforcement, and the school provides intentional biblical instruction integrated into every subject. Together, these three strands form a cord that is strong, resilient, and enduring.
Raising the next generation to love and serve God is a sacred responsibility. Parents must lead at home, the church must support with teaching and mentorship, and schools must implement Kingdom Education with intentionality. When all three strands are grounded in God’s Word, the discipleship cord becomes unbreakable. Children and youth are equipped to walk faithfully in a world that constantly challenges their faith.