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Family
and Follows the King by Kevin Beck and Julie Beck
When I followed the call of God for pastoral ministry my friend and Pastor, Frank Curtis, gave me this solid counsel. He said, “My brother, take care of your family!” I have since learned over the past 14 years the value of that statement. Our homes are a building place where we can mold and influence our precious children to serve the King! Our homes are a training ground to root and teach the invaluable truth that is found in Jesus. Our homes are also the battleground where Satan will often attack the most. But, thank God, our homes are where God can do some of His greatest work!
When the jailor in Acts 16 cried out, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” the answer readily came, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house!” God was concerned about the jailor’s family and I believe God is concerned about your family, too. Our greatest need today is not just to have prayer back in our schools, but to have prayer back in our homes. The moral fall of this nation must be counteracted by godly homes that regularly fall on their knees and intercede for the souls of men. God’s presence surely makes a holy and happy home . . . which is an early Heaven! May I make a few suggestions on how we as Christian parents can raise a family that resists the culture of our day:
First, I believe that establishing a daily devotional life is fundamental to our victory in Christ. Putting priority on our time with God and in His Word is key to any Christian’s walk. Jesus put priority on an early morning time with the Father in Mark 1:35, “And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.” Jesus set a great precedent for us to follow. However, too often, children are left out of this. Not only should we model this daily practice before our children, but also we need to help them to enjoy it for themselves. It’s a time with no distractions where we can talk to our Heavenly Father, bringing to Him all our cares, and truly worshipping Him. It’s our privilege as His child, regardless of age, to come to God in daily quiet time.
Secondly, in order to raise godly children, we need to encourage them to seek God’s guidance in our everyday lives. This includes both the small and big decisions that we face every day. Our children need to realize that God has great plans for them and that the decisions they make impact whether or not they fulfill those plans. This goes beyond our daily, set-apart time with the Lord. This includes seeking God throughout the day. Again, we as Christian parents need to model this before our children. It’s the realization that God cares about every aspect of our lives, that He is always available, and that He delights in helping His children.
Another way that we raise our children to be champions for Christ is to align our lives completely with God’s Word. James tells us in James 1:22, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” This again begins with parents. We cannot tell our kids to do one thing, and then model different behavior. We have to set the example here. Putting a high priority and importance on the Bible is key for any Christian. Our children need to see us “living out the Book” before their lives. They need the example of seeking guidance and “what does the Word say” about a need or decision we are facing. If we truly want our children to live godly lives, we must stand for the truth of God’s Word. They need to realize that just because something is popular, tolerated or legal today, doesn’t make it right. If God forbids it, it’s still sin. God’s Word is still relevant today, and it is still God’s will for His people. We must obey and honor it in our home life.
Lastly, the importance of saturating our homes with the love and grace of God is important. In the evil and wicked world in which we live, our children need to know that there is a place of absolute safety and protection. They must know that the love at home is unconditional and that they are always welcome there. It must be a place of grace, with forgiveness being extended easily. Although being a parent always requires correction of a child, that child should always know that love abounds. When this love and grace is present, the home can be what God intended it to be: a training ground for children to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Laurie’s Story: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Being a PK
I vaguely remember my dad telling us that we were moving to pastor a congregation of the Church of God in central Indiana in the fall of 1998. It was his first pastorate. I just remember getting there and everyone looking at us like we had just come from a different planet. All eyes on us? MY family? Not something I was used to. Little did I know at the time that that was something to which I would have to become accustomed. It took some adjusting—moving to a different state—away from family, friends . . . everything we were comfortable with. To think that my dad was now the pastor of a church was a hard thing for a girl of 7 years to grasp.
I remember quite well—more than anything else at that pastorate—the many, many trials that we faced in only that one year we were there. My dad coming home from board meetings just looking like he’d been through the greatest of battles. Going through the living room and seeing my mom kneeling next to her favorite chair, praying and seeking God for strength to endure. My two brothers (at the time) and I trying to figure out why there were people out there that would want to hurt our parents by the words that they would say. Was this what being a pastor’s family was really like? Did all pastor’s families go through problems and trials like these?
After countless days of prayer and fasting, God opened the door and we moved to Blanchester, Ohio, in the fall of 1999—where my dad is currently pastoring. In the almost 13 years that we have been here, has it always been easy? Absolutely not. Have we had trials that we were ready to just throw in the towel? More than once. However, God has proved time and time again that He will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). I truly know that it’s only been the grace of God that has sustained my family and me through the ups and downs of ministry.
I think the biggest thing that we have had to deal with is the way that my parents raised my brothers and me. We weren’t raised up like the kids that came to children’s church, youth group, etc. We weren’t allowed to listen to certain types of music, watch various shows on TV, or go to select events; and for that, we were ridiculed. Choosing to be homeschooled and not go to a public school didn’t help matters any, either! From an early age, I was taught how to study my Bible, as well as how to talk to my Heavenly Father daily. It’s been a daily practice of mine to set apart time to spend in devotions and seek out that alone one-on-one time with Almighty God that so many neglect. It’s never been the “popular” thing to do, but it’s something that has helped me through my childhood, adolescent, teenage, and early adult years. Because of seeing how my parents would put priority on their daily devotions, and how they were able to “bounce” back after each trial, it made me want to have that deep relationship with Christ so that I would have Someone to lean on when it seemed like everyone else was against my family and me.
I don’t say this lightly when I say that if it hadn’t been for the way my parents raised me, and instilled into me the importance of putting Christ first in my life, I wouldn’t be writing this article. I wouldn’t currently be a junior at God’s Bible School & College in Cincinnati. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it hadn’t been for my parents who raised me to be a champion for Christ. Of course it hasn’t always been easy. It seems like the people that the enemy will try the hardest to destroy is the pastor’s kids. There are definitely many difficulties along the way. Yet, time and time again, we have looked to the promise that Christ has given us, “’My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Corinthians 12:9). His grace is sufficient. His promise is sure. His goodness is limitless. His mercy is everlasting. His love never changes. His Word is enough. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. These same promises are true for you and you can hold to them, especially in the midst of the trials of ministry. Though there is bad, and though there is ugly, there is good and there are blessings for those who choose to follow the King of kings.
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Pastor Kevin Beck First Church of God Blanchester, OH |
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When God gave His commands He directed them into the hearts and homes of His people. Deut.6:6-7, “And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” God knows that a strong Christian home can be a powerful influence into this world’s spiritual darkness. He also knows that a ministry family will face much difficulty, perils and scrutiny—yet, what a great asset for the church of God is any family that endures hardships for the sake of Christ. |
