The Discipline of the Word
- Eric Whittle
- Mar 2
- 3 min read
Our theme this year is “Growing in Christ,” and growth is never accidental. Anything that grows—whether it’s a garden, a marriage, or a faith—grows because it is nurtured consistently over time. That’s why, for the month of March, I want to focus our bulletin articles on a simple but powerful theme: Spiritual Disciplines. These are the steady habits God uses to grow His
people—things like being in the Word, prayer, worship, and service. They may not always feel “exciting,” but they are the roots that keep faith strong when life gets busy, hard, or distracting.
Our goal isn’t to create a burst of motivation that fades in a week. It’s to develop consistency—so that we can truly grow in Christ in a lasting way. And this matters for our kids and teens as much as it does for adults. Our young people are growing up in a world that is loud, confusing, and full of competing voices. If we want them to stand firm, they need more than good memories from church—they need deep roots in God’s truth. And those roots are grown through discipline.
One of the most important spiritual disciplines in the Christian life is simply this: spending time in God’s Word. Not occasional, not when life is hard but consistently diving into Gods word and letting it shape our hearts, strengthen our faith, and guide our steps.
Psalm 1 paints a powerful picture of what happens when a person is rooted in Scripture. It says the blessed man’s “delight is in the law of the Lord,” and that he “meditates day and night.” The result? “He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water… and whatever he does shall prosper” (Psalm 1:2–3). That doesn’t mean life will always be easy. It means your life will be stable. Nourished. Grounded. Fruitful.
But let’s be honest, Bible reading takes discipline. We’re busy. We’re distracted. We’re tired. And if we wait until we “feel like it,” we won’t do it much at all. That’s why it’s called a discipline. It’s choosing what we need most, even when it’s not the easiest choice.
The Word of God doesn’t just give us information, it brings transformation. It teaches our kids what is true when the world gets confusing. It gives our teens wisdom when they feel pressure, temptation, or doubt. It reminds all of us who God is and who’s we are.
And if we want our kids to love the Word, they need to see us loving it too. They need to grow up in homes where the Bible isn’t just something we carry to church—it’s something we open, read, and live by. Parents, grandparents, and church family, your example matters more than you realize.
So here’s the challenge for this week: make time for the Word. Start small if you need to. Read a chapter a day. Read with your family. Ask your child what they learned in class. Encourage your teen to bring their Bible and take notes. But don’t neglect the discipline that keeps your roots deep. Because when we are rooted in the Word, we are rooted in the voice of God.
Always remember—you are loved.
Eric
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