7 Steps To Building A Christian Family Part 4 [Archive]

Please pray for Dave and Bethlie as they continue this season of pause on the podcast. If you're a brand new listener or a orignal listener from 6 years ago, we're sure this series will be a blessing.

Recap of Steps So Far

1. Fear God — must first know God to stand in awe of Him. Host shared a personal illustration: praying as a family for a new RV, and God's provision through friends/supporters — using it to show their kids God's goodness firsthand.
2. Keep God First
3. Love God (heart, soul, might/mind/strength)

Step 4 (this episode): Teach God's Word Diligently

Deut. 6:4–9

1. It must be personally real first (v.6 — "shall be in thine heart")

• You can't teach what you don't know/live yourself — parents need their own regular time in God's Word before they can pass it on.
• There is value in a physical Bible over a phone/app: fewer distractions (notifications), and the ability to highlight, underline, and write notes
• Not legalistic about method (no requirement to read X chapters/day) — the goal is that Scripture is treasured and genuinely part of daily life, not just consumed on a screen.

2. It must be diligently taught (v.7 — "teach them diligently")

• Two forms:
  • Formal family devotions — scheduling a set time (Dave and Bethlie do this in the evenings). Their practice: reading a passage, reviewing memorized passages (Ten Commandments, Beatitudes, Psalm 1, 19, 23, 100), closing in prayer.
  • Informal/organic teaching — woven into daily life as Deut. 6:7 describes ("when thou sittest... walkest... liest down... risest up"):
    • Using teachable moments from TV (example: an Andy Griffith episode with a drunk character as an opening to discuss what the Bible says about alcohol; also referenced a real story about alcohol contributing to an affair in a church).
    • Correcting sibling conflict by quoting Scripture on the spot, and having kids write out Bible verses as a consequence/reinforcement.
    • Attaching specific verses to recurring life moments — e.g., Psalm 19:1 ("The heavens declare...") for stargazing, Psalm 23 imagery for green pastures/lakes seen while driving, Ecclesiastes ("in all labor there is profit") for schoolwork motivation, Proverbs 11:16 ("a gracious woman retaineth honor") for daughters navigating "mean girl" dynamics, Job 31:1 ("I have made a covenant with mine eyes,") for teenage sons and purity of eyes.

3. It must be prominently displayed (v.9 — "write them upon the posts of thy house")

• Scripture decor/signs around the home
• Kids writing verse references or phrases on their own hands as personal reminders — modeled after a young evangelist who traveled with the family; framed as intentional and temporary, not a tattoo.

4. It must be reasonably explained (previewed, to be covered in a future episode)

• As kids get older, genuine "why" questions are an opportunity to explain Scripture's reasoning — distinguished from rebellious "why," which needs correction rather than explanation.
• As kids mature, ask them "What do you think we should do based on what the Bible says?" to build their own habit of returning to Scripture.