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Pray for Assemblies of God World Missions administration.
Raising a family in a parsonage adds an interesting dimension to parenting. It is somewhat like living in a research laboratory in which theories expressed on Sunday are put into practice the rest of the week. The challenge is to make sure the theories work—with no explosions in the lab. Of course there are explosions, but hopefully no major ones!
Ministers are first of all human beings, then preachers of the Gospel. The ebb and flow of daily life found in other homes also occurs in parsonages. Two principles helped us greatly in raising our family.
Ministerial families consciously or subconsciously choose priorities for resolving the potential conflict of family life and ministry. Many take a linear view of priorities which sees God at the top, then other obligations down the line. Family may come in second and church third, or vice versa, depending on that family’s view.
Others prefer a triangular view with God elevated at the center and below Him family and church on the same plane. Family life is not in conflict with ministry in terms of priority. Values held are family values, not values imposed by the church.
Children have physical needs when they are young—the need to be clothed and fed, and a place to sleep. Soon we discover they have social needs—the need to play and have friends, to learn about their world and how to relate to it.
Children have psychological needs—to be loved, to understand themselves and other people. They also have spiritual needs—the need to know God, to develop a personal relationship with Him and to embrace Christian principles for living.
The purpose of parenting is recognizing those needs and making every effort to meet them. This is true for all parents, including those in the ministry.
In addition to these two principles, we added the vital priority of prayer. No place is the need of prayer more evidenced than in raising a family. When babies are small, you meet needs by simple physical acts. You hold them in your arms—and you pray for them.
But too soon they crawl out of your arms and discover their world. New needs express themselves. You start teaching them, trying to control them through vocal commands, “No” or “Yes”—and you pray.
Before long, when you say “Yes,” or “No” they start asking “Why?” You start reasoning, hopefully controlling them through your influence—and you pray.
But the day comes when they walk out your door to face the world alone. You cannot physically restrain them, nor do you want to. You cannot command them; they make their own decisions. You may not be there to reason with them; you hope the influence of your home goes with them. But you can still pray.
And the God who hears our prayers will answer on behalf of our children.
Dear God, help our family establish priorities and values based on Your Word, rather than values based on what we feel other people expect of us. Help us to remember to come to You in prayer for help in raising our family, knowing that You will hear and answer our cry for help. Bless our children as we teach them to serve You. Amen.
Successful Christian Parenting: Nurture with Insight, Discipline with Love by Doug Britton, www.DougBrittonBooks.com.Subscribe to this email newsletter at
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