Almost Christian

I just finished reading Almost Christian: What the Faith of Our Teenagers is Telling the American Church by Kendra Creasy Dean, which elaborates on extensive research done by the National Study of Youth and Religion. Dean begins the book by stating,

American young people are, theoretically, fine with religious faith – but it does not concern them very much, and it is not durable enough to survive long after high school.

Dean will go on to explain the faith that American young people are fine with, which she refers to as Moralistic Therapeutic Deism. Dean argues that this is the faith of the majority of youth in evangelical churches. In other words, most students coming out of student ministries embrace a faith that has the following guiding beliefs:

1. A god who exists who created and orders the world and watches over life on earth.
2. God wants people to be good, nice, and fair to each other, as taught in the Bible and by most world religions.
3. The central goal of life is to be happy and to feel good about oneself.
4. God is not involved in my life except when I need God to resolve a problem.
5. Good people go to heaven when they die.

Obviously, the language we use and faith in action that we model for the next generation matters. We’ve been sending the wrong message to students: the Bible is all about you and the goal of life is to be happy. Dean uses the rest of the book to address possible solutions for this type of misrepresented Christianity, which include applications for student pastors, senior pastors, congregations, adult leaders, and parents. Her applications can be summed up by saying: we, as youth leaders and parents, must return to teaching God’s story (the biblical narrative) and cultivate within young people a consequential faith. Dean writes:

The gospel’s central message – that God loves us enough to die for us severs self-serving spiritualities like Moralistic Therapeutic Deism at the root. Christian identity comes from worshiping a God who loves us enough to suffer on our behalf, and who calls us to enact this kind of love for others: “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”

We must model and teach a faith that is centered on the God of the Bible and which points to our calling as missionaries in our communities for the glory of God. Our discipleship should focus on developing followers of Christ who are passionate about developing more followers of Christ. It is when we teach and model this greater story, the gospel and its implications, that students will be passionate about following God and modeling Jesus’ love to their friends, families, and world.

Recently, I came across this video which tells such a story:

 

Conclusions from a Biblical Perspective of Family

The Biblical teaching on family is more than a list of instructions, although that is part of it. Throughout the biblical narrative we see that the family is essential to the gospel being moved throughout communities and this world. Both the Old and New Testaments show us the potential of a family that walks with God. In fact, time did not permit for an exposition of the numerous implicit teachings from stories such as Hannah and the setting apart of Samuel (1 Samuel 1-3), the pattern of leaders who “walked in the way of his father” in I and II Kings, and numerous others.

The impact of families that walk with God is generations of believers as well as communities turning to Christ. Therefore, it’s essential that our understanding of family doesn’t stop with emphasizing the role of parents in the discipling of their children. We must also recognize that the family is one of God’s primary means of reaching the nations. As Peter proclaimed in Acts 3, reminding the Hebrews, “It is you who are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’”

To conclude, the biblical teaching on family and mission can probably be summed up with these three statements:

1. Parents are given the command to develop their children spiritually (Deut. 4:9; 6:4-9; Ps. 78:1-8; Joel 1:3; Eph. 6:1-4).
2. In some circumstances, the Bible presents the parents as the most effective means to developing children spiritually, as well as advancing the gospel  (Gen. 18:19; Prov. 1:8; John 1:40-42; Acts 5:42; 11:14; 16:30-34; 18:8; 2 Tim. 1:5, 3:15).
3. The local community (OT) and the church (NT) are given the responsibility of coming along-side of families that are a part of their flock in order to help them develop their children spiritually (Deut. 6:4, “Hear, O Israel,” c.f. Josh. 4; Matt. 18:4-6).

What does this mean for the church?

Based on what the Biblical authors wrote concerning family, the community, and mission, I believe that each ministry area ought to consider the place of parents in their respective ministries. There are probably three key ways that any church can make that happen: Cast Vision, Collaborate Ministries, and Connect Institutions (the church and home).

 

The New Testament and Family: the Epistles

The rest of the New Testament builds upon the activity of the early church in Acts. For the writers of the NT epistles, the family is irreplaceable in the mission of God. Therefore, instruction is given in order that the families of God would be gospel witnesses to those around them. This instruction is given to husbands (Eph. 5:25; Col. 3:19; 1 Pet. 3:7), fathers (Eph. 6:4; Col. 3:21), wives (Col. 3:18), children (Eph. 6:1-3; Col. 3:20), and even the slaves that would be a part of a typical household (Eph. 6:5-6; Col. 3:22; Phil. 1:16).

