"Family"

The Darkness of a Broken Family – 1 Samuel 24 – Skip Heitzig Good morning. How are you today? This just makes me miss film photography every time I see …

After a loss, each member of a family has his or her own unique grief process.   But just as important and unique is the grief experience of the entire family …

[…] enough circulating in the media today to discourage Christians about the future of marriage and family. In a recent Atlantic article, “All the Single Ladies,” Kate Bolick suggests we …

The untouched idol of the American evangelical church is family. I love my family. No family is perfect, but I couldn’t be more grateful for a healthy family: a mom …

[…] nights of confusion. I do have a question of my own, can I disown my family? Specifically, my mother, her husband, and my sisters. I have had enough of …

[…] enough circulating in the media today to discourage Christians about the future of marriage and family. In a recent Atlantic article, “All the Single Ladies,” Kate Bolick suggests we …

[…] upon what has worked and what hasn’t worked as I have tried to lead our family spiritually over the years. I have experienced ebbs and flows of successes and …

[…] expressions. So I explained. “I keep meeting people who can’t deal with somebody in their family. Either their mother-in-law is a witch or their uncle is a bum or …

One of the acceptable idolatries among evangelical Christians is the idolatry of the family.” That’s what I tweeted last week. To be honest, I didn’t think much about it. I’ve …

“Living together before marriage is one of America’s most significant and unexpected family trends.  By simple definition, living together-or unmarried cohabitation–is the status of couples who are sexual partners, not …

[…] not control our present or future.   Where Do Tattoos Come From? Start with Your Family   Once, I asked our church counselors to share the twelve most common …

What are the building blocks that makes a Christian family different? The Christian Family is a Display of: …mutual submission (Eph. 5:21) Since the Bible articulates the Christian’s understanding of …

[…] describing one aim of the church that I’ll never forget. It went something like this, “My family and I love to share a good meal together. In fact, we seldom …

[…] were busy perfecting the plans and programs we had used to reach the average unchurched family, the entire culture shifted. Here we are 16 years later and we have …

[…] to raise children. The number-one reason? Technology. That’s a key finding at the heart of The Tech-Wise Family: Everyday Steps for Putting Technology in Its Proper Place, a new book by …

[…] preach on what happens when your step-father brings his son home to live in your family?   Anonymous I’m not certain whether it was the trace of a tear …

[…] people sometimes ask me, “In the years since, what have you learned about becoming a family through adoption?” The main thing is that convictions forged there in the July …

[…] command only to fathers (Gk., patera).That term usually was reserved for the male head of the family, but sometimes it is used in Scripture to refer to parents (Heb. 11:23 ). …

[…] are tough times for me. I really don’t want to spend any time with my family. It’s like when we get together the pain and hurts all come back. …

[…] you really excited about the holidays, or are you dreading them? Many people dread “ family time.” Russell Moore writes: “We tend to idealize holidays, but human depravity doesn’t …

[…] later, are tensions within extended families at holiday time. Some of you will be visiting family members who are contemptuous of the Christian faith and downright hostile to the …

[…] in America.  Let’s get to the good news.  Let’s talk a bit about the functional family.  To do so, let’s set the stage of how the early church thought …

[…] post I delved into the gory details of the complete and utter dysfunction of Jacob’s family: deceit, jealousy, lust, unrequited love, manipulation, preferential treatment, twisted use of sex – …

[…] your hands? Here’s just a few ways you can spot the powerful child in your family. Every family’s got one and sometimes it’s not who you think. 1. Does …

[…] willing to take. I am sure I will remix this post later, possibly covering each family individually, but here they are at a high level: 1. The Elderati Background: …

God has placed grandparents in the uniquely designed position within the family to be the rememberers. As the patriarchs and matriarchs, it is our job to remember and to tell. …

[…] “As a man Jacob struggled with God.” Hosea 12:3b JACOB’S WRESTLING MATCH “Jacob sent his family across the Jabbok River but he stayed behind, alone. That night, a Man …

[…] your decisions, but I also want to tell you my story. What happened in my family was also God’s way of giving me guidance concerning how I should handle …

