From the moment he arrived in Jerusalem, everyone knew who was in charge. He organized, managed, supervised, encouraged, met opposition, confronted injustice, and kept going until the walls were built. Nehemiah was a man of action.

It is the desire of every Christian parent I know that their children would be devoted, resilient followers of Jesus. Since equipping disciple-makers is the central goal of the local church, these family leaders are my people and I want to help them build a family with faith in Jesus that is robust and a clear witness.

“I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down.” Nehemiah 6:3

One of the five core values of our church is Community-Based Discipleship and these classes, events, milestones, markers, and moments can be offered in developmentally appropriate ways. All of the resources we use come from a Biblical Worldview and with an apologetic lens. We are committed to watching over one another in love; we are transformed through accountable small group discipleship (class meetings) and offer groups for all ages and stages of life; churchwide spiritual formation events are offered to provide communal Christian growth experiences.

Studying the Old Testament book of Nehemiah, we discovered and put in place the following milestones, markers, and faith formation moments alongside the resources we’re using:
Preschoolers & Kindergarten – Bread & Juice Class, Dinosaur Party, Family Truck Party
Chapter 1 – Nehemiah is cupbearer to King Artaxerxes (1st grade: I Can Know Jesus)
Chapter 2 – Nehemiah purposed and intentional plan which ‘began this good work.’ 2:18 (2nd grade: I Can Trust & Obey Jesus)
Chapter 3 – Nehemiah organized the people. (3rd grade: I Can Pray and I Can Pray)
Chapter 4 – Nehemiah employed a strategy of defense to frustrate his enemies – prayer, encouragement, guard duty, consolidation. (4th grade: I Can Understand the Bible) “They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it. But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat.” 4:8-9
“Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows.” 4:13
Chapter 5 – Nehemiah confronted oppressors from within with a strategy of offense. He called them out for doing wrong and for doing good. (4th & 5th grade: I Can Serve – Ambassadors and I Can Be A Witness, Moving on Up to Middle School) Ambassador = a representative.
Chapter 6 – Nehemiah stood firm while facing constant distractions and God was faithful. (6th grade: Who Am I?)
Chapter 7 – Nehemiah appointed gatekeepers and guards. (7th/8th grades: Understanding Hard Questions: I Need Answers)
Chapters 8-9 – Ezra led the city in worship and Bible instruction in community. (8th/9th grades: Confirmation; A Financial Teaching for Teens through Ramsey Solutions or Crown Financial Resources)
Chapters 10-11 – Nehemiah staged for a reaffirmation of faith and religious revival as the people promised to serve God faithfully. (10th/11th grades: AGENTS for Christ – Ambassador; Gospel; Explore skills; Neighbor; Trust in the local church) Agent = a person who acts on behalf of another person or group.
Chapters 12-13 – Nehemiah dedicated the new wall of Jerusalem with a listing of the clans/families and their leaders. (12th grade: AGENT project such as Operation Christmas Child, a team member of a seasonal multigenerational event, he/she champions a special project & bridge to youth adults for high school seniors to join the young adult small groups/outings/activities)

End result: Nehemiah in action determined/purposed to be a person on whom God could depend on to act for Him in the world.

This is the basis for the Faith Milestones and Discipleship Pathway (resources in parentheses above) we’re staging for children and youth so that a disciple in action can determine and purpose in their actions and disciplines to be a person on whom God can depend to act for Him in the world. It complements and uses the same language as the discipleship pathway system for adults.

What are some of the resources you have found to provide a blueprint and intentional pathway for littles who will become bigs who disciple littles for a robust and resilient faith in Christ?

“Remember me, O my God, for good.” Nehemiah 13:31b