Besides the explicit instruction given to various members of the family, there are also pictures of what a godly family looks like. For example, and probably the most telling of all, is found in Paul’s address to his young mentee, Timothy:

For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well… You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 2 Timothy 1:5; 3:15.

Here, we see the impact of faith being passed from generation to generation. Interestingly, the faith is passed on from a grandmother to a mother, to son, Timothy. The result is that Timothy knows the Scriptures, which are profitable for, “teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness” (3:16).

Another picture of what it look likes for a family to walk with God is found in the “Hall of Faith” in Hebrews 11. Here, we find a family lineage that is defined “by faith.” The result is generations of men and women who walked with God and made a tremendous impact on the world around them. One particular family line goes from Enoch to Joseph. The most telling thing about this genealogy of faith is the descriptions of their faithful actions and how many times it involves the generation to come. For example:

By faith he (Abraham) lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise (11:9)

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son. (11:17)

By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even regarding things to come. (11:18)

By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. (11:19)

By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones. (11:20)

Hebrews 11 offers one of the clearest pictures of what it looks like for a family to be passing on the faith to the next generation. This kind of intentional discipleship from a parent to his/her children is what the early church strived for. John echoed this sentiment in his third epistle, “I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth” (3 John 4). Of course, John could have been writing about the believers that he had a hand in mentoring, but the point is clear: it’s vital that the next generations receive the instructions of the Lord.

 

The New Testament and Family: Acts

In the Old Testament, God promises to be with His people and as a result of His presence they would be a light to the nations. However, again and again, the people fail to live as a contrast community and instead of standing out, they indulge in the activities of their pagan neighbors. The book Acts paints a similar, but more fulfilling picture. Again, God promises to be with His people, but this time through the presence of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8). As a result, the early church fulfills its role to be God’s “witnesses” to the surrounding nations. Luke, who authors both the gospel of Luke and the early church accounts in Acts, describes the early witnessing power of the church. Notice the extent of the church’s missional activity and the role the “home” played:

Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, ⁴⁷ praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved. (2:46-47)

And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ. (5:42)

The word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith. (6:7)

Therefore, those who had been scattered went about preaching the word… So there was much rejoicing in that city. (8:4, 8)

Now there was a man at Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian cohort, a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, and gave many alms to the Jewish people and prayed to God continually… ‘Send to Joppa and have Simon, who is also called Peter, brought here; and he will speak words to you by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’ (10:1-2; 11:13-14)

And when he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also called Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying. (12:12)

And when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us. (16:15)

And when they had brought them to the chief magistrates, they said, “These men are throwing our city into confusion…” (16:20)

And he took them that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household. And he brought them into his house and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, having believed in God with his whole household. (16:33-34)

They went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia, and when they saw the brethren, they encouraged them and departed. (16:40)

When they did not find them, they began dragging Jason and some brethren before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have upset the world have come here also…” (17:6)

Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his household, and many of the Corinthians when they heard were believing and being baptized. (18:8)

The early church fulfilled its missional calling by relying on God’s presence and being obedient to Him by sharing their faith with all those they came in contact with. The result was that many people turned to the Lord, including whole families. In many of these instances the father was converted, which was quickly followed by the rest of the family. These converted families reached out to their neighbors, witnessing to those they had the closest relationships with, and in turn created a “house to house” ministry. God’s purposes were being fulfilled one family at a time.

What was true in the book of Acts is true in various missional movements around the world today. The most effective model of evangelism was and is the same: families reaching families. In the Old Testament, God instructs the nation of Israel to be a light to the nations and in the New Testament the church lives that calling out. In the book of Acts we see its potential and its fruit, but this is also seen throughout the rest of the NT (e.g. Rom. 16:5, 10, 11; 1 Cor. 1:16; Phil. 4:22; 2 Tim. 4:19).

