Image: Unsplash
Came across this in my sermon research today, and I think
it is spot on:
"Gouge notes that
Christians should have children so “that the world might be increased: and not
simply increased, but with a legitimate brood, and distinct families, which are
the seminaries of cities and the Commonwealths. Yea also that in the world the
Church by an holy seed might be preserved, and propagated (Mal. 2:15).”
A Puritan view on marriage. Families "are the
seminaries of the cities and the Commonwealths." That is a wonderful view
of family. Family is the place where the next generation are supposed to be
forged into the advocates and missionaries of the kingdom way of life, to
take the message that Jesus Christ is King to all peoples. The home, not the
church or seminary, is the primary seminary of society.
This is a vital view of family that must be reclaimed if
we want to see our culture transformed. School, kindy, Sunday school, youth
group, Christian school, etc, etc, none of these are the primary seminaries of
the church, but the home is. The rest are just aids. They are good aids which
can help the Christian family out, but they are add-ons, they are not the main
game. Therefore, the majority of our efforts teaching our kids to be
Christians should be expended on Christian education in the home. If your kids
go to a school, then this doesn't change, it just means you have less time to
do it. But the requirement is still there, you simply have to work this around
their busy school schedule and your busy work schedule, but the responsibility
and the opportunity is on your shoulders, no one else’s.
One way we have lost the West is by outsourcing Christian
education to professionals, rather than maintaining it as one of the primary
functions of the home. The best thing about recognizing this, is that any
parent, any father or mother, can turn this around by simply grabbing the Bible
a few times a week and reading it to your children. Anyone can do this. Do you
ever do this?
The problem with "family seminaries" is they're too often led by women, who make horrible "pastors."
ReplyDeleteMen are to lead in the home, but a woman's role is to teach and train her children. She is the primary teacher of the children, because the father needs to work and provide.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, men need to make sure that their wives are properly led and properly equipped. Because yes, women are not meant to be pastors.