“O our God, will you not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”
– 2 Chronicles 20:12 (ESV)

As a parent of three—a daughter in her senior year of high school, a son in 4th grade, and a daughter in 1st—I know firsthand how challenging it can be to raise kids to love and follow Jesus in a world that often discourages it. Even with a degree in Bible and theology, I often feel the weight of inadequacy. If I struggle at times to know how to disciple my children, I can only imagine how many parents who don’t have formal training feel—disadvantaged, ill-equipped, and discouraged.

But here’s the truth: God never intended discipleship to be outsourced to pastors, churches, or Christian programs. Those things can help, but the primary calling to raise children in the faith rests with parents. And here’s the encouraging news—you don’t need a theology degree to disciple your kids. You don’t need perfect answers or polished lessons. What your children need most is not a seminary-trained parent, but a faithful one. They need to see grace lived out in your home, hear God’s Word in your everyday conversations, and watch a genuine faith that points them to Jesus.

That truth isn’t new. God’s people have always faced challenges that seemed too big to handle. One of the clearest pictures comes from the reign of King Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20:1–30. When an overwhelming army came against Judah, Jehoshaphat didn’t have all the answers—and he didn’t pretend to. Instead, he gathered the people, including their children, and turned their eyes toward God. His prayer of dependence and his leadership of worship became a legacy moment for the entire nation.

As parents, we may not be facing invading armies, but we are raising our kids in a spiritual battle every day. And like Jehoshaphat, our greatest strength isn’t found in having every answer—it’s found in showing our families where to turn when we don’t.

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A Parent’s Battle in a King’s Story

The story of King Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20 is a masterclass in spiritual leadership under pressure. Judah faced an overwhelming coalition of Moabites, Ammonites, and Meunites—a military threat far beyond their strength. They had already reached En-gedi (Hazazon-tamar), a desert oasis west of the Dead Sea, placing the threat on Judah’s doorstep. Scripture tells us that Jehoshaphat was “afraid” (v. 3). This is important: the text doesn’t gloss over the reality of fear. Even godly leaders feel fear when the odds seem impossible.

But Jehoshaphat’s response is what sets him apart. Rather than acting out of panic, he “set his face to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah” (v. 3). The king didn’t hide behind military strategies or political alliances—he called the entire nation, families included, to seek God together. Verse 13 highlights this vividly: “Meanwhile all Judah stood before the LORD, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.” The presence of children is not a throwaway detail. The Chronicler wants us to see that discipleship and dependence on God are communal and generational.

Jehoshaphat’s prayer (vv. 5–12) is central to the passage. He begins not with requests but with remembrance: “O LORD, God of our fathers, are you not God in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations” (v. 6). He anchors Judah’s hope in God’s character and past faithfulness before addressing their present crisis. Notice the humility in his closing words: “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you” (v. 12). That confession of dependence becomes the hinge of the entire story.

God answers through Jahaziel, a Levite, who declares: “Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God’s” (v. 15). The people’s response is equally striking: they worship. Jehoshaphat and the people bow with their faces to the ground (v. 18), while the Levites stand and praise with a loud voice (v. 19). Their posture shifts from fear to faith, from trembling before the enemy to trusting in the Lord.

The climax comes not through swords but through song. As the army marches out, Jehoshaphat appoints singers to lead the way, declaring: “Give thanks to the LORD, for his steadfast love endures forever” (v. 21). This act of faith—praising before the victory—unleashes God’s deliverance, as the enemy armies turn on one another and Judah never lifts a sword (vv. 22–23). The result? Joyful return to Jerusalem with instruments of praise (v. 27), and peace granted by God on every side (v. 30). After God’s deliverance, Judah gathered at the Valley of Berakah (‘blessing’)—a geographical memorial of grace.

When Jehoshaphat gathered Judah, he didn’t just call the soldiers—he called everyone. The text is intentional in pointing out that “all Judah stood before the LORD, with their little ones, their wives, and their children” (v. 13). Parents weren’t shielding their kids from the crisis; they were discipling them through it. The children of Judah didn’t just hear about faith later—they witnessed it in real time. They saw their parents admit fear, confess dependence, and lift their eyes to God. That’s the heartbeat of discipleship in the home. Our kids don’t need us to pretend we’re fearless or flawless. They need to watch us walk in faith when life feels overwhelming. What shaped Judah then, and what shapes our children now, is not our strength but our surrendered example.

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From Scripture to Our Homes

Jehoshaphat’s story reminds us that discipleship is not a classroom subject reserved for the spiritually elite—it’s a lived example passed down in the ordinary moments of life. Just as Judah’s children stood beside their parents and witnessed faith in action, our kids are watching us today. The question isn’t whether we are discipling them—the question is how. Every response to fear, every prayer whispered in weakness, every act of trust becomes a living lesson of what it means to follow Jesus. With that in mind, let’s look at three simple, grace-filled ways we can disciple our children without needing a theology degree.

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1. Model Dependence, Not Perfection

Jehoshaphat’s prayer in 2 Chronicles 20:12 is one of the most honest confessions in all of Scripture:

“We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”

Notice what he doesn’t do—he doesn’t pretend to have it all together. He doesn’t give his people a polished speech about military strategies. He admits weakness, confesses uncertainty, and turns his eyes toward God. And he does it publicly, with the entire nation—including their children—standing before the Lord (v. 13).

