A Grandfather as a Disciple-maker

A friend of mine has challenged me to write about how in the world a grandfather is to actively participate in the spiritual formation of grandchildren. Since that moment, I have pondered how to begin. I have examined ways to form a theological framework from which a grandfather should operate as a disciple-maker. I tried to encapsulate the logic of the different roles of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, I tried to formulate a strategy based upon the tasks of a prophet, priest, and king, and have attempted to form a general idea of what role a grandfather should play whether he lives close or afar from his grandchildren. These first blushes have the proverbial wheels turning in my head, but have not yet taken full root, yet.

This article is the beginning of that exploration. I will try to post brief ideas from time to time, for other grandfathers to ponder. I may take a poll or survey of some of you to formulate a greater perspective of the role of a grandfather in disciple-making. One thing I do know. Since my bride and I moved from zero to three grandchildren in short order, my heart for participating in their spiritual maturation has amazingly grown. 

I believe I will begin with what grandfathers, (or grandmothers), should not do:

1. We must not usurp the authority of the father and mother of our grandchildren. Our children have left us and are to cleave to their spouses. Too many parents of adult children tend to forget this. If we want to be part of the biblical process of helping our grandchildren, we must respect God’s design for the home.
2. We must repair and/or maintain healthy relationships with our children and their spouses. This too, is biblical, as we are to live at peace with all people, as well as we can. Are there unsettled issues between you and your adult children? Are there admissions of guilt or apologies to be made? Perhaps you lived as an example of parenting that undermined your Christian witness. Maybe it is time to come clean with your adult children for the sake of your grandchildren.
3. We must make sure we blessed our children. All children need to be validated. Did you validate yours when they were younger? The idea of blessing a child is biblical, and simply means we approve of them, value them, and support them. Many adult children go through life trying to find this blessing from their parents. To be a disciple-maker of our grandchildren, we must have adult children who feel secure with themselves and us.

Well, that is a beginning. As I research, pray, and occasionally write, I invite you to pray for me. I have been a minister for over thirty-five years, a husband for thirty-five years this December, a father for thirty-two years, and a grandfather for three years, though officially for two years. In the meantime, I challenge each of us to consider and act upon the three points written above. Before we begin effectively leading our grandchildren toward healthy spiritual growth, we may have some things we need to make healthy.

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