[…] and dinner conversation communicates something about our tech priorities. Drawing from Andy Crouch’s book, The Tech-Wise Family, we’ve compiled some helpful tips to make yours a tech-wise home for the …

[…] “Is there anyone left in the house of Saul…” indicating that he had already turned over Saul’s family to be killed by the Gibeonites. Additionally, the famine mentioned here may have …

[…] not, if you have a husband, you married the kit and caboodle. You married a family. Whether parents-in-law or adult children realize it or not, the choices that are …

[…] of influence into relationship with Christ, beginning with their “Jerusalem,” which can be considered their family. 4. When people are introduced to Jesus and determine to become His disciple, …

A healthy marriage is characterized by mutual giving and receiving. Parents must teach biblical values, invest love and defer to their needs.

[…] these little lives in our house. However, the unglamorous side of this institution called “ family” has been battling a consistent mess pile in the house, in the vehicles, …

[…] four different kinds of crisis in our lives: a national crisis. a group crisis. a family crisis. a personal crisis. Today, let’s look at the third one – a …

[…] she was a foreign exchange student in high school.   God’s watchful protection over my family was my only hope of peace and security. Fretting, fearing and stewing over …

[…] highest privilege that can be bestowed on a person is to be adopted into God’s family. In our salvation, God not only forgives our sins and imputes Christ’s goodness …

[…] different mothers. Their questions usually sound something like this: “Should I pick one wife and family over the others?” That is how the Bible says we are to live. …

[…] Bible alone and pray alone, I find tremendous joy in reading the Bible as a family and praying as a family. Let me offer a few tips to help …

[…] fish in the desolate wasteland of snow and ice. He was dead weight in a family fighting to survive. Mamook, his son, knew what must be done. He placed …

[…] all those people?  Why not others?”  The earthquake, just this week, a couple of thousand family lives shattered in, really, an instant.  I look at the poorest person that …

[…] just call us to feel him. He calls us to serve him.CLICK TO TWEET 8. FAMILY DEVOTIONS I love my family. You love yours. And family devotions are wonderful. …

[…] attendance? 1. Possessions, and power and position…Oh my! Americans suffer from “affluenza.” The average American family has more disposable income now than ever before and that attributes to more …

One of the darkest rooms anyone can enter is dealing with a broken family. To be part of a family that is fragmented and malfunctioning feels bleak and miserable. The …

The stories of Eli, Samuel and David reveal that spiritual men can have unspiritual children. Four myths of child-rearing include: going to church produces spirituality, kids need to make their…

[…] to embalm a body before burial in order to delay decay long enough for the family to mourn the deceased and to give time for out-of-town friends and relatives …

[…] perfect. He summoned his aged father to Egypt. He forgave his brothers and reunited the family. He protected and provided for Jacob in his old age. Even Pharaoh the …

[…] the catalyst for the deployment of a Missional Community committed to the transformation of a family or individual in poverty. However, the servants themselves are often the most transformed. …

[…] God has gifted you with influence. God has called and equipped you to influence your family. God has called and equipped you to influence your friends. God has called …

[…] provide “freshness.” As the season approaches, take some time and contemplate how you and your family might make this a meaningful Advent by selecting options that speak to your …

In the family, God calls us to pass on wisdom and receive wisdom. God uses family to help us establish boundaries. God makes the path of family bigger. Team Sermon …

[…] steps you can use to help you stay healthy in the relationships you have with family (or friends) you typically see during the holidays. Be aware of the role …

[…] tend to spend most all of our Christmas giving on ourselves, our friends, and our family. How much different it would be if we looked down the economic ladder …

[…] I would encourage her to forgive him. As far as accepting him back into the family goes, I would affirm that his actions have rippled some major traumas & …

[…] place in His Heart for widows.   A Widow needs to know she has her family’s support.   My friend Debby didn’t have time to grieve. Her husband died …

[…] follow, like, ‘Send me more or I’ll send this one out to your friends and family.’ This can very quickly progress to, ‘Now meet me for “_______” (sex act) …