 

The New Testament and Family: the Gospels

In the Old Testament, the families of Israel served a pivotal role in the advancement of God’s purposes among the nations. This was especially evident in the Abrahamic Covenant, where Abraham is described as being chosen so that he would command “his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice” (Gen. 18:19). It should be no surprise, then, that the New Testament begins with a family and through this family God’s purposes would be accomplished completely and finally.

Matthew begins his gospel by describing the family of our Lord, “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham” (Matt. 1:1). Following this opening line is a tracing of Jesus’ ancestors from Abraham to Joseph (v.2-17). What was the purpose of this genealogy? Matthew was no doubt establishing the legitimacy of Jesus’ claim as Messiah, but this is not all. This passage reminds us that Jesus had real parents, who had real parents, who had real parents, and so on and so forth. Matthew reminds us that God uses the family to accomplish His purposes. The impact of multiple generations is obvious in our Lord’s genealogy and it will also be evident as we trace the family in the New Testament.

The gospels continue with few descriptions of family life. However, the little that is evident in the gospels will help shed light on what will happen in the early church. For example, the gospels give us an early picture of family members coming to faith together (e.g. Mt. 4:18; Jn. 1:43-51) and Jesus clearly places a high emphasis on the spiritual development of children (Matt. 18:4-6; 19:13-15; Mk. 10:13-16; Lk. 18:15-17). He even says at one point, “if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea” (Mt. 18:6). Jesus not only upheld the commands for parents to disciple their children by emphasizing the importance of teaching children, but he also showed that family faith is essential to advancing the gospel by inviting family members to be among his close followers (i.e. James and John, Phillip and Nathaniel). What was being prescribed in the Old Testament is beginning to be described in the New Testament. What was commanded in the Old Testament is happening in the New Testament.

Jesus does something interesting, though, when he begins to differentiate between the physical and the spiritual family. Even though this separation had been a reality since the Fall, Jesus helps us understand that this separation impacts the way we disciple children. He says, “Behold My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of God, he is My brother and sister and mother” (Mk. 3:34-35). As mentioned previously, the spiritual and the physical family were originally one (Gen. 1-2), but with the Fall (Gen. 3) came a divide between the two. Jesus reaffirms the idea of a necessary community, one that will equip the physical family and also keep them accountable. In other words, the church can serve to fill in the gaps. A good example of this is found in Paul’s letter to Titus when he instructs older women to be “teaching what is good, so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children” (v. 3-4). Here, Paul instructs the spiritual family to step up in areas that will help to disciple the physical families. The church (or larger Christian community), then, plays a vital role in the equipping of families.

 

The Family as a Contrast Community

As I’ve pointed out from earlier posts on the Old Testament perspective of family and mission, it was through the family that God was choosing to fulfill his purposes. A basic foundation for Israel fulfilling its role as a light to the nations (Isa. 42:6) was the importance of the family. Ancient Israel was to serve as a “contrast community”[1] to the surrounding nations and the family was one of the primary ways Israel was to stand out from their neighbors. Timothy Paul Jones says it like this, “The gospel is rehearsed in families and reinforced at church so that God’s truth can be revealed to the world.”[2]

When alien nations saw the impact of God’s presence, especially in the context of family relations, they were to be drawn to God. Gary Chapman, in the epilogue of his book, The Family You’ve Always Wanted, states what this might look like today:

It is the multiplying of healthy families that produces a healthy society, and it is healthy, functioning societies that create a world of harmony. What happens to your family does make a difference – not only to you and your children but to the thousands of young observers who are in search of the family they always wanted.[3]

So, how does a Christian family look different from non-Christian families in today’s culture? How does today’s family serve as a modern-day “contrast community”? There seems to be a number of distinguishing marks based on descriptive and prescriptive instruction in the Old Testament.

