sent | a missional family
A Family on Mission: Making Our Homes a Hub for Discipleship
Author: Joe Marquez
Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:4–9; Joshua 24:14–15
We are saved by Jesus, sent by Jesus, and empowered by Jesus through the Holy Spirit. We aren't sent because we have impressive degrees, extraordinary gifts, or everything figured out. We are sent because Jesus has commissioned us to share His love, make disciples, and teach others to follow Him.
And this mission isn't reserved for pastors, missionaries, or people with a traditional nuclear family. It's for all of us.
When we talk about our families being on mission, we can easily picture a mom, dad, and a few kids. But what about the single person? The married couple without children? The empty nesters? Every household can become a community that disciples. If you have a door, you have a home. And that home can become a hub for sharing the love of Jesus.
So what does it look like for our homes and families to live on mission?
Love Jesus First
In Deuteronomy 6:4–6, Moses reminds God's people:
"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might."
Before God tells His people to teach their children, talk about His commands, or build a home centered on Him, He tells them to love Him.
God wants all of us.
Not just our Sunday mornings, our money, or the parts of our lives that are easy to surrender. He wants our convictions, our feelings, our actions, and our whole selves.
It's possible to say we love Jesus while our everyday lives tell a different story. We can become so comfortable with everything going well that we forget how dependent we are on Him. Our bills are paid, our kids are in activities, we have friends, and life seems to be falling into place. Without realizing it, we can begin living as though we don't need God.
But the greatest danger isn't necessarily that our lives fall apart. It's that we build a life where we no longer know, see, or hear God.
The invitation is to return to Him. Before trying to figure out every problem or solve every challenge, start by loving Jesus with your whole heart.
When we truly love someone, we naturally want to talk about them. The same is true of Jesus. When we love Him, we can't help but share. And as we share, we realize how much more we want to know Him.
There is a beautiful pattern here: When we love, we share. When we share, we want to know more.
And when we know more, we live it out even more.
Follow Jesus in the Everyday
Deuteronomy 6 doesn't describe faith as something we practice once a week. It tells God's people to talk about His commands when they sit at home, walk along the road, lie down, and get up.
In other words, following Jesus should become part of the ordinary rhythm of our lives.
Our homes should be places where the love of Jesus is woven into everyday conversations, relationships, and decisions. This doesn't mean we need to make everything complicated or turn every moment into a formal Bible study. It means looking for opportunities to point the people around us toward Jesus.
If you have children, they are watching what you do. They are catching what you're dropping. They notice how you respond when you're frustrated, how you treat others, what you prioritize, and what matters most to you.
And this isn't just about parents teaching their children. Every household has an opportunity to disciple others.
Your children's bedrooms can become places of discipleship when their friends come over.
Their toys can become something they share.
Their snacks can become a blessing to someone else.
Even the way they welcome a friend or make room for someone can reflect the love of Jesus.
Following Jesus in the everyday means asking ourselves: Is our faith infused into the way we actually live? Are the people who come into our homes experiencing something that points them toward Him?
We don't want to love Jesus one day a week. We want our everyday lives to reflect Him.
Serve Jesus With Open Doors and Open Hearts
In Joshua 24:14–15, Joshua challenges the people of Israel to fear the Lord, serve Him faithfully, put away their other gods, and choose whom they will serve.
He closes with a familiar declaration:
"But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."
Joshua understood that the people would have to make a decision. As they entered a new season of comfort and provision, they would face the temptation to forget God and turn toward the things they had accumulated along the way.
We face that same temptation. Our idols may not look like statues. They can be achievement, success, money, our homes, our careers, or even our families. Sometimes the things that are good gifts from God become the very things that take His place.
One way to recognize what has become an idol is to ask yourself:
If this were suddenly taken away, how would I be tomorrow?
What are we giving our attention, value, and worth to?
Because what we give our hearts to is what we worship.
