Indispensable

God designed only two institutions—the Church and the family.  They are so interrelated that He spoke of them in the same text (Ephesians 5:22-33).  Jesus’ relationship to the Church is described in the family terms of husband and wife.  Elsewhere we learn that all who are in the Church are in the family of God and are named Christians after God’s Son Jesus (Ephesians 3:15).

Therefore, it makes sense that the Church should minister to the family.  The spiritual family of God should be the greatest supporter any physical, nuclear family ever has.  And, the physical family is the greatest resource the spiritual family has.  These two institutions are inseparable.  They cannot do as well without each other as they can do with each other.

It is undeniable that if we strengthen physical families, we strengthen the spiritual family.  It is obvious that if we want the spiritual family to grow, we should concentrate on growth measures for the physical family.
Furthermore, the importance of the younger generations to the continuing health of the Church is equally undeniable.  We cannot overlook them.  Neither can we over-emphasize them.  We must, though, make sure that we provide for them.  How better can we do that than to reach out to them by providing the resources their families need and can use to do that which the Lord expects them to do—train their children?

This weekend is one of those times when we will be ministering to families in our Cornerstone Family Seminar.  We all want to be better families.  We all want to improve as individuals.  This is a good time to do just these things.  I hope that you will make this event a priority.  Sunday will emphasize the families.  There is an event for the men on Saturday evening.  Let’s be there and support family training!

— Mike Johnson