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HOW'S YOUR FAMILY?
by E. A. Slaughenhaupt
A r e y o u a d e a c o n , a Sunday day school teacher, a youth worker? Do you serve on the mis sionary committee, perhaps other committees as well? You may even be the pastor. If you are one of those who is loaded with church responsibility, and if you have children at home, allow me to ask you a question: How is your family? Let me further diagnose your case. (1) You are convinced that God has called you to serve in the church. (2) You feel that you must take the time to meet the demanding responsibilities. (3) Many times you are called upon to serve when you would much rather be doing something else. (4) Sometimes you just can’t seem to stay ahead, no matter how hard you try. (5) You feel that the home situation is not al ways what it should be. If these are your symptoms, you are probably robbing your family and God. In a sense, the Christian is a responsible member of two dis tinct, divinely designed families —the personal family, or those of blood relation, and the scriptural family comprised of all Chris tians. The Scriptures, both Old and New Testament, have much to say concerning each of these families. Focus your at tent i on on I Timothy 3 :5 : “ For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?” I believe that this is applicable to anyone who 26
in any way serves the church. Simply stated, Paul is saying, “ If you can’t take care of your own family, don’t expect to be much help to God’s family.” By a comparison of the above symptoms with this Scripture, it can be concluded that we are the victims of a disease known as “misconceived responsibility.” Sa tan is drawing many of us to the place of putting too much effort into the responsibilities of the church, and not enough into the family. Such a disease is sweep ing our nation; it is settling in our fundamental churches. Sometimes it is said, “ You can tell a preacher’s child by the trouble he causes!” Well, this is many times true. But there is more to be said. It is not only the preacher’s child but the deacon’s, the choir leader’s, the committee leader’s, and maybe yours! Time is life and life is time. Your time is God’s time. Are you using too much of God’s time in the church and not enough with the family? If what is important to the members of your family is not important to you, there are bound to be heartaches. Find out where their interests lie, and if it’s not too late, get in terested—even if it means miss ing a committee meeting or choir practice. Beware lest your loss of contact with the family will allow Satan to have a greater contact and influence. Strive to establish an under standing with your child. Of course, it is not altogether the
amount of time that you will spend with him that will deter mine his destination. There must be a relationship of love and con fidence and most of all, example. Your child will soon understand that you must meet certain re sponsibilities, and that these are important to you because they are important to God. A simple con versation between parent and child can cause much happiness. Neglect of conversation can cause much grief. Furthermore, the church can never take the place of the home. Just because a child is raised in the church does not guarantee his being a part of it. Our semina ries and Bible schools are filled with preachers’ children, mission aries’ children, and just plain church children who are there without purpose; and strangely enough, many of these are getting saved. I know of numerous cases where a child has been raised in a Christian home, gone to a Christian (Baptist) church, and then gone to a Christian school where for the first time in his life he came to know Christ as per sonal Saviour. What of the child who doesn’t go to Bible school? I plead with you, Christian par ent, get to know your children! Take the time and give them a greater part of your life. Strive to strike the balance between church and family by keeping the lines of communication clear. “ Redeem the time, for the days are evil.” By permission of the Baptist Bulletin. THE KING'S BUSINESS
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