Savannah Shaffer
Author of the Home on a Hill Curriculum
B.A. in Children's Ministry and over 10 years of experience in children's spiritual education
Savannah grew up in south Texas as the middle child in a family of seven. Her parents, David and LaDonna, were both faithful Christians who made faith and family the priority in the home. The impact they had lead to Savannah pursuing a degree in children’s ministry at Oklahoma Christian University, where she met her husband, Zach.
Zach and Savannah shared the same passion for sharing God’s Good News and building up God’s Kingdom. After completing university, they joined a church in Zagreb Croatia for three years to work with kids, teens, and build up the church congregation. They returned to the States after their planned three-year ministry term along with their new son, and are now planning to return to Croatia again in January 2026 to live long-term and continue partnering with the Church there.​
Introduction to the Home on a Hill Curriculum
This curriculum is designed to help your family connect with God's word in tangible ways each week through mindful reflection and practical actions.
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Home on a Hill lessons open the door for the Spirit to lead your home in three steps:
1. Learn what God is saying to you by engaging with this lesson's Bible reading and short reflection
2. Act on the call he has placed on you this week by selecting one of the three response options provided​
3. Pray with God about what you have heard from him and how he wants his Word to change you, using the lesson's prayer guide
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Lessons are written at a level most suitable for ages 8-18. Younger children may require more explanation of the lesson portion, but can listen in, take part in responding to prayer prompts, and join the family's faith response challenge each week.
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Contributions to this ministry fund the availability and development of this curriculum for the churches of Croatia (where it is translated and distributed), as well as supporting the Shaffer family's expenses as they work in Zagreb.
Origin of the Home on a Hill Ministry
It can be hard to disciple your children in everyday life. How do you invite Jesus to transform your daily activities and thoughts? How do you help your kids see how relevant our faith is to the life we live?
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While we were working in Croatia, we found there was a great focus on Christians sharing their personal testimonies of how they came to faith and the beautiful impact that made on others: encouraging, discipling, and calling others to faith. My story always begins with the faith of my parents, who passionately lived out the calling in Deuteronomy 6:4-9:
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”
As I shared my story, many were amazed at the faith of my parents and would ask, “How did they teach you these things?" So I began writing this curriculum to offer a way forward for parents who are ready to passionately pursue the Lord as a family, creating a Christ-centered culture within their home that they can begin welcoming others into.
My prayer is that every home of faith will be a light on a hill, a beacon of Good News to their community.​