1. A family marked by God’s activity. Most of the instructions about families and parenting occur before or after a movement of God (e.g. the Passover, giving of the Law, before entering the Promise Land, crossing the Jordan). God activity in the life of Israel was a distinguishing mark and as it was seen by surrounding nations it would bring glory to God (e.g. Ex. 9:16; Josh. 2:10). Our families should remember and be marked by the activity of God in their lives.
2. A family marked by the truth of God and faith in God. Following the Shema there is clear teaching to parents regarding the discipling of their children. However, we must place this command to disciple in the greater context of the Shema itself. Parents and families are first to be marked by faith in the true God and discipleship should be a natural outflow of that. Our families should be grounded in faith in God. A part of expressing that faith will be seen in their effort to develop faithful children.
3. A family marked by a father’s leadership. God called fathers to exemplify headship in the home. Although this would not necessarily have been a distinguishing mark in the Ancient Near East, what would have been different is the way in which the Hebrew men were to carry out their responsibility. Biblically, it’s clear that men and women were created equally, yet distinct in their roles (Gen. 1:27, 2:18, 22). This distinguishing of roles is not abusive or domineering, but loving and a picture of the gospel (Eph. 5:22-33). Husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, both share in the responsibility to shape the lives of their children (e.g. Prov. 1:8), but our families should be contrasted from the worlds in the level of intentionality from the father figure.
4. A family marked by its participation in community. The Christian life is not meant to be lived in isolation and the same is true of Christian families. Families in the Old Testament were surrounded by a believing community that was there for support and accountability. In today’s society, which promotes individuality and separation for individuals and families, our families should see it as a privilege to have the support and encouragement from the larger faith community.
5. A family marked by God’s mission in and to the world. One of the most telling passages of Israel’s purpose is found in the book of Joshua. After having crossed the Jordan River, Joshua commanded the people to set up memorial stones so that parents would be able to remind their children of God’s work in their lives. The end goal of all of this was “that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty, so that you may fear the LORD your God forever” (4:24). A ministry to families is all about equipping parents to educate their children to faith in God with the purpose of reaching the nations. In this sense, a church must not only be family-equipping, but also family-commissioning.

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[1] The term “contrast community” comes from Michael Goheen A Light to the Nations: The Missional Church and the Biblical Story (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2011).

[2] Jones, 59.

[3] Gary Chapman, The Family You’ve Always Wanted: Five Ways You Can Make It Happen (Chicago: Northfield, 2008), 173.

[4] Kostenberger, 86.

 

Old Testament Perspective of Family and Mission: Exodus to Malachi

God designed the family to be an instrument of His purposes. Adam and Eve were given the charge to “be fruitful and multiply,” while God’s promise to Abraham that he would be a blessing to the nations was to be fulfilled as Abraham commanded “his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice” (Gen. 1:28; 18:19). It is no surprise, then, that the rest of the biblical narrative places such a high priority on the training up of children in the Lord. This priority is seen in every major section of the Hebrew Bible. A brief overview of selected passages is provided:

• Exodus 10:2 – Moses is told by God that a reason for the plagues is because Moses is to tell his “son and grandson” in order that they may know God.
• Exodus 12:24-28 – Here, the Israelites are given specific instruction on how to carry out the Passover. God instructs the people about how to answer their children when they’re asked about the Passover. Later, it is said that this is to be a night “throughout their generations” (12:42).
• Deuteronomy 12:28 – While giving the Law, the Israelites are charged to “be careful to obey all these things I commanded you, so that you and your children after you may prosper forever.”
• Joshua 4:20-24 – As was the case with the Passover, the Israelites are given instruction on how to answer their children, but this time it’s following the crossing of the Jordan and the setting up of memorial stones and it’s also for the purpose of blessing the nations, “This is so that all the people of the earth may know that the Lord’s hand is mighty, and so that you may always fear the Lord your God.”
• Psalm 78:1-8 – In speaking of Israel’s past, the people are reminded that teaching the next generation plays a key role in shaping Israel’s future. The Psalmist says, “We must not hide them from their children, but must tell a future generation the praises of the Lord, His might, and the wonderful works He has performed.” He continues, “He (God) established a testimony in Jacob and set up a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers to teach their children so that a future generation – children yet to be born – might know” (emphasis mine).
• Proverbs – The book of Proverbs is full of helpful insight when it comes to the training of children, including the very familiar verse, “Train up a child in the way he should go and even when he is old he will not depart from it” (22:6). Andreas Kostenberger indicates that by example or explicit teaching, Proverbs contains over 20 characteristics that parents are commanded to teach their children. He says, “Essentially, what young people must be taught by their parents, therefore, is to trust the Lord with all their heart and to acknowledge him in all their ways, rather than being self-reliant or following the wrong kinds of role models or influences” (3:5-6).[1]
• Joel 1:3 – In light of a devastating plague (of locusts), Joel calls on the elders to mourn, but he also uses this time as a teaching moment concerning the next generation, “Tell your sons about it, and let your sons tell their sons, and their sons the next generation.”
• Malachi 4:5-6 – The Old Testament ends with a promise of the coming Day of the Lord. In his prophecy, Malachi encourages the Israelites by proclaiming, “Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD. He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers.”

