Family Matters

This morning I got to preach in "big" church.  Below is my outline.  I'm guessing the podcast will be up later in the week.

Nags Head Church values families.  Why?

Family Matters

• We Value Families at NH

Family is God’s Idea

Genesis 2:23-24 

 Family is all about commitment.  

We know that in God’s design children are a special gift from Him.

Psalm 127:3

Parent’s Responsibility

Exodus 12:24-28 

There are at least three parenting priorities we can glean from these verses:

Model – v. 24-25

 Luke 6:40

A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher. 

Define and Communicate – v. 26-27

When our children are small it is easy to communicate the Sunday school answers.  But What do you do parents when your middle schooler or teenager asks you,  “Dad, why do you believe the Bible is true?”  What answer do you give?

Are you able to define to your child what you believe and communicate your belief system to your child?

We get an example of how to define and communicate what we believe in Deut 6:6-9

Let me put these verses in the new Andy standard version:

Define and Communicate God’s Word to your kids.  Tell them often, over and over, repeat it because we all know it takes a while for something to sink into a kid’s head and then make it to his or her heart.  God’s Word should be part of who we are and we should talk about Him when we sit around the house, when we ride in the mini-van (captive audience), when we tuck them in at night and when we wake them up in the morning.   Hang it on the fridge, post it on the mirror.   Make God’s word the fabric of your home, the joists, studs and rafters of your family, build your family on God’s Word.

Obey – v. 28

More is caught than taught.  

Our Church’s Responsibility

The current Barna study indicates that nearly half of all Americans who accept Jesus Christ as their savior do so before reaching the age of 13 (43%), and that two out of three born again Christians (64%) made that commitment to Christ before their 18th birthday. One out of eight born again people (13%) made their profession of faith while 18 to 21 years old. Less than one out of every four born again Christians (23%) embraced Christ after their twenty-first birthday. 

Train and Equip  

Ephesians 4:11-13

11It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Assist Parents in Discipling their kids

Ephesians 6:4

4Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

Serve

Which Sunday morning ministry team are you serving on?