Serving God as an individual has never been particularly difficult for me.
I don’t struggle to read my Bible.
I don’t struggle to pray.
I don’t struggle to go to church.
Growing up, church was where my friends were. In fact, I’m convinced the school system tried to separate us every year.
I remember youth camp. Wednesday night youth. And the first time I ever volunteered in church…
I was asked not to come back.
At thirteen, I thought it would be hilarious to put clear tape over the sink sprayer so when someone turned on the water, they’d get sprayed.
Springdale First Assembly had excellent water pressure.
My plan worked flawlessly — to the detriment of someone else.
To be fair, I didn’t have much to contribute at 13.
But here’s what I’ve learned since then:
Serving God as a family is much harder than serving Him alone.
It’s not that we don’t want to serve God. We do.
But life is loud.
Schedules. Fatigue. Opportunities. Activities.
Most of these things aren’t sinful. They’re good things.
But good things still compete.
If we’re not careful, the things meant to support our family slowly begin to lead our family.
And the hardest part of family discipleship isn’t believing in God.
It’s deciding who gets first place when everything else is pulling for attention.
This Struggle Isn’t New
Humanity has wrestled with faithfulness since the beginning.
Distractions. Pride. Curiously drifting hearts. Comfort replacing dependence.
And nowhere is that drift more visible — or more costly — than in the family.
Because:
The direction of the family today sets the tone for the next generation tomorrow.
What we prioritize now becomes what they normalize later.
A Line in the Sand
Joshua 24 records a powerful moment.
Joshua is at the end of his life. Israel is living inside God’s promises. They are blessed, settled, and secure.
But Joshua knows their history.
He knows they drift when life gets comfortable.
He knows blessing without remembrance leads to distance from God.
So Joshua draws a line:
“But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”
—Joshua 24:15
Regardless of what others do…
Regardless of what is easy…
Regardless of cultural direction…
Will our families serve the Lord?
Families Are Formed Together
“As for me and my family…”
When we read Scripture, it’s actually hard to find a “perfect” nuclear family.
Instead we find families that are:
- blended
- broken
- redeemed
- rebuilt
That tells us something important:
God’s covenant was never built on family perfection.
It was built on a family’s pursuit of God.
Faith is not meant to be a private individual experience when it can be a shared household commitment.
When Paul and Silas shared the gospel with a jailer, they said:
“Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.”
—Acts 16:31
Everyone Serves Something
“We will serve…”
Everyone serves something.
The choice is unavoidable — but the direction is optional.
The Hebrew word for serve is used:
- when Adam cultivates the garden
- when Israel is forced into labor in Egypt
Which reveals a powerful truth:
We either choose what we serve, or we serve what is forced upon us.
Elijah challenged Israel with similar clarity:
“If the Lord is God, follow him! But if Baal is God, then follow him!”
—1 Kings 18:21
The real danger is not calling on God when life is hard.
Most people do that.
The danger is forgetting Him when life is good.
Not a God — The Lord
Joshua doesn’t say “a god.”
He says the Lord — Yahweh.
The covenant God who rescued, provided, and sustained His people.
Many things parade around as god today:
success
comfort
sports
achievement
approval
Joshua reminds us:
Who you serve matters as much as the fact that you serve.
The Decision Begins With You
“As for me…”
No one can decide this for you.
No one can serve God on your behalf.
Spiritual leadership begins with personal responsibility.
A decision without action is not a decision — it’s a hope.
So what might action look like?
Put Things in Their Proper Place
Job
A job is meant to serve the family, not replace it.
Sports
Sports shape a child — they shouldn’t dominate a home.
Hobbies
Hobbies are outlets, not identities.
Meals
Meals are gathering points, not fueling stations.
If God created family before these things, then these things must come after the family.
And the only thing created before family was a relationship with God.
Which is why the first step toward a rebuilt family is a rebuilt relationship with Jesus.
Serve the Lord Together
Serving the Lord is not theoretical — it is lived.
If you’re in town on Sunday, go to church.
Nothing replaces a community of faith.
Make the Word of God present in your home.
“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips…” —Joshua 1:8
Read an age-appropriate Bible story to your kids.
Ask them what they learned.
Half the time Haven says something like, “Noah builds boats.”
But she’s hearing the Word of God.
And that matters.
If we can schedule practices, games, work, and hobbies…
we can schedule moments with God.
Following Jesus Is Not a Spectator Sport
Let’s not let the apex of discipleship be a sermon.
Following Jesus is hands-on.
Joshua didn’t wait for consensus.
He didn’t wait for culture to shift.
He drew a line and said:
“As for me and my family — we will serve the Lord.”
So the question is not what everyone else will do.
The question is:
What will we do — together?
Part 3 will explore how families build spiritual strength by shaping what they prioritize and what they practice daily.