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Paul White explains in this video that families need to focus their attention on Christ and see Him as a great treasure in all of life. If they do this, there will be fewer distractions and a greater desire to learn more about the things of God. Time spent studying God's Word, fellowshipping with fellow believers, and in prayer is certainly not wasted time. Hebrews 12:1-2 (NKJV) - "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

Stephen Hopkins explains in this video that one of the ways that families can support the local church is by tithing and being faithful to tithe. Just like a family who lacks resources is limited in their capabilities, so is a church whose members fail to tithe. Whatever gifts, time, or resources God has given to you, we are to be good stewards of it and use it to bless the Church and serve God. Proverbs 3:9 (NKJV) - "Honor the Lord with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase."

Many states in the U.S. have passed laws which have effectively hindered a church from conducting normal, in-person church services. There are two problems here: First, the civil government has no jurisdiction over the biblical duties and functions of the church. This is one way of saying that the authority of the state over the church is defined by scripture. While it includes the punishment of evildoers within the church, it never extends to commanding the church to obey man rather than God. In this sense, the church only has one authority - Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church.  Second, the state is issuing laws that deprive of love. (This clip was taken from a sermon on Romans 13 on July 5 at Hope Baptist Church in Wake Forest NC) This clip is part of a sermon series that Scott Brown is doing on the relationship between the civil government, the church, and family jurisdictions. You can .

This webinar will focus on various perspectives on when to disobey government orders that restrict the church. The panelists I have invited maintain nuanced and even different answers. This will be a time for men to present their cases, and to engage in some gracious debate on the matter. While the church exists under totalitarian regimes quite often, Americans are stunned at what has happened. Pastors and congregations asking questions they have never had to ask before. How are they supposed to honor and obey the king and honor and obey the Lord at the same time in this particular situation in America? Is it possible? If so how is it possible? If not what should the church do?

When the church is temporarily banned from meeting by the government, what should Christians do? How do we keep ourselves thinking biblically while our church is not meeting face to face? How do we resist drifting into accepting that not meeting together is ok? How do we vaccinate ourselves against it?  There is nothing better than to fill our minds with the knowledge of God, “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” (Col 3:1–3). It’s pretty simple: be fortified by every God has provided us, outside the meetings of the Church. Charles Spurgeon explained this by declaring that God Himself is our sanctuary. Everything is not taken away. We have Him. We have the Holy Spirit. We have many means of grace offered to us.

Our government is telling us to stay away from sick people during the COVID-19 outbreak. How should Christians respond to this? Our whole lives we have simply stayed away from people if we were sick. Now we are told that we must stay away from people if we are NOT SICK. This should strike us as odd. The Bible gives us some indication about how to think about this.. There are two fundamental operating procedures for Christians.  First, pastors are required to visit, pray for and lay hands on the sick (Jas. 5:14). Notice that God lays the burden on the sick person to “call the elders of the church,” for prayer. This is a command. So, if you are sick, feel free to call the elders of the church for prayer. Pastors need to care for the sheep, especially when they are failing and fearful. People need encouragement when they feel terrible. They need prayer when their lives are hanging in the balance. This is consistent with the principles and practices of the priests in Leviticus 14. They were obligated to be in the presence of the sick person or material, and they had handling procedures that protected them (See Lev. 13-15). The priests examined the sick person, material, or house and then declared them to be clean or unclean. Christian history is full of stories of pastors that did not flee the plague. Pastors are shepherds who do not abandon the flock, “the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” Fleeing defies both providence and compassion. This contradicted Hippocrates and Galen during the Black Plague, and it contradicted the theology of flight. This is the two-pronged idea that fleeing the plague is fleeing divine judgment and that it is righteous to preserve life. Second, God expects all of His blood-bought people to visit the sick. Jesus said, “I was sick, and you visited me.” He was speaking of all true Christians. Genuine Christians have compassion for the sick and they don’t dodge them. This is the normal practice of the church. If you are a pastor or a Christian, here is the summary, “thou shalt not be afraid of the pestilence and don’t shun the sick among you.” This is after the pattern of Jesus who drew near to the sick and they drew near to Him for healing. However, there may be unusual or extreme situations where elders should wisely not lay hands and saints refrain from visiting, but we must not ignore them or be

The situation with COVID-19 has opened up many doors of opportunity for God’s people. In this session, Sam Waldron, Jeff Pollard, Anthony Mathenia, and Scott Brown discuss how churches and families should respond to the upheaval. Together, they address what a Christian is to regarding church meetings, social distancing, quarantines, honoring civil authorities and loving our neighbors. Last, they also discuss suggestions for church life when limiting suggestions are made to churches by the civil government.

What can we learn from reading the Proverbs? Jeff Pollard explains in this video that in the book of Proverbs, we see the nature of family worship. Often, there is a father who is sitting with his children and instructing them in the things of God. We see the infinite wisdom of God as a father expresses the outworking of God's law and applies it to the daily activities of his children. What we have in Proverbs is a remarkable catalogue for family worship. Fathers ought to want to read the wisdom of God. This growing of wisdom begins with faith in Christ and learning how to walk according to His Word. Ephesians 5:15-17 (NKJV) - "See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is."

Human life is immeasurably valuable. This great worth of a human being is a result of the fact that humans are made in the image of God. God despises the needless slaughter of his image-bearers, and has commanded: "You shall not murder." God hates murder so much that he calls for the death penalty for any who unjustly take a human life (Gen 9:6). And yet in our country, and around the world, there is unrestrained and government-sanctioned murder perpetrated every day against the most innocent and helpless. A silent holocaust against the unborn. Every Christian must stand against this great evil and cry out in defense of those who have no voice of their own.

How will our lives be different if we truly love God and His Word? Kevin Swanson explains in this video that as we set out to schedule the day, the question is do we love God and His Church? These are the questions that can be answered by examining how we live our life. If we love God and if we appreciate His Church and seek His kingdom, we will live intentionally. We will see that our money, time, and resources will be placed before things that matter most to Christ. Our passion will be to disciple. We will support the work of missions and what the Church is doing in our local community. Deuteronomy 6:5 (NKJV) - "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength."

What should both the Church and families keep in mind as they interact in regards to authority?   Jason Dohm explains in this video that every sphere of life has authority and submission. So, how do you manage that when you have two spheres of life that intersect -- the Church and families? Churches have a God-given authority structure and so do families.   It is important that both of those authorities be very careful and mindful to be aware of each other and where those boundaries are so we don't harm the efforts of the sphere of authority.   Ephesians 4:4-6 (NKJV) - "There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all."

How should a father interact with leaders of a church? Gary Powers explains in this video that families of a church are under the authority of the leaders of that church. Families should strive to honor those who are in leadership positions over them. If fathers exhibit a rebellious attitude to those in authority, the rest of the family will see that. Accordingly, fathers need to model submission to their families. We must be under authority and understand what it means to be under authority. Hebrews 13:17 (NKJV) - "Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you."