Home Discipleship RestartSample

In a surprising move in the garden of Eden, God empowered man by giving him dominion. He told Adam to rule over his creation and subdue it, bringing it under Adam’s leadership. He gave Adam the responsibility of calling the shots and let him rule over everything, great and small.

But why? It seems quite silly that the universe's creator would let His creation be ruled by a finite man with limited wisdom and knowledge. Yet, God the Father, being the loving and life-giving God he is, knew that his prize creation, man, needed to have a place and purpose. The responsibility of caring for and tending God’s creation, his home, was his mandate. But, they weren’t mandated to do it all on their own.  Adam and Eve relied upon God as they oversaw the garden. Likewise, we need to take command, leadership, and responsibility for our homes relying upon the one who gave them to us. 

To put it another way, God designed us to be in charge of our homes, but only with God’s empowerment. When Adam was given the power to lead his home, he had the creator of the universe walking by his side. God guided and delighted in Adam as he  cared for all living things. Adam then imparted to them the love and care he received from his Heavenly Father. Adam’s gentle dominion was simply a reflection of the gentle authority that God had over him. Adam submitted to God. Therefore, Adam could lead the living things in Eden.

In order for us to take the leadership role of our home discipleship, we must first submit to the leadership and discipleship of the Heavenly Father. When we ask our children to trust and obey us, we must give God our trust and obedience. When we get under the covering of the dominion of our Father, then we understand the benefits that submission brings. Only when we submit to Him can we take proper authority of our homes. Let us remember that dominion and submission form a life-giving balance. Our homes must trust that balanced relationship to raise leaders and world-changers. Home discipleship leads our children to that submission so one day they can adequately have dominion over what God places into their hands.