Shalom, dear moms! As homeschooling moms, we often wonder how big biblical mandates like the Great Commission apply to our daily lives. Matthew 28:19-20 calls us to “go and make disciples of all nations,” but what does that look like when you’re at home most days, teaching your kids, managing the house, and maybe even running a family business? I’ve wrestled with this question myself.
As moms, we can live out the Great Commission right in our homes by raising our children as disciples of Yeshua. Let’s explore what it means to be a disciple and how we can embrace this calling.
Understanding the Great Commission as a Mom
In Matthew 28:19-20, Yeshua tells His disciples, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you. And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
As a mom, I used to think, “How does this apply to me? I’m not out in the world. My kids aren’t in public school. I’m home with them all day!” But, you know, I’ve come to realize that our homes are the perfect place to fulfill this calling.
When my husband and I started homeschooling our kids, we felt it was our job to teach and influence them. But it wasn’t until our oldest son was in his early teens that we understood we were raising disciples. This realization came as we embraced the whole Bible and began walking in the Father’s commands, just as Yeshua instructed: “Teach them to observe all things that I have commanded you.”
What Is a Disciple? A First-Century Perspective
To understand our role, we need to grasp what a disciple was in Yeshua’s time. In the first century, kids didn’t go to college. They were apprenticed, and the wealthier you were, the further you could go. Some even became students of great rabbis like Shammai or Hillel.
These students, called talmid (singular) or talmidim (plural), followed their rabbi everywhere, copying everything—down to how he sneezed! Their job was to transfer the rabbi’s knowledge and actions into their own lives.
Luke 6:40 says, “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.” It’s the art of imitation, you know, like duplicating yourself before photocopiers existed. Rabbis even called their students “sons,” fostering a loyalty sometimes stronger than to biological parents.
D. Thomas Lancaster, in King of the Jews, paints a vivid picture: Imagine following your college professor home, eating dinner at his house, wearing his exact suit and tie, and memorizing every word he says. That’s what being a disciple meant!
In the first century, disciples had four jobs:
- Memorize their teacher’s words, including the Tanakh (like the Apostle Paul, a disciple of Gamaliel, who knew the prophets by heart).
- Learn their teacher’s interpretations of Scripture.
- Imitate their teacher’s actions, from how he ate to how he tied his shoes.
- Follow him closely, “sitting at his feet” like ducks trailing their mother.
This reminds me so much of motherhood! Our kids follow us around the house when they’re little, copying everything we do. Sometimes it’s annoying, but it’s the perfect setup for raising disciples. As moms, we have a unique opportunity—maybe even better than men out in the world—to shape our children into talmidim of Yeshua.
The Great Commission at Home
Yeshua’s Great Commission has three parts, and they fit beautifully into our role as moms:
- “Go and make disciples”: We don’t have to go anywhere! We’re doing this at home, raising our children to follow Yeshua.
- “Baptize them”: No need to convert strangers. Our children, you know, are circumcised on the eighth day and raised in the faith from birth.
- “Teach them to observe all things”: This is where we shine, teaching our kids to live out the Father’s commands.
This mirrors Deuteronomy 6, which feels like the Great Commission for parents. It says, “Hear, O Israel: YHVH our Elohim, YHVH is one. You shall love YHVH your Elohim with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.”
Doesn’t that sound like talmidim following their rabbi? Before we can teach our kids, we must first be talmidim ourselves, with the Father’s commands on our hearts.
Three Keys to Raising Disciples
So, how do we do this as busy homeschool moms? Here are three keys I’ve found:
1. Take Time
Raising disciples takes time, a lot of it. Especially for those of us learning Torah as adults, it takes time to get the Father’s commands in our hearts.
Our kids are already in our homes, so we can’t waste a second. We need to sit at the feet of our Rabbi, Yeshua, so our children have something worth copying.
Because, frankly, what we are is what our kids will become. You’ve seen it—they mimic your mannerisms, your curls, even your quirks! They’re little images of you, just as we’re to be in the Father’s image.
The more we reflect Yeshua, the better disciples our kids will become.
Deuteronomy 6:2 says to fear YHVH and keep His commandments “all the days of your life.” That’s our discipleship timeline. Whether we like it or not, our kids are shaped by who we are right now. Use the 6,570 days from birth to age 18 wisely!
2. Be Intentional
Teaching diligently isn’t casual. In Deuteronomy 6:7, the Hebrew word shanan means to sharpen, like whetting a sword. It’s intense, piercing teaching—being so sharp in Torah that you can answer questions without hesitation. Rashi says a rabbi sharpens his students through constant back-and-forth, ensuring they’re ready.
We may not be first-century rabbis, but we can be intentional. The word shema (to hear) implies listening with purpose. Teach your kids to listen intentionally, and be deliberate about what you teach.
Ephesians 5:15-16 urges us to “walk circumspectly, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” Every moment—sitting at home, driving in the car, walking, lying down, rising up—is a chance to talk about YHVH. Pay attention to your kids, because you can’t teach a moving target. This intentionality is rare in our distracted world, but it’s essential for discipleship.
We must also be vigilant about influences. 1 Corinthians 15:33 warns, “Bad company corrupts good character.” Monitor the movies, books, YouTube videos, and teachers your kids encounter.
When I was a kid, my brother and I read science magazines about evolution. They seemed wholesome, but they planted doubts about the Bible’s accuracy. Even innocent influences can shape your kids if you’re not intentional about their discipleship.
3. Show Love
Finally, love is the key. Deuteronomy 6:5 calls us to love YHVH with all our heart, soul, and strength. Rashi notes that obedience from love is far better than from fear, as fear-driven obedience falters under pressure. A home filled with yelling, mocking, or angry words doesn’t inspire learning. Our kids need to feel our love, just as we love our Heavenly Father.
Proverbs 16:6 says pleasant words promote instruction, and Proverbs 31:26 describes a woman who speaks with “the Torah of kindness.”
The Hebrew word yoreh, like a gentle rain, describes the early rains after Sukkot that soften Israel’s soil for planting. Our words should be like that rain—kind, gentle, and nurturing—so the Father’s commands take root in our children’s hearts. Time and intention won’t work without a heart of kindness.
The Power of a Mother’s Influence
Paul’s letter to Timothy shows the impact of a mother’s discipleship. He writes, “I am reminded of your sincere faith, Timothy, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded, now lives in you also” (2 Timothy 1:5). Later, he adds, “Continue in what you have learned… because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures” (2 Timothy 3:14-15).
Lois and Eunice planted the Word in Timothy’s heart, outshining even Gamaliel’s influence on Paul. As moms, we have the first and most powerful influence on our children.
Join the Journey
There’s so much more to say about a mother’s role in discipleship. The book of Proverbs mentions mothers teaching their children 16 times—some positive, some negative.
I’ve compiled a handy list of biblical ways to disciple your kids, and I’d love to share it with you for free! Visit HomeschoolingTorah.com/disciple to download it and learn how to make your children’s hearts soft and fertile for the Father’s Word.
Do you see your homeschooling as discipleship? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments! And if you found this post encouraging, please share it with other homeschooling moms who might need a little nudge to bring order to their homes. Subscribe to our newsletter at HomeschoolingTorah.com to get more tips on managing your home and raising children rooted in Torah.
Let’s raise disciples who love and follow Yeshua, right from our homes.
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