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How can pastors or fathers communicate Scriptural truths more effectively to their congregations or families? In this video, Hensworth Jonas explains that it is vitally important that pastors are being fed by the Word. It can be easy to focus on bringing the Word only to their congregation but neglect considering how they themselves might be impacted by Scripture.  Hansworth suggests that preachers need to stay with the text until there is a fire inside of him and a burden to share a message from Scripture with the congregation. You aren't ready to preach if the text hasn't impacted you. When it has, there is an authenticity to your preaching and a passion. It builds credibility.  Scott shares that for him, it is helpful to consider whether he is bringing a sermon or a message to his congregation. It is straightforward to craft and communicate a sermon. It is something else to preach a message that is burning in your soul.  Preachers need time to search for deep insights within the text and take time to really immerse himself in Scripture. It isn’t something that should be taken lightly.   The same idea can also apply to fathers within the home. If fathers are not taking the time to read the Word and spend time in prayer themselves, they will not be equipped to invest and nurture their own children. Are you being intentional about reading and meditating on Scripture?  Exodus 4:10-12 (NKJV) - "Th

Bravado usually does not get you going in the right direction in a crisis. And, I don’t think it's very helpful in the time of COVID-19. Some leaders are saying, "We are the greatest. Fight the virus. Deploy the National Guard before it spreads. This is a time of war. Call out the military.  We’re going to lick it. We’ll be greater than ever on the other side, so, everyone please stop working."  The NY Governor, Andrew Cuomo, recently reported the declining COVID-19 deaths saying, “The number is down because we brought the number down. God did not do that. Faith did not do that.” I can’t help but think, “He who sits in heaven laughs.” (Ps. 2:4). Here is a principle to live by: overreacting sweeps you over the edge and into unbiblical thinking. What we need now is BIBLICAL thinking. Let’s not forget fundamental truths about God and His creation. Plague spreads covertly. When someone is contagious, much of the time, they don’t know it and you don’t know it. For a time, it lurks and spreads in silence. God has ordered the biological world and He wired our bodies to catch and transmit disease and not even know it. This is God’s wisdom. This is God’s love. We are often exposed to disease, perhaps even every day. We do not know who is contagious unless they are manifesting symptoms. Immunologists tell us that exposure to diseases is one way we build antibodies. To see how this works, look up the body’s defense mechanisms. The body’s first line of defense against invader attack is the “innate immunity system.” The ongoing defense is “adaptive” immunity. Innate immunity keeps you from getting sick, while adaptive immunity helps you to recover quickly. This is how your immune system fights disease. This is why it has been reported that children who grow up around dogs, and farm animals get sick 40% less than those who don’t. Their immune systems are stronger because of exposure.  The Bible says, that pestilence, “walks in darkness” (Ps. 91:6). It spreads invisibly and silently. God helps us in two ways:  First, God is wise in building body defenses and offenses. Second, God is sovereign. He protects whom He desires to protect, and He infects those He desires to infect. This is why in Psalm 91, God instructs us, “do not be afraid.” Moses, who dictated the quarantine laws in t

Here are some practical steps to get your family ready to hear the Word of God on Sunday: Familiarize your family with the sermon text before the preaching If you can, familiarize your family with the scripture text the pastor is going to be preaching from. In our church our weekly Men’s Bible Study for this express purpose. We want our men to teach their families what the upcoming scripture text is all about BEFORE the pastor preaches on it. We meet early in the morning and discuss the text to get the meaning. We do this to help our men understand what the text is saying. Our desire is that everyone in the church will come to worship on Sunday already having reviewed the terminology, theology and the central message of the passage. We want them to work through it beforehand. We want them to arrive at some practical applications for their families. Prepare your family to hear Intentionally prepare your family to hear the sermon. Much has been written on “How to listen to a sermon.” Let me paraphrase George Whitefield’s instructions for hearing sermons: Come with a sincere desire to know your duty. Pray before, during, and after the sermon. Listen to the sermon as if you are listening to a king, as the “Lord of Lords” Himself. Why? Because ministers are sent from God. They are ambassadors who speak the words of God. Do not think poorly of the minister when you think of his weaknesses. Cast a vision for the importance of the moment It is critical that you impress” on your children the importance of the moment. God has always gathered His people together to worship Him. Coming to God’s house is a critical and holy and God-ordained moment. It is the most important meeting scheduled all week. Help your children see the priority and importance of the gatherings of God’s people to hear preaching. Help them sense the prioritization, the expectation and the privilege of the moment. If you sense they are like those who, “shrugged their shoulders and stiffened their necks and would not hear,” (Neh. 9:29), then snap into action to help them learn to appreciate it by your own zeal, instruction, and hands-on assistance. Pray for the preacher before the church service. Use this time to give thanks for the preacher and the preparation he has engaged in. Preaching is labor. Most of the time, it is hard labor – and often tort

