Family Ministries: A Must for the Church Today

Quite often when I conduct Family Life events, I invariably state that when we have healthy families in a local congregation, we have a healthy congregation. The converse is also true. Weak congregations are a result of weak families in the congregation.

Our communities, states, and nations are made up of families. When families pass on strong moral and ethical values to their children, in the context of affirmation and affection, their communities experience the social control that is manifested as a result.

The family of the Information Age, however, has taken on a number of new faces. These faces are far different from that of its pre-industrial Revolution days in which the family unit, nuclear and often extended, was the foundation of the nation's economy from its cottages and farms.

In those "good old days," industries were home-based. The family was central since it owned the means of production and its members, usually children, parents and other relatives, were the ones who made-up the labor force. The most important by-product of this arrangement was the time the family got to spend together, fostering cohesive growth, instead of separation and alienation.

Our challenge as a church today, is to minister to individuals who have become casualties of this complex society of ours. We must address ourselves to the pain and hurt being experienced not only in the world around us, but also with more frequency than we care to admit, in the homes of our very own members and at times even the homes of leaders in the church.

We cannot continue to live in denial of the spouse and child abuse that is taking place within the homes of our congregations. Our people are in need of restoring their broken relationships by learning new skills of relating, and knowing that God not only forgives but empowers.

I am not suggesting that all pastors become counselors and spend most of their time solving relational problems among their church members; nevertheless, we must quit kidding ourselves thinking that if we involve the church in public evangelism, the relational problems among the membership will take care of themselves.

Family Life Ministries is evangelism of the first order. For when we have strong, healthy and happy families in the church they return a faithful tithe, give a liberal offering, and bring their friends to church. Happy families in the church invariably have happy children in the church who want to become members of the church. Happy children in the church, invite their friends to church, who often invite their parents go church, who when convinced, will invite their friends and relatives to church. Network Evangelism is what it's all about.

After all, people will be attracted to our God and to our church when we have the peace and joy they are looking for. That peace and joy are most obvious when our human relationships are what God wants them to be.
Let's give more attention to strengthening our singles and young married couples. Let's give more attention to strengthening co-parents and single parents. Let's give more attention to our divorcees, widows, and widowers. Let's give more attention to our senior citizens and children.

Like Moses of old, let us purpose to "go up and worship our God" with our children and young people, our adults and senior citizens. "Even so, come, Lord Jesus."