This is only a short sampling of the many passages speaking to the importance of teaching the next generation about God and His ways. The biblical writers understood the significance of teaching children and grandchildren the ways of the Lord and placed that responsibility on the shoulders of everyone who was a part of the community. Why was this so important? When the community was intentional about multigenerational discipleship they could more effectively carry out their role as “a light to the nations.”

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[1] Andreas Kostenberger, God, Marriage, and Family: Rebuilding the Biblical Foundation, 2^nd ed. (Wheaton: Crossway, 2010), 95.

 

Old Testament Perspective of Family and Mission: The Shema

The presence of language concerning family is woven throughout the narrative of the Old Testament. Of all the passages regarding the family, though, none is more explicit than the Shema (from the Hebrew, meaning “Hear”), found 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 upon 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.  

The significance of the Shema is due in large part to its place within the rest of the biblical story. As the Israelites were about to enter the Promise Land, God was reminding them of what was most important, including the Ten Commandments (5:1-21). It is in this context that God, through Moses, charges the Israelites with the greatest of all commands (Deut. 6:4-5, c.f. Matt. 22:37), followed by instruction on how this was to be accomplished, in homes and by the parents (6:6-9). Again, the Israelites are told that God will work through them and He will use their families as a means to accomplishing the goal, namely, moving into the Promise Land and being a light to the surrounding nations.

Although this is an obvious place to turn to when discussing parents and their role in discipleship, there is caution to be taken when approaching this text. The reason is because this is a command for parents and the larger believing community. Neither the family nor the body of believers can be neglected in the discipleship of children and this passage makes that clear. Notice that there are a number of steps to understanding the Shema:

1. Community – The Shema begins with an address to the whole assembly, “Hear, O Israel” (6:4). God is charging the community, not simply parents, with the responsibility of growing children in the Lord. So, we must stop here and give caution: the larger community cannot be neglected in an effort to promote family discipleship. Actually, this is not uncommon when we scan the family-centered passages of Scripture. For example, this pattern is also seen when the Israelites cross the Jordan River, “Now when all the nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the LORD spoke to Joshua, saying… Let this be a sign among you, so that when your children ask later…” (emphasis mine, Jos. 4:1, 6a). In both of these contexts, it is the community that serves as a help and as an accountability unit for parents in this endeavor.
2. Truth – Unlike the surrounding nations, the Israelites served a God who was, in fact, One (6:4b). There was no other god and this distinguishing mark was to be a mark for the whole community (4a) and each individual (5-6). It must be remembered that family ministry is about shaping our communities and families around the truth of God. The results of one generation on another are huge. The Scriptures are clear that this is true for the good and the bad. Read through the Old Testament and you will find the perpetuating of an idolatrous nation, marked by sin and rebellion against their God: “(they) turned back and acted unfaithfully like their fathers” (Ps. 78:57a).
3. Personal Faith – Notice that after truth is presented, the charge to respond is next (6:5). It wasn’t enough for the Israelites to know that God is One. Instead, God instructed them to love God with all of their heart, soul and strength. This command is repeated later by Jesus in the New Testament, where He refers to it as the greatest and most important commandment (Matt. 22:37-38). It is only through regenerate, born-again parents that true discipleship can happen in the home. This is a charge for churches to not only be family-centered, but also gospel-centered. Churches must do their part to not only lead parents to disciple their children, but also to lead parents in becoming believers themselves.
4. Growing Faith – Faith in God is not a stagnant, dormant faith. The Israelites were commanded to keep the truth of God on their hearts (6:6), literally the center of life in the human body (the heart has a major role in the Scriptures, e.g. Deut. 4:29; 1 Sam. 16:7; Prov. 3:5; Matt. 6:21; Rom. 2:15). The truth of God was to be what sustained each individual and family. This growing faith, then, which stemmed from a personal encounter with God, would naturally begin to multiply.
5. Multiplying Faith– Finally, what was to constitute Israel’s existence, the truth of God and faith in Him, was to be passed along. Most specifically, it was to be passed on to the next generation (6:7-9). This passage makes it clear that parents are to teach their children in all areas of life. There is not a single area of life untouched by the command to teach. Teaching is to occur: “When you sit,” “When you walk,” “When you lie down,” and “When you get up.” In addition, the Scriptures should also be evident as a sign: “On your hand,” “On your forehead,” “On the doorpost of your house,” and “On your gate.”

