Go Home to Your Family & Audio Podcast

10 HOME FAITH TIPS by Stephen Bly

In Mark 5:1-19, people from everywhere in the area came to see Legion, the once demon possessed man, now sane. They also heard about the swine full of devils that plunged down a mountainside and drowned. A lot of drama when Jesus arrives on the scene. Then Legion makes a request. He asks to follow Jesus. Most of the time, Jesus asked others to follow Him.

The man said, “Can I go and be with you now that I’m whole, well and different?” It’s a bit startling to realize Jesus refuses his request. Jesus looks at him and says, “Go home!”

The man didn’t want to do that. I’m sure home hadn’t been too pleasant for him and we can hardly blame the people there. After all, this possessed, crazy man ran around tombs night and day in chains. Nobody could contain him. He terrorized the village and countryside, including children and animals. Who wants a man like this to come home?

BEST JOB IN THE KINGDOM

Can you imagine being in a room where Jesus gave out ministry assignments? Everyone packs in tight as they can in line, trying to get close to Jesus. And someone asks the first in line, “What’s your name?” He says, “Saul of Tarsus.” And Jesus tells him, “I’d like you to go evangelize all the Gentiles in the known Roman world.” And Saul says, “Fine. Thank you very much,” and leaves.

Then another man comes up. “What’s your name?” he’s asked. “I’m Peter, a fisherman.” “Okay, your assignment is to evangelize the Jews in the land of Judea. And be a leader in the church.” “Sure, I’ll do that.”

Now, I walk up. He says, “What’s your name” “I’m Steve Bly.” “Steve, go home.”

Go home? But I want something special, a ministry with a touch of glamour. I want to make a great impact on the world. And He tells me, go home? That’s exactly what Jesus told the name called Legion. “Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you.” Perhaps you, too, would balk at such a command. Maybe you’d not consider it significant enough.

Consider Samuel

Samuel ranks as one of the outstanding Bible examples of a holy man doing things right. Look at 1 Samuel 8:1 to see how important home ministries can be.

“And it came about when Samuel was old that he appointed his sons judges over Israel. Now the name of his first-born was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah. They were judging in Beersheba. His sons, however, did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after dishonest gain and took bribes and perverted justice. Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah; and they said to him, ‘Behold you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king for us to judge us like all the nations.’”

Samuel failed in a home ministry and it turned the tide of Israel. One man not doing a good job at home turned the course of history from a fellowship under God’s guidance to a group of people under a king. Yet, we balk and think going home to serve is insignificant. Or we realize doing ministry at home gets too tough. It’s easier to talk about spiritual truth to other people ‘out there’ than the ones at home.

What We Need to Do  

1.    Go home and be a servant.
That doesn’t mean do everything everybody tells you to do. But demonstrate being a servant of the Lord at home. Every day ask, “Lord, where do you want me to go or what do you want me to do? And how do you want me to do it?” Do God’s bidding, God’s way. Serve the Lord through your family, with the attitude of an servant. Be consistent. Real character gets tested best in the home’s atmosphere and pressures.

2.    Be consistent.
A lady came up to me at a church in Florida where I spoke with some other speakers and asked, “Is your wife here?” I said, “No, not this time.” She replied, “I wish she were so I could find out what you’re really like.” That was after the time I’d been dancing on top of the book table.

Let me explain. I couldn’t find my cowboy hat and discovered some folks had hidden it. As they laughed and joked about that, I threatened to dance on the table if I didn’t get my hat right away. They didn’t return it so I jumped on the table in my cowboy boots. After all, I’d just spoken about being a man of your word. Now the lady wondered if I acted like that at home.

She hit on a truth. What we’re like at home is who we truly are. Be consistent in private and public.

3.    Go home and be truthful.

Stay honest about your spiritual life and your successes. Can your family state the last time you had a prayer answered? Do your ever share what you’re praying about and what’s been the result? Do you admit the failures as well?

Sometimes we only talk about the positive spiritual responses. That gives a dishonest view of the Christian life. For instance, one time wife Janet and I planned a home Bible study for married couples. We prayed about it and believed we could help some troubled marriages. After a lot of promotion, the first Tuesday night arrived. Nobody came. And nobody called. All that effort wasted.

4.    Be gentle.
Some people treat their house plants more gently than their spouses. They talk to inanimate green things and show them love. Then they scratched the dirt and pour on a little water. Some girls spend more time combing their hair than talking to their father. Go home and be tender and loving.

Gentleness is knowing the right and wrong time to show anger. Be gentle if you want to reach your family for Christ.

5.    Go home and be specific.
Make sure each family member hears the message of the gospel. They need to know who Jesus was and still is and what He did here on earth. They should understand about the crucifixion and the resurrection. Do they know how to accept Him as personal Lord and Savior so they can enter God’s kingdom?

Any person in a family can initiate spiritual conversation. It only takes one. And let me destroy the myth that only by living your faith, they’ll come to Christ.

Jesus lived thirty perfect years in Nazareth, and He didn’t convert anyone until He began to preach the gospel. Not till He challenged the people with words of truth. The gospel must be presented in clear terms. Be specific. Challenge family members to respond and believe.

6.    Be realistic.

Evaluate your family by the same standard you judge others. Don’t live in a little green world free from scrutiny. Don’t presume everyone’s saved because you know them so well.

The same might be true about your children. You presume other parents have problems with their kids, but yours are just fine, wherever they go, whatever they do. You can’t reach your family spiritually unless you see them as they really are. Don’t rationalize addictions, habitual attitudes, besetting sins.

7.    Go home and be joyful.
Not many sour Christians ever converted family members. But joyous ones can. Show them you’ve got something worth sharing. Present your positive view of life because of what Jesus has done and is doing.

Certain personalities tend to be more optimistic than others, but no believer should be constantly negative. Jesus said, “I’ve come to bring life more abundant!” whether you’re sanguine, choleric, melancholy or phlegmatic. Opening up to the Holy Spirit within releases joy. Pray God will help you build up others with your conversations and deeds. Truly enjoy all of life.

8.    Be prayerful.
Pray daily for your family. Never stop. It’s a lifetime commitment. Pray for each one’s salvation and for the evidence to be clear to those around them. Ask God for them to find ways to serve Him in fulfilling ministry. Intercede on their behalf that they will remain faithful to God to their life’s end.

 9.    Go home and be persistent.

Family ministry lasts a lifetime. Determine right now that your spiritual service to your family has either begun or continues in earnest. It’s not completed until the day you die. And there’s no shortcut. It may take that long. In the meantime, God may have worked in wonderful ways. Each one may be saved already or will be soon. But family ministry continues. Don’t give up. Prepare for challenges ahead.

 10.  Be at peace.
This world provides very little peace. Even when wars cease, conflicts rage within the soul, mind, body and spirit. Few experience totally peaceful lives. To have a great impact on family, go home and be at peace. Determine to not be destroyed by failure. Never take an eye off the fact you’re living for eternity. Don’t be in an unreasonable hurry or anxious about things that God controls. Take His peace.

MINISTRY AT HOME 

Let’s again gather in that room where Jesus hands out ministry assignments. He says, “How many want to serve Me?” Perhaps we all raise our hands. Now, He looks at us and says, “Go home and get busy with My most important work.”

Stephen Bly

Circa 1980

Man at Peace Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash.com
Family at Home Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
Family Time Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

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