According to a 1999 National Institutes
of Health study, 99% of Americans long
for more meaningful family relationships.
This ranked higher than financial security
(98%), sexual satisfaction (82%), and
job satisfaction (78%). We see this statistic
lived out in our own over-burdened, strained
relationships and those of our family
and friends.
One
result: the divorce rate within the church
is equal to that of the greater population.
In a
2001
research study,
George Barna found that:
More than 90% of the born again adults
who have been divorced experienced that
divorce after they accepted Christ,
not before. It is unfortunate that so
many people, regardless of their faith,
experience a divorce, but especially
unsettling to find that the faith commitment
of so many born again individuals has
not enabled them to strengthen and save
their marriages.
In addition
to divorce, families are left to deal
with trying social issues. In a recent
Wirthlin
Worldwide
survey conducted for Pfizer and USA Today,
responding parents indicated that they
have had to talk with their children about:
- Illegal drug use (69%)
- Underage alcohol use (64%)
- Sex before marriage (52%)
- Mental illnesses/disorders (16%)
It is well documented that drug addiction,
physical and sexual abuse, and violent
crime can be traced to broken families
and relationships. These statistics show
us how great the need is, where the hurt
is. Churches and believers need relevant
tools that help build or rebuild loving
family relationships on Jesus' teaching.
This is the challenge of Discipling
My Family.
Workbook
Discipling My Family is a 10-session
course on how to disciple our family.
Each session helps us and our loved ones
open our lives up to God, inviting Him
to examine several aspects of our relationships.
Here are the topics covered in Discipling
My Family:
- Earth's First Family
- One Man's Family a
- Mentoring Begins at Home
- The Family Bible
- Thanksgiving at Home
- Filling your Home with Love!
- The Dynamics of Parent-child Relationships
- The Role of Prayer in Family Living
- Teachable Moments
- Support Your "Local" Family
A good example is Discipling My Family
Session 6 titled, "Filling your Home with
Love!" There is a short Bible study on
Ephesians 5:1-2, 22-33. (These short lessons
are great for class, small group, and
family discussions - no lecture material
here.) The 6 daily challenges (each session
has six) step us through each Discipling
My Family area, and many of the daily
challenges can serve as family devotion
"starters" to help families
establish a common spiritual base. In
Session 6, they serve as our assignment
to practice "greater love" in family relationships
during the week. The activities go like
this:
- Choose 2 or 3 ways to express greater love
to family members this week.
- Check our attitude that it is positive and
helpful. Confess any negativity to God and
thank Him for the strength to remain positive,
working through the tough times.
- Everyday, tell our spouse, parents, and
children that we love them.
- Hold a family council and discuss "God's
love" as defined in I Corinthians 13:1-4.
- Hold another family meeting and have each
person apologize for any acts of rudeness,
selfishness, or resentment.
- Everyday this week, have family members
read I Corinthians 13:4-4, substituting their
name for "love" and "it."
Leader's Guide
The best group leaders are actual participants
in class. Preparation time drops significantly
as leaders complete the daily challenges just
like other class members. The Leader's Guide
is there with helpful suggestions on getting
class started, focusing discussion, and keeping
participation high from group meeting to group
meeting. For each group Bible Study and daily
challenge devotion, there are additional questions
and fun exercises to stretch people's minds
and promote participation.
For example, in Discipling My Family Session
6, "Filling your Home with Love!," The Leader's
Guide has the class or family members develop
and present a "Selfless Love" commercial to
the rest of the group. From there the group
shares thoughts on the passages and discusses
the 6 daily challenges for the upcoming week.
Pastor's Guide
There is no doubt that Discipling My Family
is great as stand-alone material for family
Bible studies, Sunday school class, small groups,
one-on-one discipleship, and independent study.
But imagine an entire church of discipled families.
To help pastors lead in discipling the families
of his church, we created Discipling My Family
Pastor's Guide. This book provides the context
for Pastors to support the Discipling My
Family classes and small groups within the
church by providing defined expectations, suggested
resources, and outlines for sermons and promotional
event. This "Kick-off Weekend" is an excellent
way to spike interest in the church's discipling
program and drive up class attendance.
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