This picture is some of my extended family beside my parents and I. In our short first meeting, I enjoyed their company and learned from my mom's cousin. I think it is important to remember to love our families by blood as well as our church family. How powerful of a witness of God's love would it be, if we, as believers, acted like a family?One of my favorite pictures of the church is in Acts. Acts 4:32 (NIV) reads, "All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had." The group in Acts seems to be a family that is ever-present and happy to help.
My professor yesterday inspired me to think... beyond programs or other borders, we can help each other build a church and a family life that encourages a life led out of love for God. In class, we talked about ideas such as high school guys mowing a widow's lawn, a single helping a new student find a grocery store, or a youth pastor e-mailing parents advice on positive music to play.
How can we help others see how to live out of God's love at home and in our church family?
[A special thanks to Dr. Jones and Dr. Stinson for their inspiring thoughts. To read about this, I suggest Deuteronomy 6, Ephesians 4, and Perspectives on Family Ministry: Three Views by Timothy Paul Jones (Editor) (released this October).]
How can we help others see how to live out of God's love at home and in our church family?
[A special thanks to Dr. Jones and Dr. Stinson for their inspiring thoughts. To read about this, I suggest Deuteronomy 6, Ephesians 4, and Perspectives on Family Ministry: Three Views by Timothy Paul Jones (Editor) (released this October).]
