22.37-40). Jesus knew we are better together. In her search for affection and love, she only found abuse from one man after another. Serving the Lord together requires godly men and fathers in the home. Everyone. Whether it is a neighbor, someone from church, a homeless person, another family, or someone who has served you, preparing food for another person is a wonderful way to serve others. When you put it all together, 4000 years ago, "serve" meant "To see and look into the house by opening the door." The desire of … “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). They were church planters and have served in churches that loved them and our family for six decades. Posted on May 16, 2016 by The Way. Learn more about me → Share this: Facebook; Twitter; Pinterest; Print; Email; Primary Sidebar. Church membership and regular church attendance will be one way a family shows that God is first in their lives (see Hebrews 10:25). A family that prays together stays together. Together As Family. Family of John the Baptist. Have your children keep track and write down problems or concerns they hear about at school or at church. How would her life have been different? But if we don’t get family right, everything else is a failed strategy. Serving Together as a Family Can Be Challenging. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. We met at Starbucks. A Fuller Youth Institute study of relational dynamics analyzed the warmth of families. Couples who embrace God’s call to serve others experience an added closeness, and there are special moments and memories that naturally come when you do things together. The best way to have exponential and generational impact for Jesus is through the legacy of a whole family. As I mentioned above, you’ll find three more factors in the book (and they are helpful), but decades of experience have shown me that building and standing together on a strong spiritual foundation is the most important. You know who that is for you. When you and your family give thanks and all have faith, you are serving God together. Even better, I’m going to give you some of the best content that comes from my wife Sue. Researchers wrote: Families in which children and parents felt close were more likely to be families in which children adopted the faith of their parents. Her family told the story two different ways: in one version, it was an accident; in the other, he walked in front of the train on purpose. If you have kids in sports—which we did—I want you to think about this seriously. The word ‘serve’ refers to laboring, to being in bondage to something or someone, to render service, or to being a worshipper. Spend some family time in the kitchen cooking and preparing a nice meal for anyone your family wishes to serve. And I also love New Mexico! CTRL + SPACE for auto-complete. Together: Pursuing the Great Collaboration is Exponential’s 2020 theme. Worship should not only be on the outside but must come from a willing heart of true worshiper of God. Have your children keep track and write down problems or concerns they hear about at school or at church. So good to hear this! I got to know her friends, current and old, and some of their friends. God wants whole and healthy families, but the Great Collaboration doesn’t begin and end at the front door of our homes. Let’s notice some truths about serving God with your family… The ‘Evil’ of Serving the Lord Joshua 24:15a “And if it seem evil into you to serve the LORD…” What did Joshua mean by saying that some thought it was evil to serve God? It extends to the people that God has intentionally brought into your life. It was beautiful. “Nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything” (Acts 17:25). While you are eating, open your Bible and share your favorite Scripture or even just one of your favorite Bible stories. Many Wednesdays, I would stick around a few extra minutes to talk to her and over time got to hear her story. My wife Sue is loyal and loving to God, me and our three amazing kids, Amy, Josh and Caleb. “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. To serve God together as a family, parents must bring up their children in the way of the Lord. Your family may gain a deeper understanding of poverty and culture, and even develop a new appreciation for things that you have been taking for granted. Your family is the first expression of your local church. This will for sure be my go-to Alfredo sauce! To serve God starts with serving in our families. Married couples ought to pray together, read the Word of God together, attend the church services together, and labor together to bring the lost to Christ. Volunteer to babysit, as a family, for a couple with small children so that they can go out on a date. This is what we’re unpacking today. I cannot force it. And they never saw it. I fully acknowledge that God’s vision for community is much, much broader than the traditional nuclear family. And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. Worship is the most valuable thing a human can do. I’m not one to predict what God will or won’t do or say, but I can tell you with full confidence that God will never say that. Put it on your family calendar once a week or twice a week to have family prayer time, and bless others with the gift of prayer. We weren’t meant to go it alone. Talia had a great smile (really more of a smirk like she had just gotten away with something) and always a quick-witted comeback. It starts by knowing that when you get to heaven, you will never hear God say: “Great job planting and growing that church. Do you like to be outdoors? This post is based on the new book, Together: The Great Collaboration, by Dave Ferguson. I’m almost embarrassed at how good God has been to me. Serve over pasta noodles or use in any recipe that calls for alfredo sauce. Luke 1:15 . As parents, we want our children to learn to unselfishly live by the "Golden Rule," and to grow into thoughtful, aware adults. Catch the Spirit. Serving God isn’t always an individual thing. We can do a lot in service to God individually. The findings revealed that the No. Share. Joshua 24:14-15 What do you think? 