Joshua 24:14-15
“Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
Like many people, I grew up in the church. Unlike most people, I grew up in the church! Not only was my father a pastor – but for a time our family actually lived in a parsonage (an old-fashioned word that refers to a pastor’s home that has been provided by the church) that was attached to the church building. We could walk directly from our kitchen, through my father’s office, and into the church sanctuary! So, naturally, there was never a time in my life when I did not know about Jesus, the church, and the central value of faith @ home!
Hearing how I grew up, many people say things like, “Well, no wonder you became a pastor! You had a head-start!” But the truth is, many, many people who grew up as “PKs” (preachers kids), eventually turn away from Christ or learn to hate the church! While there are many reasons for this – I believe one of the major reasons is when “life at home” does not match “life at church.” That is, children learn early on that “we behave one way at church – but quite another way when we are at home behind closed doors.”
This might take the form of Dad preaching about love and forgiveness at church but being cold, distant and unforgiving at home. It might be Mom and Dad appearing to be a happy couple when they are at church – but living in constant bitter conflict at home. Whatever the case, when “church life” does not match “home life” – there can be a major disconnect for children trying to figure out what it true about God and faith.
One of the things for which I am most grateful in my life is that, while my Dad was (and still is) a pastor – he and my Mom were the same people at home Monday through Saturday as they were at church on Sunday! They lived out their faith as honestly and genuinely on a Thursday night around our dinner table as they did on Sunday morning when everyone was watching them. While I didn’t realize it at the time – my parents were slowly helping me figure out who God is and what real faith looks like – just by the way they lived everyday at home.
That’s what we mean by “Faith @ Home!” One of the most important things we can do – as parents of young children; as parents of adolescents; as married couples, and as individual believers – is to make sure our “faith at home” matches our “faith at church!” It’s relatively easy to think, act and talk like a follower of Christ during the hour or two we spend in a worship service or Sunday school class – but it’s much harder and much more important to think, act and talk like a follower of Christ from Monday through Saturday – or in our family rooms and kitchens!
Ask God to make your home as much a part of your faith development as your church!
Brian Coffey
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2 comments:
Thanks for this series! I've been asking to have prayer together at home for many years but that was not how my spouse (or I) were raised. In our homes prayer was considered private time. While we prayed with others in group settings comfortably, and prayed common prayers at every meal, we just needed encouragement to start.
Our first prayer was in the pickup after Sunday service and touched my heart. Our commitment is now there and now we just need the habit. THANK YOU!
Used to call this the "briefcase syndrome." Sales people would return to the office after wonderfully aligning, listening and relating with a customer, throw their briefcase down and revert to their most miserable personality traits. And if they could maintain the act in the office, they would often revert at home. Having recognized this in myself, it took a long time to change until I allowed Christ in my life beyond Sunday's service. It is still a work in progress but, thankfully, His patience, support and forgiveness is unending!!
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