The Universal Influence Of The Family
The Universal Influence Of The Family
The undeniably critical mission of the Church is to transform lives and culture. As Christians, how do we reach culture with the Good News of Jesus Christ? I believe we do that through the family.
The Universal Influence Of The Family
There are many methods the Church has tried when it comes to evangelism. They are varied as Small Groups set in the community to City-wide Outreach events held at neutral sites. Let me offer a method without weakness. There is one way that the Church can meet every age level, every economic situation, every ethnic culture, and every educational background. There is one way that will assure the Church has a voice in every sector of society, in every continent on earth, and in every neighborhood in every town.
Where some methods of evangelism can lack most of these abilities, the family is the one institution that speaks a universal language in a universal setting.
The family is the one institution that is inter and multi-generational, multi-economic, multi-racial, and multi-cerebral in its influence and reach!
The great human need is to find belonging. And healthy families can bring the acceptance and belonging humanity is looking for. Do we transform culture through programs? Do we start with missions movements, justice causes, and global awareness? What about benevolence, homeless shelters, and local awareness? The answer is YES. And the family is the great YES that is truly glocal in influence and reach. Healthy families are the medium and the method to which we must place most of our focus in order to see souls brought into a relationship with God.
What Do Healthy Families Look Like?
We are not just raising a fatherless generation. We are raising a motherless and a sibling-less generation. Young people are missing the impact of a father, a mother, and a sibling. We must re-build the American family. And the Church is central to that re-building.
Here is a practical look at healthy family:
-The atmosphere is constructive and loving and affectionate
-There is a balance of involvement between the home, the Church, the school, the workplace, and the community
-Parents and children are respectful of each other
-Family behavior at home and the Church are consistent (worship, prayer, devotion, spiritual discussions)
-Everyone in the family knows how everyone is doing and daily communication is consistent
-Everyone is allowed to fail and recover
More Than An Unrealistic Dream
This can seem like a panacea, or, unreachable dream. But somehow we have gotten to this place of dysfunction. And somehow we can move beyond this place of dysfunction. It is the responsibility of parents (guardians) to lead the family.
Practice these things and seek to develop this kind of DNA in the home. It will take discipline and hard work but will produce the kinds of healthy families the Church must create if we are going to see our culture transformed. The ministry vision of the Church must include a comprehensive strategy that is family strong.