Your Home is a Ministry Center

Friday Evening Seder Dinner

Developing our home into a ministry center has been one of the major priorities of Anne and I from the time we were first married. The credentials of a leader in the house of God mentioned in 1 Timothy include hospitality, “A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach…” This has been our family ministry and it is a compelling vision that helps us put all of our chores in proper perspective. This past week we enjoyed a Friday evening Seder dinner with four families to remember the Passover of both testaments.

The children learned what was different about this night from all other nights. We had the children ask the customary questions of Passover night and each father took turns explaining why this night was different. We were able to share testimonies of God’s deliverance in our own lives, and how God has been showing Himself strong in our families. We were able to do these things in remembrance of all God has done.

At one point in the evening we read Psalms of praise aloud and had the children shout with joy unto the Lord, as we would express our thanksgiving unto the Lord for our deliverance from the Kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of the Son of His love. I would read a Psalm with dramatic expression and the children would follow along with even greater fervor. We noticed that even the littlest of children joined in with great enthusiasm.

Friday Evening Couples Discipleship

After dinner the older children cleaned up and the adults went into the upper room which is above our garage for Friday evening Couples Discipleship. We have been studying how to be in one accord by being of one spirit, one soul, one mind, and of one strength. When we are in one accord God demonstrates His great power. (See Acts) When brethren dwell together in unity God commands a blessing. (See Psalm 133) This is a wonderful group of couples who have chosen to be authentic and accountable to one another.

Staying in constant discipleship has allowed for Anne and I to continue to grow in wisdom, understanding and knowledge. Whenever we see an area we need to grow in we find a group of likeminded people who have the same desire to grow. We begin meeting for a time until we establish beliefs, attitudes and habits in our own life and then learn how to help others do the same.

Discipleship meets seven basic needs of the soul.

The need to know God
The need to be special to others
The need to share your heart
The need to be understood
The need to do something great
The need to achieve things that last
The need to receive recognition

Noble Family Fellowship

Noble Family Fellowship meets at a different house each week for the purpose of training other families to develop their homes into ministry centers. This Sunday we met in our home for a time of teaching in the Word, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayers. Each father is becoming a responsible brother, coming prepared to share a word, song, or exhortation. Our goal is to keep the main thing the main thing. What is the main thing, to keep our eyes on Jesus in whom all things are being summed up. (See Ephesians 1).

Jesus gave us a mission to love God and then to love one another and then he proceeded to explain through 49 or more commands how to love. When we stay focused on the vital few things Jesus commanded us we experience authentic community and unity. Being in one accord by learning to be like-minded in the vital few things Jesus commanded will result in the same power of the first century church. We need to be on guard against letting the trivial many outweigh the vital few. We can strain at the nat while swallowing the camel.