More Than a Magazine

By David Jones and Randy Ledbetter

Stroll through your local bookstore and you’ll see shelves lined with bestsellers. From fiction to sports to home decorating, you’re sure to find a myriad of books on countless topics, and perhaps one or two that pique your interest. What almost all these books have in common is they’re informational, meant to be read, enjoyed, and provide new knowledge and perspectives. Very rarely, though, will you find a book that goes beyond the level of information and becomes transformational.

When we study the Bible, our lives are transformed. Much more than just an informational book, the Word of God is alive and active and has the power to change lives (Hebrews 4:12). For many years, the church has served as the primary—sometimes the only—spiritual influence in the lives of families. However, when we examine Scripture, we see it is the family that should be the primary source of discipleship (Deuteronomy 6).

Engaging in Discipleship

One of the greatest desires of Christian parents is to help children come to know Christ and learn to walk with Him in a daily personal relationship. That means children must learn how to have their own devotional time with Christ in prayer and Bible reading. One or two hours at church on Sunday is simply not enough to help them grow and mature in their walk with Christ. They need to be spending time daily letting God speak to them through His Word, and talking with Him in prayer. Ideally, a child’s parents have their own devotional time as well and discuss with the child what he or she is learning. But what tools are available to help the parent guide a child in this process, and help the child or teen dig into God’s Word for him or herself?

That is where D6 devotional study guides come in. They are valuable and important tools for parents and their children, helping them develop the habit of studying God’s Word on their own. The study guides provide brief daily devotions to help readers dig deeper into God’s Word throughout the week, reinforcing what they learned in Sunday School or small group meeting at church. But discipleship is not meant to happen in isolation. Since all age groups study the same theme, parents, and even grandparents, are able to discuss with their children what they are learning. Whether it is an in-depth discussion about Sunday’s lesson or a casual conversation regarding a passage of Scripture, parents have the opportunity to use the devotional magazines to embrace teachable moments and disciple their children.

What a wonderful tool to help parents fulfill their responsibility to live out God’s Word themselves, and to teach their children to do the same. But the study guides go beyond devotions.

Changing Culture, Changing Needs

The culture around us is changing constantly, and whether we like to admit it or not, it’s influencing our kids and us without our permission. With daily advancements in technology and a world that shifts faster than we can comprehend, we can no longer keep our families in a bubble and shelter them completely from culture’s pull.

Despite this grim reality, the good news is that parents do get a say on the things that influence. Kids will spend far more time under your roof than they will at school, at church, or even hanging out with friends. Many parents want to use this time to talk to their kids about the issues they are facing and what’s going on in their world, but feel inadequate and ill equipped to do so.

Through articles, columns, and insights, D6 devotional magazines help people understand how biblical truth intersects daily life. While the world wants to tell your family and you what to think about cultural topics, the magazines provide aid on how to think biblically on such issues. Everything is approached from a biblical worldview and perspective.

In many ways, this approach is another aspect of discipleship. By focusing on relevant topics and important cultural issues, the magazines seek to inform parents and students about these issues, provide a biblical response, and allow a platform so parents and children can engage in discussion. In no way are the magazines a replacement for the Bible. Rather, the magazines work hand-in-hand with Scripture as a supplement to daily Bible study.

“I Don’t Know How”

For many, the most difficult part of generational discipleship is knowing where to start. Even for the lifelong Christian, family devotions can feel awkward, overwhelming, and even pointless at times. Our hope is that D6 devotional magazines can remove the intimidation factor and provide conversation starters for the family. A family devotion time doesn’t have to look like a Sunday morning church service (and if it does, good luck taking up the offering). But sometimes, it’s as simple as discussing a passage of Scripture you and your child read in your devotions that day, or providing thoughts on an article that discussed absolute truth.

Everyone is influenced by something. The best thing we can do for our families is to be intentional in making sure that “something” is founded in the Word of God. With D6 devotional magazines, parents can bridge the gap between church and home. We desire to see intergenerational discipleship take hold around the world, whether parents discipling children, a brother discipling a sister, grandparents discipling grandchildren, or spiritual mentors in the church discipling those who need it most.

With study guides that provide daily devotions, relevant articles, and biblical truth, we hope you will see our products as more than just magazines, but necessary tools to engage in discipleship at home and across the world.

About the Writers: David Jones and Randy Ledbetter are members of the editorial team at Randall House Publications. For more information about D6 Curriculum, visit www.D6Family.com.