February 12, 2017

Responding to Ministry Conflict: Imbalanced Relationships

Pastor: Pastor Marc Wragg Series: Responding to Ministry Conflict Topic: Family Passage: Matthew 12:46–50

God in His wisdom and kindness designed three institutions that govern human behavior: the church, the government, and the family. When they act in harmony, each fulfills its purpose as a balancing expression of the Lord’s grace, carrying out its respective role in shaping our development and correcting ungodly behavior. We see this most clearly in the local church, where both the family and the local body are strengthened as marriages grow deeper and more stable in Christ, and as parents learn to raise their children to honor God and live peaceable and productive lives. The local church is not a replacement for the family, nor is the family to replace the local church. However, there is an obvious overlap in these marvelous institutions that can cause us to wrongly prioritize family over ministry, and lead us to subtly oppose the work of God. So how are we to balance family and church? The church protects and nurtures the family, but we must remember that the church itself is a spiritual family, with the Lord Jesus Christ as it’s Head.