By Eric Mason
Every January, my family and I spent time together seeking the Lord for the coming year. We look at our family vision then lay out every factor of our family life in a chart:
- What is the area?
- What is the need?
- What is its biblical basis?
- What does it look like if this prayer is answered?
Putting all of these things in a chart gives us a visual reminder and allows us to see what God does in our family’s life throughout the year. We include things like academics, spiritual growth, and marriage goals. Our ultimate goal is to use this chart as a point of accountability of the very specific things we want to see God do in our lives and as a family.
We don’t want this chart to just become linear execution. We want it to become cultural in our family. For example, we want to develop a culture of prayer. This means that my wife and I pray together most mornings and that before our kids get on the bus or on the drive to school that we’re praying and discussing Scripture together as a family.
A lot of times as a leader and a pastor, you can have better leadership and a better vision than in your home. If you don’t document what you want to see happen in the lives of your children, what you want Jesus Christ to do in their lives, and work those things into your schedule, then you’ll be in trouble. You only get one chance to raise them.
Adapted from the 5 Leadership Questions Podcast Episode 87. Click here to check out our Lifeway Leadership Podcast Network.