What things should parents be aware of before letting their children watch movies or listen to music? Dr. Carlton McLeod explains in this video that extreme amounts of care need to be used when determining what kinds of media we allow into our home. There are many ungodly things within the movies, music, or books that our children take in. Parents ought to scrutinize what their children watch. In his house, he and his wife often view a movie before letting their children see it. The problem is that we as Christians want to "fit in" with their unbelieving friends and oftentimes compromise on these matters. We need to take this seriously and realize there is much at stake if we fail to determine what we allow into our home. Psalm 119:37 (NKJV) - "Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, and revive me in Your way."

As our culture has embraced the culture of death, how should Christians respond? With such a tragic reality, is it enough to simply pray, or is there more Christians ought to be doing? What is the role of the Church in responding to the killing of babies in abortion mills?

“Because the Christian is not his own, but bought with a price, he is to aim at glorifying God in every relation of life. No matter what station he occupies, or wherever he be, he is to serve as a witness for Christ. Next to the church of God, his own home should be the sphere of his most manifest devotedness unto Him. All its arrangements should bear the stamp of his heavenly calling. All its affairs should be so ordered that everyone entering it should feel ‘God is here!’ ” – A. W. Pink I aim to set before you concise Biblical reasons and guidelines for family worship. It seems that few Christians can remember having daily family worship times in their homes. Therefore the thought of beginning this new pattern of worship can be daunting for those just beginning. This guide addresses some of the most basic questions on family worship. I pray that you will be more emboldened and equipped to lead your family in worship through using this guide. You are expected to read and study the Bible references. The Second London Baptist Confession of Faith (1689) highlights, “…God is to be worshipped everywhere in spirit and in truth: as in private families daily…which are not carelessly nor wilfully to be neglected or forsaken…” (22:6). The importance of the home in discipleship is prominent throughout the Scriptures, which includes Family Worship. In the Old Testament, we read that discipleship is something ongoing throughout each day (Deut. 6:6-7). Passages such as Gen. 18:19, Ps. 78:3-7 and Isa 38:19 give more formal instruction. The New Testament commands the fathers to bring up children in the nurture and admonition (i.e. discipline and instruction) of the Lord (Eph. 6:4). Timothy, a disciple of Paul, was first discipled by his mother, Eunice and his grandmother, Lois (2 Tim 1:5). Parents, especially fathers, have the primary responsibility for the spiritual instruction and vitality of their families. We must also take special note that the Lord rebukes the families who do not offer up worship in their homes (Jer. 10:25). The 80-year-old Joshua announced to all Israel, “As for me and my house we will serve [also means in Hebrew, worship] the LORD” (Josh. 24:15). In summary, the foundation of family worship in the Bible is in the idea of responsibility.

Is family worship a new idea? Carlton McLeod explains in this video that family worship is something that is mentioned in the Old Testament. Fathers are instructed to teach their children diligently. While some may see it as a new idea, fathers studying and reading the Word of God together with their families is something that we can see in Scripture. It is something that cause the hearts of fathers to turn back to their children because they gather around the Word of God. It is something that is absolutely necessary to continue doing today. We must keep Christ and His Word as central in our life. Reading Scripture shouldn't be something that is only limited to Sunday mornings. There is great joy that can be gained from spending time studying Scripture together. Proverbs 22:6 (NKJV) - "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it."

