Parents often comment that they want to have a family devotional time, but they are frustrated at finding resources that work. Too often, parents resort to lecture-mode and find that their kids don’t respond well. Each family is different and it's unlikely that a "one-size-fits-all" method will work. However, experience has proved that kids are often more responsive to interactive methods, such as object lessons and discussions. With that in mind, here are four, discussion-based family devotionals using simple case studies that I hope you'll find useful with your family!

#1 – Betrayal and Forgiveness

The Main Idea: Christ calls us to forgive others.

The Case Study: Doug and Tim have been close friends since they were young kids. Over the years, they’ve spent lots of time together hanging out. Doug and Tim had plans one Friday evening to go to a youth group event together. Late in the afternoon, Doug called Tim and said that he wasn’t feeling well and that he wouldn’t be able to go to the event. Tim was disappointed, but he went to the event anyway. After the event was over, the youth pastor asked if anyone wanted to go out for some pizza, and Tim joined the group. When they went inside the restaurant and sat down, Tim looked across the room and was surprised to see Doug sitting at a table with some other friends from school. Just then, Doug looked up to see Tim sitting on the other side of the restaurant. He looked shocked and sank down in his chair, as if to hide.

Discussion Questions:

1. If you were Tim, how would you feel about Doug’s deception? How would you react?

2. How might this incident make a difference in your relationship with Doug?

3. How would you resolve the situation? Would you forgive Doug? Why or why not?

The Scripture: Matthew 6:14-15

The Bottom Line:

Jesus expects his followers to be people of forgiveness. Forgiveness is a choice. It includes the ideas of canceling a debt and of cleaning the slate. We don’t forgive others so that God will forgive us. Rather, we forgive others because God has forgiven us. We prove that we understand what forgiveness is all about when we forgive others. If we regularly harbor grudges against others who have wronged us, it means that we’ve either never understood or never experienced God’s forgiveness.

Forgiveness is more than God’s suggestion. It is a command. Even though we may feel hurt and angry with others who have wronged us – and although it’s okay to take time to process those feelings – we need to forgive them if we have experienced God’s forgiveness in our own lives. Forgiving others is to be a hallmark of those who follow Jesus.

More Scriptures: Matthew 7:1-5; 18:15, 21-22; Romans 2:1-3; Colossians 3:13-14.

#2 – Evaluating Your Influence

The Main Idea: For better or for worse, we all influence others through our actions. People learn much about what we believe and value by watching what we do.

The Case Study: Pastor Jeff was excited to see the guys in the high school youth group welcoming Steve, a newcomer to the group. Over the following weeks, Jeff noticed that one particular group of guys who were part of his student leadership team, were really trying to get to know Steve and include him in their circle of friends. Pastor Jeff thought this was just the way things were supposed to work. Before this, Steve had never attended any church regularly. Now, he was coming to youth group every week and he really seemed open to learning about Jesus. About a month later, Pastor Jeff was shocked to learn that this group of guys, led by one of the student leaders, had been arrested for vandalizing a house. Steve was cleared of charges, as he had only “gone along” with the other guys and didn’t participate. The others were charged and found guilty. It seems that Steve had fallen in with the wrong people. Pastor Jeff tried to contact Steve, but his messages were never returned. Steve never came back to the youth group again.

Discussion Questions:

1. Put yourself in Steve’s place. What impression would you have formed about these “Christian” guys?

2. Why do you think Steve never returned Pastor Jeff’s messages or came to youth group again?

3 If you were Steve, what affect do you think this experience would have had on your thoughts about Jesus and Christianity?

4. As Christ-followers, what responsibilities do we have towards others in the ways that we act?

5. What kinds of influence are you having on your closest friends?

The Scripture: Matthew 18:6-9.

The Bottom Line:

We are called to role model Christ-following to others: to the people who make up your world; to your friends, to those in your community and the fellow Christ-followers in your church.  Take a look. There are people all around you; some believers – some not believers yet, who are looking for authentic relationships; who are looking for truth; who are looking for what it means to live as a Christ-follower. Our behavior matters because for better or for worse, we influence others by the examples we set. Our lives speak volumes about what we believe and about what we value. Our goal ought to be to live in such a way that we point people to Christ!

