The early Church understood a truth that the modern Church must recover: discipleship begins in the home. The faith was never meant to be preserved by institutions alone, but by faithful believers—mothers, fathers, and spiritual family—passing on the ways of the Kingdom to the next generation.
“These words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children…”
— Deuteronomy 6:6–7
The first believers lived in homes, not cathedrals. They didn’t separate the sacred from the ordinary. Life itself—meals, suffering, worship, conversation—became the classroom of Kingdom living.
Discipleship Was Relational and Generational
The early Church didn’t rely on weekly services to form disciples. Every believer was a teacher, and every home a training ground for godliness.
“Fathers… bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”
— Ephesians 6:4
- Parents taught Scripture and modeled prayer and obedience.
- Mothers and widows catechized children and young women.
- Children were expected to memorize, worship, serve, and even suffer alongside their families.
The goal wasn’t entertainment—it was formation.
Catechesis Was Grounded in the Teachings of Jesus
Before there were seminaries or printed Bibles, early believers passed on the commands of Christ—especially those found in the Sermon on the Mount—as the foundation of Christian life.
“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.”
— John 14:15
The Didache (AD 50–100), one of the earliest discipleship manuals, was likely used to train new believers—including youth and children—in how to live as citizens of the Kingdom.
Faith Was Caught as Much as It Was Taught
Children saw their parents:
- Welcome the poor
- Forgive enemies
- Sing in suffering
- Share their food
- Kneel in prayer
- Refuse idolatry, even unto death
This kind of faith couldn’t be ignored. It marked children for life.
What About Today?
In an age of distractions and digital noise, the call remains the same: teach them diligently.
We cannot assume the church service or Christian school will do the work of discipling our children. The Kingdom is generational, and it thrives when families live it out together.
What We Can Learn
- The home is the first church and primary school of the Kingdom.
- Discipleship must be intentional, relational, and rooted in Scripture.
- Children don’t need entertainment—they need example.
- Raising the next generation is how the Kingdom advances.
Sources:
- The Holy Bible — Deuteronomy 6:6–7; Ephesians 6:4; John 14:15; 2 Timothy 1:5
- Didache, chs. 1–6
- The Shepherd of Hermas, Mandate 4
- Clement of Alexandria, Paedagogus (The Instructor)
- Eusebius, Church History
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