Family Ministry

Family Ministry and a Christian Worldview

A CALL FOR PARENTS

As parents, you face many choices with your families. However, the most important choice you will make is what you will do with God and your relationship with Him. He warns us never to put anything before Him in our daily pursuits.

“You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand {generations} of those who love me and keep my commandments.” (Exodus 20:3-6)

Recent studies indicate that families today say the number one priority in their family is their child’s education. Number fourteen is their relationship with Christ. Families today have been drawn in by today’s culture with the idea that if our children can get a great education, they will have more than we had. Those families who put education and activities like sports and other events above their child’s relationship with God end up with children who are spiritually bankrupt. You see, if my child ends up with a great job, great home, and lots of money but does not have a relationship with Christ, I have given them the world…and nothing else. There is more to life than having a great job, giving your child an excellent education, and involving your children in sports. We are not saying not to educate your child; what we are saying is not to ever put your child’s education and activities before their relationship with Christ.

There are a number of families who have shared that when they chose to put God first in their families, everything else fell into place. They testify that homework seemed to be getting done faster, there was more time to be together as a family, and there was peace in the household. Isn’t it sad how Satan will cause us to believe that we do not have fifteen minutes to give God? Those fifteen minutes could make all the difference in the world in how our day goes. When we make Christ Lord of our household and put Him first in everything, we will see a huge difference, and we will have children who will leave our homes with a desire to serve and please Him. God warns us not to put anything before Him. When we do, it is no different than erecting an idol and bowing down to it.

There is a call for every believer in Christ to take up our cross and follow Jesus (Luke 9:23). This call is to give Him all that we have and to surrender our lives and families to Him to find His purpose and will (Romans 12:1). If you want your child to have everything that God wants for them, it starts with you. In many ways, your child cannot become something that you are not. In order for you to model Christ in your home, you first have to come to the point where you give Him complete and total control of your life, your home, and your family. You surrender everything to Him. The next step to realize is there is only one target to point your children to and that is Christ (Hebrews 12:1-6). If you keep your focus on Him and point your children to Him, you will find true meaning for your life. If you point your children towards anything besides Him, you will completely miss the target and God’s purpose for your child’s life. The choice is yours. Remember what Joshua said, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15b). CDM International is committed to train and equip the parent and church by providing quality materials that assist the parent at home to teach spiritual disciplines to their children. Parents can effectively and thoroughly teach their child spiritual disciplines at home, which can carry them through life. In the N.K. and L.I.T. devotionals, parents are given “Parent Talk” tools to reinforce what their child is learning at home and church.

Parent Talk: Teaching a Christian Worldview:

Both LIT and Nehemiah Kids include weekly devotions for the parent to be able to  teach Christian worldview. See samples below: