Creating Traditions That Count: Why Family Time Is The Most Powerful Discipleship Tool You Have

I love creating family traditions.

And I know, I have a tendency to go a little bit overboard when it comes to traditions – especially at holidays.

I love creating special moments for my kids to mark seasons, special occasions & even the occasional Saturday night.

Whether it’s celebrating the first day of Advent with hot chocolate, carving pumpkins in the days before Halloween, or reading Christmas stories in the days leading up to Christmas, there is something special about the time we spend together as families – especially when it’s intentional.

As we head into this time of year, we hear lots about family traditions.

Companies will try to sell you their newest product, all in the name of creating a new family tradition.

We will spend tons of money on special food, beautiful hard-covered books and whatever else we can think of to create a tradition that will mark the season and make a special memory for our families.

What if though in this season we saw traditions as an opportunity for discipleship?

What if we saw the opportunity for family time as an opportunity to invest in the lifelong faith of our kids?

Here are 3 reasons why I think creating traditions is the most powerful discipleship tool you have at your disposal this season.

Discipleship happens best in relationships.

Discipleship – the process of becoming a follower of Jesus – isn’t just a cognitive process.

We don’t become disciples when we know all the facts, have read all the Bible stories, or have enough information.

Discipleship happens as we walk in the ways of Jesus – and that happens best in the company of others walking His way, too.

When we spend time with our families, we are building relationships.

Whether over pizza and a board game, snuggling watching a movie, or creating a new Christmas memory, each moment we spend with our families is an investment into a deeper, healthy relationship.

If we want to see our kids develop a relationship with Jesus, they first need to have a relationship with us – and spending time together intentionally helps that happen.

Traditions show what’s important to our family.

When we create traditions for our family, we are showing what’s important to us as a family.

In our house, every Friday night (that we are able!) is Family Night. It looks a little different every week, but it portrays the same message each week: There is nothing as important as spending time together as a family right now.

This is also why advent is such a valuable season for me, as a mom and as a pastor. Int the midst of the consumerism & craziness of the Christmas season, taking time to intentionally celebrate Advent teaches our kids that celebrating Jesus and His arrival is the most important thing about this season.

When we choose to create family traditions that center around our faith in Jesus, it shows our kids this is important to us. This is valuable. This matters.

Traditions help us build memories.

If you think about the things you remember as a child, chances are family traditions are included somewhere in the mix.

I remember watching Rudolph on Christmas Eve and eating from our families’ special candy dish.

I remember New Years’ celebrations with fireworks and friends.

But I also remember Family Nights where we worked through a devotional and activities – some of the truths we learned still stick with me today.

I remember reading Luke 2 every Christmas morning and (impatiently) waiting for my Dad to pray.

I remember praying as a family – and despite many giggles and hard looks, learning that prayer actually changes things.

When we create traditions that count with our kids – fun ones, but also faith-centered ones – we are creating memories that will stay with them for the rest of their lives.

We can build memories that will bring to mind Scripture, truths about Jesus and the power of following Him when we are intentional about creating traditions.

On Friday, I’ll be sharing a freebie that includes 10 easy family traditions you can start with your own family, or share with the families you serve.

For now, if you’re looking for some ways to equip parents in your ministry to build meaningful traditions, Advent is a great time to start. Check out all our Advent products here!