More Scriptures: Matthew 5:14-16; Romans 14:13, 15:1-2; 1 Corinthians 10:24

#3 – Family Relationships

The Main Idea: While some conflict is inevitable, Christ calls us to demonstrate love to the members of our family.

The Case Study: Todd would just not turn down the music system in his bedroom. His mom and dad had pleaded, lectured, and even threatened Todd with taking it away and nothing had worked. They were fed up. One day, when Todd came home from school, he went up to his bedroom – and the music system was gone! He raced out to the kitchen where his mom was and started yelling, “Give it back! You have no right to go into my bedroom and you have no right to take my property!” His mom responded as calmly as possible, “I know you’re upset, but your father and I have asked repeatedly that you keep the volume down, and you haven’t listened to us. We told you we would take it away if you didn’t obey us, and you’ve chosen not to obey. Now, you have to suffer the consequences. You’re father took your music system and has donated it to your youth group.” Todd turned away and stormed out of the house.

Discussion Questions:

1. Which of the characters in the case study do you consider to be most at fault for the situation? Why?

2. What would you have done if you were Todd? What would you have done if you were Todd’s mom or dad?

3. What could have the parents done to keep the situation from becoming so severe? Why do you think they didn’t do anything to prevent what happened in the case study?

4. What could Todd have done to keep the situation from becoming so severe? Why do you think he didn’t obey his parents?

The Scripture: Colossians 3:12-17; 20-21.

The Bottom Line:

How are the relationships within your family? According to Colossians chapter 3, the Apostle Paul encourages us to reflect maturity in our relationships that are characterized by:

• Compassion. Compassion is a deep sense of sympathy and empathy for your family members.

• Kindness.  Acts of kindness within your family are the result of your compassion.

• Humility and Gentleness.  Putting your family members ahead of yourself, becoming involved and treating each other tenderly and with respect.

• Patience.  Patience is characterized by bearing with one another’s faults and sins, and giving forgiveness to each other.

• Unconditional Love.  Where family members continually stand by one another, and which results in the bonding of family member to family member.

More Scriptures: Proverbs 12:18; Ephesians 6:13; Philippians 2:4

#4 – Playing the Game

Main Idea: The Christian life is to be lived, not just observed from the sidelines.

The Case Study: Bill turned out for his high school’s football team. He was small, scrawny, and had never played organized football before. He showed up everyday for practice and while he improved his skills a bit, he clearly lagged behind his teammates in ability. The day of the first game arrived, and Bill put on his uniform and joined the rest of his teammates on the playing field. Midway through the last quarter of play, the coach came over and tried to put Bill into the game. Bill hesitated, and said, “No thanks coach. I don’t want to play.” The coach was surprised. “What do you mean you don’t want to play? Don’t be scared. You’ll be fine!” “I’m not afraid to go into the game, coach, I just don’t want to play,” said Bill. “I don’t get it,” replied the coach. “You’re not afraid to play, but you don’t want to? Why not?” Bill answered, “I just want to stand here on the sidelines, wearing my uniform. You see, coach, girls love football players, and having them see me here on the sidelines is enough.”

Discussion Questions:

1. How do you feel about this story? What, if anything, is wrong with Bill’s point of view?

2. How is this story similar or different from how some Christians live their lives?

3. In your Christian life experience, have you been more “on the sidelines” or more “in the game”? Explain.

4. As a Christ-follower, what area of your life do you think you need to be more “in the game?”

Scripture: Matthew 5:13

The Bottom Line:

Jesus said that salt that has lost its saltiness is useless. Living the Christian life on the sidelines is like being un-salty salt. The value of being a Christian doesn’t just come from reading your Bible regularly, or knowing all of the right theological concepts, or showing up to church services regularly.  These things alone amount to standing on the sidelines. The value of living the Christian life comes more from playing the game. The value comes from living out your faith everyday.  It’s about being salty.  It’s about being a light in a dark world.  It’s about giving your energy to serving others in the name of Jesus.

More Scriptures: Philippians 3:12-14, 1 Timothy 6:11-12