Laying the Foundation: Why Spiritual Formation Begins at Home

Little Seeds, Big Fruit Series — Blog 1

September 8, 2025

Becky Chocklette

Parenting as Gardening

Parenting is a lot like gardening. No gardener expects seeds to bloom overnight, but they faithfully prepare the soil, plant carefully, water consistently, and wait patiently for growth. Spiritual parenting follows the same rhythm. When parents plant the seeds of faith in the soil of their homes, they are cultivating a harvest that will last for generations.

Many Christian parents long for their children to grow into spiritually mature adults, but this growth develops slowly, like seeds nurtured over time with faithful love and care. It takes intentionality, prayer, and a willingness to weave faith into the ordinary moments of family life. If the church is the greenhouse where children are nurtured, the home is the soil where the most consistent and formative growth occurs.

This blog will explore why parents are the primary spiritual guides of their children, how children learn most deeply through what they see modeled, and practical ways to create a faith-centered home.

Building the Spiritual Foundation at Home

1. Parents Are the Primary Spiritual Guides

The clearest biblical picture of spiritual formation in the home comes from Deuteronomy 6:6–7:

“These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”

This passage doesn’t place the primary responsibility for children’s spiritual growth on pastors or Sunday school teachers. Instead, God calls parents to impress His Word on their children’s hearts throughout the normal rhythms of life—at the dinner table, on the walk to school, before bed, and during ordinary conversations.

Recent research confirms what Scripture has always taught that parents are the most significant influence on their children’s faith development. Matt Chandler and Adam Griffin remind us that “your home is the primary place where discipleship happens, and no one has more access to a child’s heart than a parent.”[1] When parents see themselves as the ones called to cultivate the soil of their children’s hearts, they begin to approach everyday moments as opportunities for spiritual planting.

[1] Matt Chandler and Adam Griffin, Family Discipleship: Leading Your Home Through Time, Moments, & Milestones (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2020), 17.

2. Children Catch What They See

Faith formation is more caught than taught. Children are expert observers. They notice whether prayer is a quick formality or a heartfelt habit. They see whether Scripture is treasured or neglected. They watch how parents respond to stress, conflict, and joy—and they draw conclusions about God based on what they see.

Kara Powell and Steven Argue emphasize that “faith grows best in an environment where it is practiced authentically, modeled honestly, and discussed openly.”[1] Parents do not have to be perfect, but they do need to be present and consistent.

Modeling faith doesn’t mean staging perfect spiritual performances. It means:

• Allowing children to see you pray when you’re worried.

• Opening the Bible when you need wisdom.

• Repenting and asking forgiveness when you fall short.

These consistent demonstrations cultivate in children the understanding that faith is more than a Sunday morning practice—it is a daily way of living.

[1] Kara Powell and Steven Argue, Growing With: Every Parent’s Guide to Helping Teenagers and Young Adults Thrive in Their Faith, Family, and Future (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2019), 138.

3. Practical Seeds: Daily Rhythms for Spiritual Formation

Planting spiritual seeds doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. In fact, simple, consistent rhythms often produce the greatest growth. Here are practical ways parents can cultivate faith at home:

a) Daily Family Prayer

Prayer is the lifegiving stream that keeps the garden of the Christian home flourishing. Start small—pray before meals and bedtime and gradually add morning prayers or moments of gratitude throughout the day. Allow children to pray in their own words. Keep a family prayer journal. Record requests and revisit them to celebrate how God answers.

b) Scripture Memorization and Discussion

Choose a new verse each week or month and post it on the refrigerator or bathroom mirror. Say it together at meals until everyone knows it. Continue to talk about what it means and how to live it out daily.

c) Family Worship Time

Pick one night a week to sing a worship song together, read Scripture, and share what God is teaching each person. This doesn’t have to be long or formal—just intentional.

d) Serving Together

Look for opportunities to serve as a family—bring a meal to a neighbor, volunteer at church, or donate toys. Serving shows children that faith is active, not passive.

e) Faith-Filled Conversations

Take advantage of teachable moments—questions on the drive to school, fears before bed, or disappointments after a rough day. Bring God’s truth into those moments and point children back to His presence.

Encouragement for the Gardener

Parents, you are planting seeds that will grow long after today’s diapers, homework, and sports practices are done. Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 3:6–7 (NIV) offer hope:

“I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.”

Your job is to plant faithfully and water consistently. God is the one who will bring the growth. Even on the days when it feels like nothing is sprouting, trust that He is at work beneath the surface. The small acts of prayer, conversation, Scripture reading, and worship are forming deep spiritual roots that will bear fruit in your children’s lives for years to come.