[…] way: “The Lord has convicted me of the importance of safety and accountability in our family. Because of that, I voluntarily make all of our Internet activities accountable to …

[…] natural emotion, yet we have seen the devastating effects it can have on the whole family. Teaching your child how to deal with anger will not only help your …

[…] firsts in Genesis chapter 4. The first pregnancy ever. The first birth ever. The first family. The first dysfunctional family. The first crime ever committed. The first death. So …

[…] relationship with Saul was formative in David’s life and affected how he dealt with Saul’s family in his later years. Most importantly, we will look at how power can …

[…] Job’s righteousness to Satan, Satan pointed to the hedge God had placed around Job, his family, and his possessions (verses 8-10), inferring that Job wouldn’t be so righteous if …

I love back-stories, the story behind the story. Many years ago, our family watched the hit movie The Blind Side, and we loved it. The film is about a boy …

[…] other people. But this story of Jacob and Laban yields much insight into human behavior as well as divine intervention. Here we discover three levels of relational interaction and …

[…] were absolutely indispensable in Biblical times. Women couldn’t easily provide for themselves. The blessing of family described in verses three through five connotes a legacy, a family heritage. Hebrew …

[…] a tool of God. There are many unacceptable reasons for war. Imperialism. Financial gain. Religion. Family feuds. Racial arrogance. There are many unacceptable motives for war. But there is …

[…] a biological daughter, and yet they are a huge part of the makeup of the family. The result can be a lot of relational thin ice that is difficult …

[…] kids running and jumping in the bed with us. There are no meals with the family or walks in the park. Birthdays and anniversaries come and go. It is …

[…] one thing becomes clear: a lot of “poor little” princes and princesses shared a common family tragedy. In an overwhelming number of these stories the mothers were gone, dying …

[…] should, I think, talk to your children about this. No matter how you shelter your family, keeping your children from knowing about the contested questions about marriage would take …

[…] for raising children to parents—not to schoolteachers, peers, child-care workers, or other people outside the family—and therefore it is wrong for parents to attempt to unload that responsibility or …

Balancing work and family can be tricky. Here’s Carey Nieuwhof’s article on how to re-prioritize and win at home and at work. How’s it going at home…really?   Here’s what …

[…] chapter seven. A man named Achan knowingly disobeyed God. Then, God stoned him and his family to death as a consequence for his sin. I have sinned a lot …

[…] 8:2) Gift-giving wasn’t always a God-honoring Christmas tradition, but Christmas started to become a more family-centered holiday in the early 1800s, and quickly turned into an opportunity for commercialism. …

[…] goes on and on.  What an utter mess.  Any dysfunction one could imagine inhabits this family.  And yet somehow it is the sons of these two women and this …

People can be perturbing. Marriage and family life would be a lot less stressful if husbands and children didn’t sometimes act irresponsibly or disregard our feelings or instructions. Ministry would …

[…] rest is history. Forty years of age. Alex Haley published “The Saga of the American Family Roots” at the age of fifty-five. Henry Ford started his motor company at …

[…] marriage.” Again, our behavior is always a choice. How Should I Respond to My Homosexual Family Members, Friends, or Acquaintances?   Here are a few “takeaways” about how we …

Dear Roger, I would like to know about my unsaved family and friends. Will I know they’re missing heaven? – Jack Wilson Dear Jack, You may have asked the unanswerable …

People can be perturbing. Marriage and family life would be a lot less stressful if husbands and children didn’t sometimes act irresponsibly or disregard our feelings or instructions. Ministry would …

[…] God didn’t just call us to feel him. He calls us to serve him. 8. FAMILY DEVOTIONS I love my family. You love yours. And family devotions are wonderful. …

[…] into a certain stereotype. I am super grateful for the sweet memories and moments my family has had, and I am super blessed to have such an amazing family. …

[…] A sense of devotion can be reserved for a few. I am devoted to my family. I’ve jokingly told my wife, “If you ever leave me, I’m going with …