19. Pray with your family. Daily we work, clean, love, support, listen to, teach, and endlessly give of ourselves to the members of our family. But after 30 years of ministry experience, being blessed to grow up in a family that loves God, and having a wife who is an expert on this stuff, I can look at the “together families.” In my book, Together: The Great Collaboration, I draw out four factors—God, Marriage, Identity and Time. Parents have the responsibility to teach their children by their own … This beautiful and powerful Bible verse can be found on display in several Christian homes. that God brings together. The big landscape photo on her Facebook page was of Talia and her son kneeling beside her father’s gravestone. I believe this next discussion will help us better accomplish the mission of Jesus—but it will also help save us … When the hurt and pain were too much, she tried to make it all go away with alcohol. 6 Prayers for the Church as We Face a Second Lockdown, CityServe Network Delivers Over 23 Million Pounds of Food, Free Resource Helps Plan Digital Holiday Church Programs, Bev Upton Williams: The Future of Missions Is Indigenous, Kiana Clay: Overcoming the Obstacles Life Throws at You, Prepare for 2021 by Finishing 2020 Strong, 2 Ways New Pastors Should Look to the Future, Get Your Small Groups Talking (and Growing). The title of this section is a bit misleading. When my kids were growing up, I was usually off too early in the morning and went to a local coffee shop or breakfast restaurant to read and study. After a week in the hospital from almost drinking herself to death, she sent me a text and asked if we could get together. 1) Decide to Serve the Lord But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. Is there a park that could use some cleaning up? If Talia had grown up in my family, how would her life have been different? Husbands and wives are to work together to bring glory to Christ through their home. Submission in the context of a loving relationship was destroyed, and as a result we see brokenness in the majority of marriages. In other words, to serve Yahweh was to physically open the door to His house and look intently inside. Help each one pray to know about their rightful place in the church to identify confusion about his calling. Having spent so much time with Talia, I knew her family, immediate and extended. How do you look back after 25 or 50 years of ministry, marriage and family and say, “I did my best to lead my family and my church the way God meant for me to do it.” That’s what I want. I’ve added some of my own thoughts to her insights. Families are better together—it’s mission critical. Throughout 2020, Exponential will continue the mobilization conversation as we focus on the critical importance of collaboration. This kind of service can be powerful because it is often surprisingly more impactful on the family serving than it is on those they serve. Encourage each member to serve the Lord by sharing their talents to others. But it is not enough to simply stay married; it is also the will of God that Christian couples serve the Lord together. Food is a common need for families with a new baby, dealing with sickness, or older individuals. By: Vini Westfall, CMA Missions Community Coordinator. Serving God as a Family; The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom—1985; Subheadings . 3. Glorifying God is the purpose for our individual lives, as well as our family life. “God is seen as glorious when all our servi Jesus is at the center of it all—but I should have made the implicit more explicit. So she drank more. But we figured school attendance is not an option; so why should church attendance be any different? God meant for us to do life and lead our church in a way that’s best for our family. When I was sixteen years old, my mom entered the training to become a Way Corps minister, and I accompanied her. I first met Talia when she was waiting tables at a restaurant where I and a few friends ate breakfast every Wednesday morning. Serving God together as a team brings you closer spiritually in a unique way. If you love and care for them first, then others will follow your example. Serving others through prayer is another way your family can put others’ needs before your own. It will guard against the failure of the family, and it will instruct us on how to endure the sufferings of life through obedient service to our local congregation and fellow man (Matt. Well done!” Let me be clear. Put it on your family calendar once a week or twice a week to have family prayer time, and bless others with the gift of prayer. Does your family like to work with their hands? Talia didn’t make it. God knows we are better together. • What I love about my family: We love each other; it’s a safe place where we can be ourselves. But Talia’s hurt never went away … and neither did the drinking. I love that you added green chili to it. I believe this next discussion will help us better accomplish the mission of Jesus—but it will also help save us from ourselves. God’s has brought you together in flesh and spirit that you might have children who love God and serve him and whose seek to glorify him. If we get this right in our homes, we give the following generations the best opportunity to experience and share the love of Jesus. Explain God’s amazing plan for salvation to them in a simple, not complicated way; let them admit that they need to be … This often comes through small groups, Bible studies, teaching from the pastor, Sunday school lessons, and so on. But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you. 5 Inconsistencies We're Teaching Our Kids, The 4 Types of People Attending Your Online Services. We touched on this in the last post. Over the next 15 years, she would bounce from one guy to the next. However, to start this conversation, I want us to focus on family and go into more depth on what it means to be together as a nuclear family. This is not something that just happens. The difference is that God has told us not to serve him as though