Joshua calls us to choose. And our response should be the same: As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
That means serving Him with open doors and open hearts.
One of the things we often hear in church is, "I wish I had more friends." But how do we build friendships? We open our doors and our hearts. Yes, opening ourselves up can mean the possibility of being hurt. Maybe you've welcomed someone into your home before and it didn't go well. Maybe you've been hurt in a relationship or a church community.
But when we close ourselves off, we also close off the opportunity to love and be loved.
God has given us homes, tables, resources, and relationships that can become ways of blessing others.
And when we open our doors, we create opportunities to serve alongside others. We aren't meant to live on mission alone.
What Rhythms Can Help Us Live This Way?
We don't have to do everything at once. Start with one practical step this week.
Return to God in an ordinary moment.
When something comes up, pause and pray. Instead of immediately trying to figure everything out yourself, go to God and ask for His help. Learn to recognize His voice in the everyday.
Pray for one person by name.
Choose a coworker, friend, family member, or neighbor. Spend a few minutes each day praying for that person and asking God to show you how to love them.
Make room at the table.
Whether you have two chairs or eight, make room for someone else. Invite someone into your home, share a meal, and make space for people in your life.
Choose one way to serve together.
Find a practical way to bless someone as a household or alongside friends. Look beyond your normal circle and ask where you can make a difference.
As we learn to love Jesus more deeply, our hearts begin to open. Our homes become places of welcome, our relationships become opportunities for discipleship, and even our children begin to see what it means to live on mission.
This is bigger than a Sunday morning. We have been given the opportunity to take the love of Jesus beyond our own homes and into our community.
The church was recently presented with an opportunity to serve residents at a local retirement home—people who wanted to be part of a church community but were unable to attend one. It was a reminder that there are people right in our own community who need to be seen, loved, and cared for. We don't have to wait for the perfect plan or a bigger church to begin serving. We simply have to be willing to go where God is calling us.
The question is not whether we have a family that can be on mission. The question is whether we are willing to make the lives, homes, and resources God has given us available to Him.
Author: Joe Marquez
Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:4–9; Joshua 24:14–15
We are saved by Jesus, sent by Jesus, and empowered by Jesus through the Holy Spirit. We aren't sent because we have impressive degrees, extraordinary gifts, or everything figured out. We are sent because Jesus has commissioned us to share His love, make disciples, and teach others to follow Him.
And this mission isn't reserved for pastors, missionaries, or people with a traditional nuclear family. It's for all of us.
When we talk about our families being on mission, we can easily picture a mom, dad, and a few kids. But what about the single person? The married couple without children? The empty nesters? Every household can become a community that disciples. If you have a door, you have a home. And that home can become a hub for sharing the love of Jesus.
So what does it look like for our homes and families to live on mission?
Love Jesus First
In Deuteronomy 6:4–6, Moses reminds God's people:
"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might."
Before God tells His people to teach their children, talk about His commands, or build a home centered on Him, He tells them to love Him.
God wants all of us.
Not just our Sunday mornings, our money, or the parts of our lives that are easy to surrender. He wants our convictions, our feelings, our actions, and our whole selves.
It's possible to say we love Jesus while our everyday lives tell a different story. We can become so comfortable with everything going well that we forget how dependent we are on Him. Our bills are paid, our kids are in activities, we have friends, and life seems to be falling into place. Without realizing it, we can begin living as though we don't need God.
But the greatest danger isn't necessarily that our lives fall apart. It's that we build a life where we no longer know, see, or hear God.
The invitation is to return to Him. Before trying to figure out every problem or solve every challenge, start by loving Jesus with your whole heart.
When we truly love someone, we naturally want to talk about them. The same is true of Jesus. When we love Him, we can't help but share. And as we share, we realize how much more we want to know Him.
There is a beautiful pattern here: When we love, we share. When we share, we want to know more.
And when we know more, we live it out even more.