Teaching children is not given as an option to parents, but a command in every area of life. Paige Patterson has said of this passage, “The point of this Mosaic admonition is that teaching is something that happens all day long in a variety of places and in a plethora of ways. The sensitive teacher never misses the opportunity, knowing that he may save a life if he is effective.”[1] Clearly, this passage speaks directly to parents and charges them with the responsibility to teach and nurture their children’s faith, both by word and example. Quite simply, “Every household was to be marked by the words of God as a reflection of the inward reality that Israel is devoted to Yahweh.”[2]

However, what cannot be missed from this passage and the whole of the biblical narrative is that this was also a responsibility of the community. Israel as a whole understood the command to parents and they were given the duty of helping the family to teach and nurture the next generation’s faith. In this sense, the community serves to equip families and the significance of this responsibility is better understood in light of God’s missional activity to reach the nations (as I pointed out in the last post, Old Testament Perspective of Family and Mission: Creation to Abraham).

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[1] Paige Patterson, Johnny’s Teacher: The Problem and the Solution (Fort Worth: Seminary Hill Press, 2007), 14.

[2] James Hamilton, “That the Coming Generation Might Praise the Lord,” in Stinson and Jones, eds., Trained in the Fear of God: Family Ministry in Theological, Historical, and Practical Perspective (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2011), 38.

 

Old Testament Perspective of Family and Mission: Creation to Abraham

The LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, since Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and in him all the nations of the earth will be blessed? For I have chosen him, so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice, so that the LORD may bring upon Abraham what He has spoken about him.” Genesis 18:17-19

Foundations

The family is a central focus of the Scriptures from the very beginning. In fact, God created the first human beings, Adam and Eve, with the intention of them becoming one unit, “For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh” (Gen. 2:24). He also created this unit, the first family, with a purpose, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it” (1:28a). As pointed out by Mark Liederbach and Alvin Reid, this was more than a command to populate the earth with offspring. Instead, it was through Adam and Eve and their children that God was going to populate the earth with worshippers.[1] At this point there was no distinction between the physical family and the spiritual family; they were one and as Adam and Eve had children, they would be bringing followers of God into the world.

Of course, that all changed when sin entered the world. It’s when this occurred that there became a distinction between the physical family and the spiritual family. No longer were human offspring automatically followers of God. In fact, it was the opposite. Children were now disobedient and enemies of God. Instead of children being born followers of God, they would have to be taught the things of God. Immediately, we begin to see the difference between families that follow God and families that do not.

Cain and Seth, both sons of Adam and Eve, have contrasting families; one family that is fulfilling God’s purposes by having godly offspring, while the other family is rebelling against God’s original mandate by creating sinful offspring. While Cain produces offspring of sin and ruin (e.g. Laban, who becomes a murderer like his ancestor Cain), Seth has a family line that demonstrates the spiritual influence of a man who walks with God. Seth’s son is Enosh; and it’s at the time of Enosh that amongst a wicked generation “men began to call upon the name of the LORD” (Gen. 4:26b). Enosh has a grandson named Mahalaleel (“Praiser of God”) and a great, great grandson, Enoch, who walked with God for his lifetime and, because of his faith, escaped death (Gen. 5:22-24; Heb. 11:5-6). Finally, it was Enoch’s great grandson, Noah (Gen. 5: Heb. 11:7), who stood out among the most wicked of generations and found favor in the eyes of the Lord. It was through this family that God first delivered a people and established a covenant to be among them (Gen. 6:18). The difference between the families of Cain and Seth is that one family was working towards producing godly offspring, the original mandate from God, and the other was not. It seems from this early account that God was continuing to use families to bring about His intended purposes, even after the Fall.

