by Edward L. Hayes
Christianity
cational facilities and the church hoard. Human interest shots of teen-agers, children and adults will add life to the portfolio. Other liter ature such as church bulletins, church newspapers along with good gospel tracts can be left with the family. One church that used this to great advantage discovered that it was much easier to enlist people to witness and visit in homes if they had the folder to start conver sation. The Sunday school teacher holds the key to many of the homes of the community. The teacher who learns to relate himself to the stu dent in a personal way will find access to homes easier. Parents, for the most part, appreciate the teach er who shows interest and concern for the family. Often the best thing between a teen-ager and his teach er is a hamburger. The small in vestment in a good malt and ham burger will pay big dividends. This will take some time and effort but it will be effort and time invested in a spiritual ministry of reaching a family for Christ. A n o th e r w a y in w h ich the church can reach entire families is by providing a program for the entire family. It should be geared to meet family needs. The total ministry of the church should be evaluated in this light. Are the children being taught Bible-cen tered lessons and given purposeful activities? Is there a weekday pro gram for both boys and girls? Does the church reach the youth of the community? Are they given suffi cient activity and outlets for Chris tian service? Is there an equally CONTINUED
tion and missionary outreach it once had? This calls first for a vig orous program of outreach to enlist whole families for Christ and His church. Then it is essential that these enlisted families be engaged in a program of education in which they can be instructed in Christian home life. To accomplish these two aims a many pronged approach is needed. A program of evangelism aimed at enlisting homes may best be ac complished by Christian families tak in g the responsibility them selves. A church in the South adopt ed a u n iqu e p rog ram ca lle d , “ Adopt a Couple for Christ.” Chris tian couples were encouraged to begin praying for another couple in their community who were un saved. Through social contact and the example of their own home they endeavored to gain the respect and confidence of the other couple. An invitation to coffee or a meal led naturally to an introduction to the Saviour. This was New Testament Christianity at work. Another means of reaching whole families is through the regular ch u r ch v is ita tio n program. It should move in the direction of winning all and not just part of the family. An idea learned from suc cessful salesmen may put new spark into your visitation ministry. Trv a picture folder showing how your church has something for every member of the family. An attrac tive folder of 8 V 2 by 1 1 inch pic tures enclosed in celluloid can be economically p rep a red . Pictures should include the pastor and fam ily, the church sanctuary and edu
N ew Testament Christianity is family business. In the apos tolic church the families and the local church were inseparably linked. The home was the place of prayer and Bible study. It was a refuge for those in spiritual and physical need. Most of all it was the base of all Christian testimony and activity. With the expansion of mission ary outreach and with the addition of countless converts the center of testimony shifted to a central build ing. The church instead of the home became known as the house of prayer and the base of missionary outreach. History has proven that with the shift the close liaison be tween the home and the church be gan to fade. The church, zealous to reach both the individual and the masses, lost sight of the family unit. Christianity became church busi ness. Increasingly it has become the conviction of pastors and Christian leaders that the church must ini tiate an aggressive program to en list and instruct the family in true Christian living. More and more churches are beginning to evaluate their total educational program in the light of family needs. Working on the scriptural principle that the home is a vitally important agency of the gospel witness they are in vading whole new areas of min istry.
When the home is strengthened the church and the work of Christ are strengthened. Teamwork is needed. This then is the problem. What can the church do to re-estab lish in the home the domestic devo» / F A M I L Y B U S I N E S S
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The King's Business/October 1957
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