Families Matter

Families matter. They matter to society, they matter to individuals (just ask the young boys or girls I speak with who are missing a dad or mom), and they matter to God. God created the family. in fact, God lives in family community within his Trinitarian nature (Father - Son - Spirit). Unfortunately, our current culture is redefining and diminishing how family was originally designed to be. This calls for the Church to take a stand in coming alongside families to show they matter and they are at the center of God's work within the world.

This is why I am beginning Family Matters events at our church. The Church has often focused on developing programs, ministries, staff, events to make itself look good. My desire with this kickoff event, and ultimately a ministry vision, is to make families look good. Mark Holmen, in his book Building Faith At Home says, "As the family goes, so goes the church." In other words, if the church desires to be effective and join God at work it must seek to partner with families (of all colors, shapes & sizes, especially in 21st C. culture) in equipping and encouraging them to be who God created them to be.

Some Scriptures that have influenced and impacted me with this vision are
Deuteronomy 6:4-9 God's call to families to nurture faith at home
1 Samuel 2-3 Eli's wicked sons, a profound warning to fathers in ministry
Psalm 78:1-11 God's call for each generation to pass on the faith to the next
Psalm 145:4
Ephesians 5:21-33 God's call to family roles with its overall purpose in glorifying Jesus and what he has done for the Church, his bride