June 2018

Dear Friends -

Father’s Day gives us a second chance in a month’s time to think about family.  The family is a system that cares for each member. While raising kids is central to the family, the family serves all its members. It might be useful to think of the family in broader terms than child-rearing and to remember that fathers have an important role in helping their families be strong.

Kenn Gangel includes a list of characteristics of strong Christian families in his book, Ministering to Today’s Adults. Here are some of those characteristics.

• Commitment to family- “Strong families are committed not just to each other but to the concept of family.” A coach trains individual players but recognizes the power of being a TEAM. A commitment to the “family concept” focuses how the family functions as a unit.
• Time together - This is a tough one. Children develop schedules outside the family, and even when the family is home we may not be together. How much time do we spend with each family member watching TV in a different room, alone? You may want to notice how devices detract from time together and take steps to really being together when you are home.
• Expressed appreciation - When was the last time you thanked the cook in your family for dinner? Or mom and dad (each can thank the other) for paying the bills? Or the thousands of chores that have to be done all the time? Expressions of appreciation heighten an individuals sense of belonging and contributing to the family, making the family system stronger.
• Biblical awareness - Strong Christian families read the Bible and try to apply it to their lives together. It’s hard to maintain the “family altar” when the family dinner table is a struggle. But here’s a thought: put an open Bible on your table and read from it when you do eat together. Make it short. Use an easy to understand translation like the Living Bible or Contemporary English Version. Get a pamphlet that lists scripture by topic and keep it on the table. I have one called Manual for Christian’s Problems. When problems arise the family can read a couple appropriate verses, talk about what they mean and ask for God’s help. It’s short, to the point and a teachable moment. It could be a good way to discover God in our lives.

Everyone wants a strong family. So why not get started today? After you read this article, give it to your spouse then talk about it. If together you take one of these ideas and spend June working it into your family life, you will have a stronger family when you are through.
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– Pastor Byron

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