Follow Jesus in the Everyday
Deuteronomy 6 doesn't describe faith as something we practice once a week. It tells God's people to talk about His commands when they sit at home, walk along the road, lie down, and get up.
In other words, following Jesus should become part of the ordinary rhythm of our lives.
Our homes should be places where the love of Jesus is woven into everyday conversations, relationships, and decisions. This doesn't mean we need to make everything complicated or turn every moment into a formal Bible study. It means looking for opportunities to point the people around us toward Jesus.
If you have children, they are watching what you do. They are catching what you're dropping. They notice how you respond when you're frustrated, how you treat others, what you prioritize, and what matters most to you.
And this isn't just about parents teaching their children. Every household has an opportunity to disciple others.
Your children's bedrooms can become places of discipleship when their friends come over.
Their toys can become something they share.
Their snacks can become a blessing to someone else.
Even the way they welcome a friend or make room for someone can reflect the love of Jesus.
Following Jesus in the everyday means asking ourselves: Is our faith infused into the way we actually live? Are the people who come into our homes experiencing something that points them toward Him?
We don't want to love Jesus one day a week. We want our everyday lives to reflect Him.
Serve Jesus With Open Doors and Open Hearts
In Joshua 24:14–15, Joshua challenges the people of Israel to fear the Lord, serve Him faithfully, put away their other gods, and choose whom they will serve.
He closes with a familiar declaration:
"But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."
Joshua understood that the people would have to make a decision. As they entered a new season of comfort and provision, they would face the temptation to forget God and turn toward the things they had accumulated along the way.
We face that same temptation. Our idols may not look like statues. They can be achievement, success, money, our homes, our careers, or even our families. Sometimes the things that are good gifts from God become the very things that take His place.
One way to recognize what has become an idol is to ask yourself:
If this were suddenly taken away, how would I be tomorrow?
What are we giving our attention, value, and worth to?
Because what we give our hearts to is what we worship.
Joshua calls us to choose. And our response should be the same: As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
That means serving Him with open doors and open hearts.
One of the things we often hear in church is, "I wish I had more friends." But how do we build friendships? We open our doors and our hearts. Yes, opening ourselves up can mean the possibility of being hurt. Maybe you've welcomed someone into your home before and it didn't go well. Maybe you've been hurt in a relationship or a church community.
But when we close ourselves off, we also close off the opportunity to love and be loved.
God has given us homes, tables, resources, and relationships that can become ways of blessing others.
And when we open our doors, we create opportunities to serve alongside others. We aren't meant to live on mission alone.
What Rhythms Can Help Us Live This Way?
We don't have to do everything at once. Start with one practical step this week.
Return to God in an ordinary moment.
When something comes up, pause and pray. Instead of immediately trying to figure everything out yourself, go to God and ask for His help. Learn to recognize His voice in the everyday.
Pray for one person by name.
Choose a coworker, friend, family member, or neighbor. Spend a few minutes each day praying for that person and asking God to show you how to love them.
Make room at the table.
Whether you have two chairs or eight, make room for someone else. Invite someone into your home, share a meal, and make space for people in your life.
Choose one way to serve together.
Find a practical way to bless someone as a household or alongside friends. Look beyond your normal circle and ask where you can make a difference.
As we learn to love Jesus more deeply, our hearts begin to open. Our homes become places of welcome, our relationships become opportunities for discipleship, and even our children begin to see what it means to live on mission.
This is bigger than a Sunday morning. We have been given the opportunity to take the love of Jesus beyond our own homes and into our community.
The church was recently presented with an opportunity to serve residents at a local retirement home—people who wanted to be part of a church community but were unable to attend one. It was a reminder that there are people right in our own community who need to be seen, loved, and cared for. We don't have to wait for the perfect plan or a bigger church to begin serving. We simply have to be willing to go where God is calling us.
The question is not whether we have a family that can be on mission. The question is whether we are willing to make the lives, homes, and resources God has given us available to Him.
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