he needed anything. Similar Material . My parents love God and have faithfully loved each other for almost 60 years. I am so glad that you are here. Accessible, comfortable, and convenient counseling services. In order to serve God and come into His house you must first come through Yeshua, as it was Yeshua who proclaimed to be the door (John 10:7). The first command to “love God” is the vertical dimension of togetherness. May 09, 2019 at 9:08 pm. Through these small acts of service, we grow closer as a couple, get to know our church family better and enjoy being used by God to touch others’ lives. Other Areas of Interest (check any that apply). Help is just a phone call away. I share more stories about faith in one another in Chapter 4 of the book. The cumulative effect of 650 worship services spent with Mom and Dad between the ages of 4 and 17 is incalculable. How to be a family that serves. Share this Christian Cartoon! My wife is to submit to me willingly. Serving others through prayer is another way your family can put others’ needs before your own. The only good thing she got from these relationships was a son. Don’t require all members to serve in one ministry. There’s a sweet intimacy that comes with working together on a service project or giving together to those in need. You are not alone. I saw her come to believe. Consider Aquila and Priscilla, that dynamic duo in the early church. I'm Jessica the founder & creator of Together as Family. Make pies and delivering them to your local senior center. Your own church could probably use some extra hands with projects or upcoming activities. The Bible has a great deal to say about the way you can successfully raise your children to become great men and women of God. Gathering to worship together brings believers together as one family. It feels somewhat embarrassing and unfair when I think about people like Talia. The pain still didn’t go away. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. Throughout 2020, Exponential will unpack the biblical truth that we are better together in our pursuit of Christ’s mission. But in the spirit of keeping it real, let me confess three things I wish I had done differently with our family: 1. The first thing you must do is to lead them to Jesus early in life. 18. We study God’s Word together — A church family provides consistent Bible teaching. They, too, will love and care for their family first. I was working on this book when I got a voicemail from Talia’s mom: “Dave, they have taken Talia to the hospital, and I’m not sure she’s going to make it. Dave Ferguson is the lead pastor of Community Christian Church in Chicago, lead visionary at NewThing Network, president of Exponential and the co-author of several books including Hero Maker: Five Essential Practices for Leaders to Multiply Leaders and Together: The Great Collaboration. The church family is called to grow spiritually together, spurring one another on. The second command to “love others” (more often translated “love your neighbor”) is the horizontal dimension of togetherness. I couldn’t help thinking to myself, What if she had grown up in my family? This can be done at any time, but probably the easiest time to do it is at the dinner table. Please listen to me—if we get family right, the whole world works right. Bible Verses / Tips for Strong Families. She had a lifetime ahead of her. I love serving the Lord especially with my wife by my side! WELCOME. Valuing faith in one another meant that doubt was normative, and everyone has their own journey with God. Yesterday’s spontaneous dance party! Therefore, serving the Lord together will foster a strong family structure. God wants whole and healthy families, but the Great Collaboration doesn’t begin and end at the front door of our homes. Ask your children to look around the neighborhood and see if they can find any needs that could be met by your family. 12:31–33. But even with this verse at the forefront of the house, it’s hard to live it out in the middle of our busy day-to-day lives with activities and commitments like school, sports, clubs, jobs, meals, and so on. I’m grateful she is in heaven now, but her life was far less and far different than what God ever intended. You did it at the expense of your family, but your church made an impact. “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord,” Joshua 24:15. Bible reading and journaling have been a regular part of my daily routine for years, but I wish my family had seen me doing it. How many people do you know could use prayer? The Bible teaches that it’s ideal for entire families to love and serve God together. Churches need volunteers in almost all ministries. My family? You are serving the Lord Christ,” Colossians 3:23-24. hbspt.cta.load(4292643, '77645a2c-31fe-463b-b8c0-69ee528a42a0', {}); Looking for help for your troubled teen or family? She could have had so much more and have been so much more. Serving the Lord can be done together as a family when you take the time to learn more about God and His Word. Many stores have drop-off locations within the store itself during the Thanksgiving/Christmas seasons. Truthfully, I’m not sure who’s blessed more – those we serve or my husband and me! We are better together! [next few verses say that indeed happened!] None of our families have it all together—mine included. There are also a variety of forms of family (single-parent family, blended family, etc.) I’m sure you do, too. – 1 Samuel 12:24. Joshua 24:15. This love of others is meant to include family, friends and others that God brings into our world. At the fall, marriage was broken. Can the Multisite Church Survive the Pandemic? Back to my question about my friend, Talia: If she had grown up in my family (or yours), I wonder how different her life might have been. It made an impression. I think it would have been totally different. 1 value correlated to creating a family of warmth and togetherness is faith. Let me give you some clear next steps. It extends to the people that God has intentionally brought into your life.
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