Is studying Scripture to take place only on Sunday mornings? Kevin Swanson explains in this video that the Word of God is to saturate each home on a continual basis. Each day in a Christian home should be full of singing hymns and praises, reading, and studying Scripture. We are to meditate on God's Word day and night. It isn't just a 20-minute Bible time. It's something that is to occur throughout the day. There needs to be a continuous integration of God's Word in every part of our life. Our children should not grow up thinking that studying God's Word only takes place on Sunday mornings. Psalms 1:2 (NKJV) - "But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night."

Should fathers lead their families in the study of God's Word? Jeff Pollard shares in this video that there was a young couple in his congregation that was reluctant to get involved in family worship. They had never heard of it. Jeff explains that in one of his sermons, he explained that any man can and should lead his family in the reading and study of God's Word. This young father came back to him a few weeks later and said that he led his family in family worship for the first time and now his children ask him every day if he will do family worship with them. God intends fathers to lead their families in the study of God's word. Ephesians 6:4 (NKJV) - "And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord."

As Christians we believe God has spoken; he has spoken in creation bringing the world into existence, he has spoken through his prophets, and he has spoken in his Son. And God is still speaking in his written word. This written word, inspired by the Spirit of God and given to God's people, is the most important tool given to help us fight sin and pursue conformity to Christ. It is our guide, a lamp to our feet, and is worthy of our time and effort to know it and study it. Do you cherish God's word?

Ephesians 6:1-3 commands children to obey their parents "because it is right." Here are ten reasons why it is "right" to obey. 1. It is right because it pleases the Lord. You want God's blessing in everything you do. Imagine God is against you. Imagine God's displeasure upon you? Paul speaks to the Colossians that your honor and obedience is "pleasing to the Lord" (Col 3:20). God opposes the proud, but He gives grace to the humble (1 Pet. 5:5, James 4:6). The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men (Rom 1:18). 2. It is right because children need to learn it when they are young. Pride makes children think that they should be in control. Here is the reality. Children are blind to their lack of wisdom and experience. Children don't see themselves the ways mature people see them. Ecclesiastes 10:3, gives a picture of what this looks like, "Even when a fool walks along the way, He lacks wisdom, and he shows everyone that he is a fool." Children are naturally deceived about themselves. Children want all the authority and responsibility of adults without having the maturity, the thinking process, and the financial ability to be on their own. They want the same authority as the parents, but they do not have the same wisdom and experience as parents. 3. It is right because rebellion is connected to the self-driven impulses that characterize evil – even demonic activity. God calls it "divination" (1 Sam 15:22-24). "Rebellion" is like "divination." Divination, at its core, is rejecting God and going to another source. It is despising His ways. This independent spirit of arrogance is like idolatry. Whe

When Christian, homeschooling parents are asked why they educate their children at home, they give varied responses. Some say it is to “get out of the system” that would otherwise corrupt their children. Some argue that it is the most effective way to build their child’s academic ability. Others may mention a special need their child has that can be best catered to at home. The least common response I hear is that we (as believers in Jesus Christ) have been given the primary responsibility to educate our own children. It’s as simple as that. It is even more rare to hear that fathers bear the primary responsibility to disciple their children in the ways of the Lord. Yet homeschooling flows from these convictions. My sincere hope and prayer is that many fathers would read this article. But that probably won’t be the case. Mothers will primarily read these words. Their response can be anything from “My husband needs to hear this and I’ll make sure he does” to “How can I encourage my husband to read this without nagging him?” Ladies, may I suggest the leave-it-open-in-the-kitchen-and-pray approach over the wear-him-down-with-suggestions-and-withhold-food-if-necessary approach? There are two areas in which (I believe) we home-educators have lost our way. 1. Biblical leadership in our home education. 2. The goal of biblical home education. Let’s consider each. THE LEADERSHIP OF HOME EDUCATION One of the New Testament’s clearest exhortations regarding parenting is Ephesians 6:4. There Paul writes: “...and you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.”  Note that this verse is addressed specifically to fathers, and concerns their responsibility to train their children. In Deuteronomy 6:6-9 (the “classic” discipleship passage), we read: “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”  This passage is not simply a list of principles for a happy home. It