That’s discipleship. Your kids don’t need you to model perfection; they need you to model dependence. They need to see what faith looks like in the face of fear, what prayer sounds like when you’re not sure what to do, and what humility looks like when you make mistakes.

Paul echoes this same truth in 2 Corinthians 12:9: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” God’s strength shines brightest through our surrendered weakness. When we try to act like we have it all figured out, we unintentionally disciple our kids into thinking faith depends on our performance. But when we admit our limits and turn to Jesus, we disciple them into the truth that God is our strength.

Practical ways to model dependence in your home:

• Pray out loud in moments of uncertainty. When you don’t know what to do—say it, and invite your kids to turn their eyes to God with you.
• Apologize when you’re wrong. A simple, “I shouldn’t have spoken that way. Will you forgive me?” teaches kids that grace is real.
• Share testimonies of answered prayers. Let your children see God’s hand at work in your life, not just in the Bible.

Your children will learn far more from your surrendered prayers than from your polished answers. Dependence on God is the foundation of authentic discipleship, and it’s something every parent—degree or not—can live out in front of their kids.

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2. Invite Your Kids Into Worship

After Jehoshaphat’s prayer, the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel, who declared:

“Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God’s.”
– 2 Chronicles 20:15 (ESV)

The people’s response wasn’t to sharpen swords—it was to bow in worship. “Then Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the LORD, worshiping the LORD” (v. 18). Children weren’t shielded from this moment—they were part of it. They didn’t just hear about worship; they experienced it alongside their parents.

That’s discipleship. Worship is not simply a Sunday morning activity—it’s a posture of the heart that parents can model every day. When your kids see you kneel in prayer, raise your voice in song, or give thanks in hard times, they are learning how to respond to God in both joy and crisis.

Think about it: the army of Judah marched into battle led by singers (v. 21). That’s the kind of legacy we leave when we invite our kids into worship—we teach them that God’s presence is more powerful than any enemy they’ll face.

Practical ways to invite your kids into worship:

• Sing together, even if off-key. A simple worship song at bedtime or in the car turns ordinary moments into holy ground.
• Celebrate answered prayers with thanksgiving. When God provides, stop and praise Him together as a family.
• Prioritize corporate worship. Build a sustainable habit of weekly corporate worship. Your commitment teaches them that God is worthy of our time and attention.

The song in 20:21 echoes Israel’s worship tradition (cf. Psalm 136), which parents used to form memory by repetition—an easy on-ramp for kids today. Worship disciples our children because it reshapes fear into faith and teaches them where real victory comes from. As parents, we have the privilege of leading the “processional”—showing our kids that no matter what the battle looks like, our God is greater.

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3. Teach Them to Remember God’s Faithfulness

The story of Jehoshaphat doesn’t end with worship—it ends with victory and peace. As the people marched out singing, the Lord set ambushes against their enemies so that Judah never had to lift a sword (vv. 22–23). When the dust settled, Judah gathered the spoil for three days and returned to Jerusalem “with joy, for the LORD had made them rejoice over their enemies” (v. 27).

And then comes a detail easy to miss: “The fear of God came on all the kingdoms of the countries when they heard that the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel. So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet, for his God gave him rest all around” (vv. 29–30). The victory was more than military—it was a testimony. Future generations would remember what God had done, because their parents had walked them through it.

As parents, one of the most powerful ways we disciple our children is by helping them remember God’s faithfulness. In the Old Testament, God often commanded His people to set up stones of remembrance after He delivered them (Joshua 4:7). Those stones weren’t decorations; they were discipleship tools. They sparked conversations for children who would later ask, “What do these stones mean?” (Joshua 4:21).

We may not stack stones in our yard, but we can still create rhythms of remembrance in our homes. Your children need markers—tangible reminders—that God has been faithful. When they see how God has worked in your family’s story, their faith is strengthened to trust Him in their own.

Practical ways to help your kids remember God’s faithfulness:

• Keep a family prayer journal. Write down requests and revisit them to celebrate when God answers.
• Mark spiritual milestones. Celebrate baptisms, answered prayers, or breakthroughs with a special meal or tradition.
• Tell your story often. Share with your kids how God has been faithful in your life—don’t let His goodness fade into the background.

Teaching your kids to remember God’s faithfulness roots them in a living testimony. Long after they leave your home, those stories will remind them that the same God who carried your family can carry them, too.

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Raising Faith, Not Perfection

Jehoshaphat’s story reminds us that discipling our kids isn’t about having every answer—it’s about showing them where to turn when we don’t. He admitted his weakness, invited his people into worship, and led them to remember God’s faithfulness. And standing right there in the middle of it all were the children—watching, learning, and being shaped for the future.

The same is true in your home. Your kids don’t need you to be perfect. They need you to be present. They don’t need you to have a theology degree. They need you to point them to Jesus in the everyday moments of life. Every prayer whispered, every song sung, every story of God’s goodness told becomes part of the spiritual legacy you’re building.

So here’s the challenge: don’t wait for someone else to disciple your kids. Step into the calling God has already given you. Start small, stay consistent, and trust that God will use your surrendered example to leave an eternal mark on the hearts of your children.

They won’t remember that you always knew what to do. They’ll remember that your eyes were always on Him.