Abrahamic Covenant

The pattern of offspring being impacted by a family member’s faith and its connection to fulfilling God’s original design to produce worshippers all over the earth continues in the life of Abraham. God calls Abraham out of his homeland and promises to use him as a blessing to the nations (God’s design to fill the earth with worshippers). Interestingly, though expectantly at this point, God says that He will use Abraham’s offspring, or family, to fulfill the promise made to him. Notice the connection between the promise and the offspring in the covenant circumcision (Gen. 17:1-22):

Now when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before Me, and be blameless. I will establish My covenant between Me and you, and I will multiply you exceedingly.”

Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying, “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you will be the father of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations.

I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings will come forth from you. I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after you. I will give to you and to your descendants after you, the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.”

God said further to Abraham, “Now as for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations. This is My covenant, which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: every male among you shall be circumcised. And you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be the sign of the covenant between Me and you. And every male among you who is eight days old shall be circumcised throughout your generations, a servant who is born in the house or who is bought with money from any foreigner, who is not of your descendants. A servant who is born in your house or who is bought with your money shall surely be circumcised; thus shall My covenant be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. But an uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.”

Then God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. I will bless her, and indeed I will give you a son by her. Then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.” Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, “Will a child be born to a man one hundred years old? And will Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?” And Abraham said to God, “Oh that Ishmael might live before You!”

But God said, “No, but Sarah your wife will bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; and I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I will bless him, and will make him fruitful and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. But My covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this season next year.” When He finished talking with him, God went up from Abraham.

God told Abraham that he would be the father of many nations and this would occur through his family line. This plan was fulfilled as Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot his 12 sons, who would become a rescued people for the purpose of blessing the nations. Thus, God was accomplishing His purposes by way of a family, Abraham’s. A picture of the intended plan would look rather simple: Abraham – children – nations (God’s objective).

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[1] For a lengthier discussion on Adam and Eve being created to worship see Mark Liederbach and Alvin Reid, the Convergent Church: Missional Worshippers in an Emerging Culture (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel, 2009), 119-125. Liederbach and Reid identify worship as the purpose for life and ground their argument in the Gen. 2 account. They quote John Sailhamer, “Man is put in the garden to worship and to obey him. Man’s life in the garden was to be characterized by worship and obedience.”

 

Scriptures for Memorization/Meditation

I can think of nothing more valuable for a Christian than the memorizing of Scripture. The author Hebrews calls God’s Word “living and active” and “sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the ideas and thoughts of the heart” (Heb. 4:12).

God gave us His words to help conform us into the image of Jesus Christ (2 Tim. 3:16-17). So, as we memorize and meditate on Scripture, we find ourselves being reoriented to Him. For this reason, I am making a greater effort to memorize portions of God’s Word. I would encourage you to do the same. Here are some verses I’ll be memorizing/meditating on this week.

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to humanity. God is faithful, and He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation He will also provide a way of escape so that you are able to bear it.
(1 Corinthians 10:13)

We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit.
(2 Corinthians 3:18)

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
(Galatians 3:20)

Begin the habit of memorizing verses and passages of Scripture. You’ll find that those sections of the Bible that you memorize will stay with you throughout your daily life – at home, work, and elsewhere.

What’s the best way to memorize Scripture? There are different approaches to memorization, but one common factor of all the methods is repetition. Some people choose to write out what they’re memorizing, while others choose to speak the passages. Whatever your method, remember to repeat, repeat, repeat! I’ve heard it said that if you really want to memorize something you have to repeat it every day for a week, every week for a month and every month for a year. Certainly, those numbers aren’t going to be the same for everybody, but the point is clear: memorization takes repetition.

By the way, use creative means to help increase the amount of repetitions. For example, if you have a verse you want to memorize, write it on a note card and put it in your office and car, write it on something in the house, play a game of matching with your family (where each word of the verse is written on the cards), say it as a family at meal times, and ask others for suggestions.

Don’t stop meditating on the verse/passage after you’ve memorized it. Continue to allow the truth of whatever you’ve memorized to saturate your mind and soul. For me, this is the best part and the most fruitful. Put it to memory and then allow the verse to help you “be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Rom. 12:2). So, be strategic about the words you memorize. If you’re in need of hearing a particular truth, find a verse that relates to that truth and put it to memory!