[…] the grace of God) or fraud or anything worth headlines. But just talk to my family or my team. They see me on good days and bad days, and …

[…] needed. They’ve come in droves from farms and factories. They’ve left cities and small towns, family businesses and academic pursuits to stand against those who threaten it. And they’ve …

Do you dread Christmas? Or love it? Some people dread the holidays because family feuds abound. Is it “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year?” Well, it should be, and …

It was 8:00 p.m. and we nearly had a family riot. We had another 2 loads to move. I had said we’d only work until 8:00 pm. One child, said “You …

[…] traffic accident.  Every Mother’s Day after my wife’s death had been shear torture for my family as in church services the congregation took out time from worship to honor …

[…] you say or request, and his or her resulting behaviors put your him/her or your family in high danger or risk, leading to constant fear or stress in the …

[…] cracked up to be. Richard Watts has. He even wrote a book about it. Soap-Opera Family Drama “The Money-Proof Marriage” Children of Entitlement” “Under the Thumbs of Rich In-Laws” …

[…] who has many sons and daughters. It’s hard to even have a meal with the family. It’s hard to go to church with the family. And the worst time …

The book of Proverbs provides us with great advice about the importance of family and the responsibility to pass on wisdom, good character and integrity to the next generation. God …

“Teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Number your days, seize opportunities to love and mold your children. When you see how much…

Modern Family “Setting the Tone” Jeff Jones, Senior Pastor 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 For every one of us here, we want to help those we love flourish in life, not hinder …

[…] this little girl with dreams of growing up and falling in love and having a family, but her life is a nightmare and it’s about to get worse. Then …

[…] your partner does the same. © iStockphoto 7. Those Who Grew Up in a Dysfunctional Family I’ve saved the topic of dysfunctional families for last because all of us …

[…] my loved ones for granted.. My kids are driving me crazy! I dread holidays and family reunions. They are always a mine field! We’ve tried all kinds of coping …

[…] I am in a quandary that has me in a bit of a desert…. My family and I attend church, and lately, we feel that we may not belong. …

[…] everything   When members stop attending   When members stop giving   When the church family stops evangelizing   When they stop serving   When church ministries begin to …

[…] the Holy Spirit.   When Peter preached to Cornelius in Acts 10 he and his family received Christ before Peter’s sermon was even finished! They simultaneously spoke in tongues. …

[…] does not do anything to them. They also asked if this could this be a family member who died and has returned from Heaven? Could my Mom or some …

[…] time to tell my parents. This was about two years ago needless to say our family has not been the same. Growing up in church, attending prayer service, Sunday …

[…] months, giving her an opportunity to grow content with her decision to parent the new family member. Dad, however, goes about his daily routine, pretty much unaffected by what’s …

[…] cherished possessions came from Bonnie’s artistic hands. An amazing portrait artist, Bonnie etched a stunning family portrait for our 10th anniversary at church. Her second masterpiece was a beautiful …

[…] Abram’s concubine. She, along with her son Ishmael were a cause of division in the family and Sarah recognized the potential threat to Abraham’s son Isaac – who was …

[…] they dock. It took over an hour to reel it in, with everyone in the family taking turns at the reel. But it was her fish. Instead of having …

I love back-stories, the story behind the story. Our family watched the hit movie The Blind Side, and we loved it. The film is about a boy named Big Mike …

[…] buy the bride a few extra minutes to primp, but this nuptial was unique. The family had staged the stunning service in the rugged desert behind their home. Sunset …

[…] justice to be served and to do my best to honor the lives of my family, who should all still be here to share their gifts and love with …

[…] all people, but love cannot be trusted if it is not first given in the family, both the immediate family as well as the church family.  It’s very difficult, …

[…] pulled out a real purple heart. The high honor the government had given to his family when his brother-in-law was killed in the line of duty trying to save …

[…] now about how these affairs should be handled. Anticipate potential incapacitation by planning as a family who will take responsibility such as power-of-attorney or in-home caregiving if an aging …

[…] not the way life works, and it certainly isn’t the way things work in this family. I don’t know how you’re going to solve that problem, but I wish …

