Discipling our children, some call it homeschooling…

By Susan Greeves

God has given us parents the awesome responsibility of raising His children that He gave to us to take care of and raise up for His purposes. I believe that we; as their parents, are primarily accountable for raising them, shaping them and preparing them for a life of service to Him. For my family that’s done by homeschooling (at least for this year and the previous years…God may have a totally different plan in the future, and if I’m truly in His will, then any avenue of education is still open to where He wants my children and us).

Deut 6: 6, 7 “These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”

This verse is one of the first verses the Holy Spirit led me to, to see God’s plan for our family to homeschool. I don’t think homeschooling is the answer, I know Jesus Christ is the answer! It’s not something I do for my kids to get a superior education, it’s a tool in which God works on all of us in the family, refining us, shaping us, and at the same time fulfilling what He has laid on my heart; to disciple my children for Him. I believe that Matthew 6:33 “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” means in EVERYTHING we do we should seek his righteousness.

I trust that God will bring the academics if I follow Him wholeheartedly. There WILL be holes in their education, but even in public or private education there is (I can attest that there are still holes in my education and I did go to public school). Jesus WILL fill those holes, and fill them in His timing, if we seek first His kingdom and righteousness.


Isaiah 61:1-4 resonated with me when I first read it. We are chosen to preach the good news to our children, they are the brokenhearted, they are the poor in spirit, they are captives to sin, with Jesus they are released from darkness.

Then Isaiah 61:3 states “They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.” That’s what my children are, God’s gift to us for the display of God’s splendor, not for their own purposes or even mine, but God’s and they should be rooted deeply in Jesus. The whole point of our existence is to love Him more than anything else, and to love others more than ourselves. Out of that is born the great commission; which is to make disciples. I look at what we do as missionary work, just right here in our very own home.