How much it would please God if our theology came alive in our kitchens and bedrooms and backyards – the places where we spend time together. Life and doctrine in a gospel-centered home. A place where Scripture, in all its depth and richness, is believed and lived anew each day. Where Christians are formed and reformed daily, where those who have yet to believe can see the influence of the Lord Jesus, morning and evening. – Peter Schemm, Jr.
FOUNDATIONS OF THE THEOLOGY OF FAMILY
1.
God
created man and woman in His image (Ge. 1:27).
2.
God
blessed man and woman with the gifts of marriage, sex, and family (Ge. 1:28;
2:24).
3.
God
gave parents the primary role of spiritually discipling their children (Dt.
6:4-9).
4.
God
calls husbands to love and serve their wives and calls wives to submit to and
respect their husbands (Eph. 5:21-33).
5.
God’s
design is for marriage to be lifelong (Mal. 2:16).
6.
God
wants to use our families to reflect Him and bear godly offspring (2 Cor. 5:20;
ML. 2:15).
7.
God’s
design is for families to unite and partner with the local church for the
mutual purpose of evangelism and discipleship (He. 10:24-25; Gal. 6:1-2).
HABITS OF A GOSPEL-CENTERED HOUSEHOLD
Spiritual
habits and disciplines are hollow apart from a genuine love and affection for
Jesus Christ. They tend to take on a
“new bondage” if not. The spirit of the
Christian household is inspired by the love of God. It is a disposition that consistently
reflects God’s love through grace and forgiveness. Our disciplines become a good means to a
greater end. The spirit of the Christian
household is a spirit of redemption.
1.
Reading the Scriptures together.
·
Scripture
is the most important source for training.
The primary means of Christian formation.
·
Bonhoeffer
taught that reading Scripture must be foundational to life in community. A child
hears and learns the Bible for the first time in family worship, the adult
Christian learns it repeatedly and better, and he will never finish acquiring
knowledge of its story.
On the importance of systematic reading
of chapters of the Bible . . .We must
admit that the Scriptures are still largely unknown to us. Can the realization of our ignorance of the
Word of God have any other consequence than that we should earnestly and
faithfully retrieve what was lost?
·
Reading
Scripture must always be a priority in the Christian household – no matter what
age a believer is, seven or seventy.
·
Read
it regularly together – not necessarily daily but consistently.
·
Make
it a goal for the habit of Scripture reading is “life together under the Word.”
2.
Practice catechesis together – formally or
informally.
You have three priorities: teach, teach, and
teach. Evangelical churches are weaker
than we realize because we don’t understand the confessions and doctrine. Set new standards in teaching. Understand the word “catechesis” and practice
that art. – J. I. Packer to pastors
A catechism is a
summary of Christian doctrine put in the form of questions and answers.
One excellent
catechism resource is Training Hearts,
Teaching Minds by Starr Meade
3.
Talking at the table together – the family table.
Perhaps the most underrated means to forming one
another in Christ the family table.
Sharing a meal together as a family has fallen on hard times, and we are
suffering the consequences. Recover
one of the most basic, most ancient ways of sharing life together – eating
together dailiy – as a means of spiritual formation in the Christian household.
Martin Luther
called meaningful conversation over a meal as “table talk.”
Some of Jesus’
most important conversations took place around a table – looking at each other,
eye to eye, and eating together (Mt. 26:17-29; Mk. 14:12-26; Lk. 22:7-23;
24:13-35; Ex. 12; Rev. 19).
Our conversation in table-talk may vary from the
mundane to the profound. Talk about the
weather and the big game. Talk also
about the gospel and repentance and God’s faithfulness. It should not seem awkward or out of place
when we talk about weighty and substantive things. If it does seem awkward, that probably
reflects the absence of regular, meaningful conversations. Here are some questions that may help us to
form one another at the Family Table:
What was your day like? What were the highlights of today?
What was hard for you today? How did God take care of you today?
How can I pray for you today? How can we serve and honor each other this week?
Here is what I read in my time with God today. What did you read or learn from God?
4. Declare His wonders to your children
(Ps. 71:17-18).
It’s
the personalizing of what the Lord has done for us that really carried impact
and weight with our kids. When wisdom
from the Bible can be paralleled with a parent’s personal testimony – it
registers biblical truth for a child in a way that nothing else can. Telling your family’s tribal stories to your
kids makes the work of God active and alive to them and helps them recognize
that His blessings are available today.
– Jack Hayford
a)
Tell
your children how the Lord saved you (Ex. 12:24-27).
b)
Tell
your children about the Lord’s provision for you (Ex. 16:32).
c)
Tell
your children how you’ve failed but the Lord forgave you (Nu. 16:38).
d)
Tell
your children how God has guided you (Jo. 4:5-7).
e)
Tell
your children how God has delivered you (Est. 9:26-28).
f)
Tell
your children about God’s judgment and mercy (Joel 1:2-4).
5. Speak blessings on your children (Prov.
18:21; Nu. 6:24-26).
We can bless
through an arm over the shoulder, an embrace in a time of disappointment, a pat
on the back, a whisper in the ear, a snug tucking in bed, or a kiss on the
cheek. However, the most affirming are
spoken blessings. Words that affirm and
approve, words that compliment, words that speak love and affection, words that
give hope and confidence, words that answer pain and disappointment with
support and faith. Life is transmitted
through spoken blessings!