[…] say? Let me try to show you otherwise.   Imagine you are from a large family—a dozen or so kids. A family more blended than the Brady bunch. All …

[…] is taken by some to imply that any effort to control the size of a family is sinful. But just because something is a gift doesn’t mean that we …

[…] patterns will become more noticeable to others and potentially disrupt schooling, career, and relationships with family and friends. If you’re concerned that you or someone you love may have …

[…] though, as noted earlier, only a minority are.” “Parents and youth give mixed reports about family communication about sex, and seem to have misperceptions about each other’s attitudes and …

[…] doesn’t see it coming. He didn’t know better. And suddenly he goes from having a family where he is his dad’s favorite, to being betrayed by his family and …

[…] WOUNDED BODY? It depends.      Injured in war?      Broken leg in car accident?      Family hurt?      What if it happens in church? Broken arm ●SLIDES: READ 2 …

[…] kiss him in greeting, and Jethro’s heart sings the praise of the God of his family’s salvation. The night passes and in the morning, Moses has Jethro join him with …

[…] to know who we are and why we are here. So let me shake my family tree for you. I found some flavorful fruit, a few lemons and one …

[…] go to the grocery store, or get a tank of gas without huge anxiety. My family and I are barely making it financially after the last four years of …

[…] together. Rehoboam is the son of Solomon. Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, a whole different family. So when Solomon dies, Rehoboam, his son, is in charge of the Kingdom. …

What lessons do we learn from the families in Genesis? Most consequences don’t come with an expiration date. Love your wife, love your kids, but put God first. Live a…

[…] we can help our children develop is with the Lord. As parents, grandparents and other family members, we are called to invest in our children the “training and instruction …

[…] in my mid-to-late 40s. I feared that if I left without a job that my family couldn’t make it financially, I convinced myself that the leadership there was as …

[…] do, and she thought it was enough…at least to help. The financial burden of her family had inadvertently become her burden. Of course, no one wanted it that way, …

[…] the seasons as the plant or tree grows. Well, as God would have it, my family and I finally decided to sell our house in Denton and move to …

[…] are all hurting. But, none of us is hurting as much as he and his family. They need love and compassion; so when you see them, grieve with them …

Dear Roger,   Is it all right for family members to say goodbye with a short kiss on the lips? My father’s family does this, and it’s always made me …

[…] to embalm a body before burial in order to delay decay long enough for the family to mourn the deceased and to give time for out-of-town friends and relatives …

[…] of a 100 member adult church and I was informed today that my largest giving family will no longer be with us. This family represented 15% of the total …

[…] mind telling me why you wanted them?”   The traveler said, “Well, it is a family secret that’s been in my family for years. But, if you promise not …

[…] emotional, verbal, and physical abuse at the hands of King Saul (1 Samuel 18-26). David’s family was filled with rape and incest (2 Samuel 13) and massive neglect (1 …

[…] the second tablet. God’s concern here is for the ongoing functioning and security of the family unit. As the family goes, so goes a society. Cohesive family units center …

[…] the hearts of our children and grandchildren from a young age. I learned of a family sponsoring a child whose son asked them, “Can you help me sell my …

[…] he wishes.” NIV   Some angels are “Divine bouncers.” Visiting angels protected Lot and his family and struck the perverted attackers blind. One angel with a flaming sword scared …

[…] this way was because of the issues I was dealing with in my business and family—I knew the root cause and was analyzing this because I try to live a …

[…] DOING Within the last few weeks I learned of two families leaving the church. One family said that they have been drifting and felt the pull elsewhere for a …

[…] stronger on the other side. 1. CREATE THE CALM YOU CRAVE Ever heard of “ family voice”? It’s the irritated, demanding, rushed and sometimes half-panicked voice you find yourself …

[…] anyway. Ask for comfort, peace, and the strength to face what’s ahead. Pray for your family and friends, know and share their needs. When we pray, God hears and …

[…] was in for such a wild ride when she married this man! Sarai left her family, her wealth and position to follow her crazy husband to “a land God …

