“Would you send your children to a school that lacked an educational plan?” That’s what we asked hundreds of parents in 2014. Of course, all of them said no. The education of our children is too important to be merely reactive. However, when we asked parents, “What is your discipleship plan for your children?” most did not have one. Burdened, we set out to better equip families to talk through God’s truths with greater diligence and consistency.
Paul Mermilliod, Ph.D., Daniel Broyles, Ph.D., and Tri-Cities Baptist Church’s (TCBC) Family Ministry Team began working with the families of TCBC, partnering with Jennifer Thurman, a gifted writer and educator with twenty years of family ministry experience to develop a Family Discipleship Plan. Focused on guiding families to teach and talk (Deuteronomy 6:4-9) about God’s truths, two things were certain. First, the Family Discipleship Plan had to uphold the Bible as the absolute authority. Big Truths are proclaimed in Scripture. Second, Big Truths have implications (Big Ideas) that should be prayed through, pondered, and practiced.
From the beginning, the easy framework of Big Truths and Big Ideas alongside devotions, workouts, and commentary guided parents to teach and talk more frequently, normalizing conversations around God’s word. As time passed, growth became clear. The Family Discipleship Plan was strategically equipping parents in ways we had been neglecting. More parents, grandparents, and churches began utilizing it and as demand grew, we launched www.familydiscipleshipplan.org, making our plan more publicly accessible.
We pray it helps you and your family make much of Jesus every day, from morning to night and throughout all the journeys in between.
The Family Discipleship Plan is the property of Tri-Cities Baptist Church.
Tri-Cities Baptist Church affirms the Baptist Faith and Message 2000, Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy, Danvers Statement on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, and the Nashville Statement on Human Sexuality, Sex, and Gender.
Explore FDP Training to learn more about the Family Discipleship Plan.