Do your children run to your side when they come home from school? Do family members stare silently at their smartphones during meal times? Do you stop thinking creatively when …

[…] you live physically, but then try to maintain all your closest relationships with friends and family members who live far away. God made us embodied beings—the body (though it …

[…] and, even worse, making fun of Sarai for being barren. In order to save the family from this horrible maid, Sarai told Abram that he needed to send her …

[…] by one, which is exactly the wrong thing to do.  Secrets were kept from the family between Gwen and the therapist, increasing Gwen’s struggle to survive.  After turning 18 …

[…] hide your credit card bills under the bed? Are you clueless about how to control family finances?   I never have cash. I always use plastic. If I didn’t …

[…] and liberation of their God (Lk. 4:18-19). If laughter and joy aren’t part of your family, something is wrong. That said, the overriding desire to be a “fun parent” …

Spotting the Signs of Addiction Friends and family are often the first to notice the signs and symptoms of addiction. However, they may be reluctant to intervene, either because the …

[…] people coming to the church for help are dealing with an unchangeable issue in their family system which is constant and painful and creates a stress level that is …

[…] are given a wonderful job doing something you’ve always wanted to do. Many friends and family will live nearby. As you fly toward Santa Barbara, you stop at the …

[…] similar. They rescue two things as they rush out the door: treasured photos and the family pet. Forget the paintings and the jewelry! Fido and photos come first.  We …

[…] whenever I like. Churches dot my neighborhood in every direction. Though most of my closest family members have suffered serious health setbacks recently, I will see their faces at …

[…] priorities? When asked to rank several priorities in their life, women far and away ranked family relationships as their top priority (68%). Church or religious activities did come in …

[…] special worship experience, different from what you’re going to experience today, something for the whole family. So we thought, man, we got to have the kids together. Because normally …

[…] apostle wrote: “If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Timothy …

[…] not hurting people. If I don’t tell, I may save my spouse, children and extended family untold heart ache (as long as they never find out).   2. We …

[…] of set free from bondage. Some in dire financial need feel abandoned by the church family which pledged to help them. Some experience tremendous emotional trauma and look to …

[…] her and then she changed. She lost weight, she cut herself off from friends and family, and she only listened to this pastor. He told her if she didn’t …

[…] of public schools and replaced them with nothing.   Abuse, stress or pain on your family: “Whoever brings ruin on their family will inherit only wind, and the fool will …

[…] he would graduate, we would move into our white picket fence dream home, start our family, and begin a life of ministry together. I never recognized my insatiable desire …

[…] 6:6 We spend decades searching for contentment. However, in our busy years of raising a family, earning an income, tending relationships, and figuring how to navigate life, contentment often …

[…] is always working in your life. There was a time when the enemy swept my family with the devastating whispers of fear. That the petition we longed and prayed …

[…] and rejected. It is not in keeping with scriptural relationship principles. (Ephesians 5 and 6). Family, society or church systems abuse by demeaning and degrading acts of control, threat, …

[…] done.   Second, Jacob could have prematurely gone to Egypt, which would have blown the family’s need for time to work repentance in the hearts of Joseph’s brothers.   …

[…] or maybe it’s alcohol, television, or shopping. Or maybe it’s fitness, sports, work, patriotism, or family. Everything can be turned into an idol. And these gods are rarely solitary. …

[…] he moves to the pulpit. The pastor motions for everyone to stand, and then the family comes in. You are shocked. You look at that family, and you notice—“That’s …

[…] say the wrong things at funerals. No matter how well-meaning, people don’t really help the family deal with grief. I’ve heard explanations about why God let the deceased person …

[…] and help them assimilate into American culture. SLIDE #22: For example, you welcomed a refugee family into Tucson this week. CHERIE SLIDE #23: For me, the exciting part was …

[…] amount to nothing, when we were told that we’re dumb just like everyone in our family is dumb. We’ll make nothing of ourselves just like our dad and our …

Is a lifetime commitment to a spouse even reasonable? Does permanence have to become a goal if it means a couple just has to grin and bear it? What if a…