{"id":1710,"date":"2022-03-01T15:08:40","date_gmt":"2022-03-01T21:08:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.mlc-wels.edu\/wels-educator\/?p=1710"},"modified":"2022-02-24T10:28:45","modified_gmt":"2022-02-24T16:28:45","slug":"fostering-godly-families","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.mlc-wels.edu\/wels-educator\/2022\/03\/01\/fostering-godly-families\/","title":{"rendered":"Fostering Godly Families"},"content":{"rendered":"

Written by Michelle Dobberstein<\/em><\/p>\n

Modeling a godly family is an important aspect of every called worker\u2019s ministry, whether they have been blessed with a spouse and children or not. Knowingly or not, called workers are<\/em> examples to the families they serve. Just as sports figures and celebrities use their fame to promote their agenda, called workers can and should leverage their positions to support parents and caregivers. In this way, they fulfill their installation directive \u201cto be an example to others in godliness and Christian living.\u201d<\/p>\n

God\u2019s Directives
\n<\/strong>God directs parents to make use of every opportunity to talk with their children about him. \u201cThese commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.\u00a0Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.\u00a0Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.\u00a0Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 6:6-9)<\/p>\n

The Lord gives specific examples of how parents should center the lives of themselves and their children in him. Yet parents often fail to carry out these principles, and many may not even know they exist.<\/p>\n

Called Workers\u2019 Opportunities
\n<\/strong>Called workers\u2019 partnerships with parents present many opportunities to teach the commandments of God, to model spiritually focused lives, and to encourage spiritually focused families. Called workers have relationships already established with the parents. They have gained the parents\u2019 trust. God willing, by watching called workers, parents will \u201ccatch\u201d how to keep the Lord at the center of their family\u2019s life.<\/p>\n

This does not need to be another task for called workers. They can simply live their lives as public figures and then be open with their parents. The relationship is a two-way street that allows both the parents and the called workers to be vulnerable, to have real discussions about what works and what does not in their individual settings.<\/p>\n

Family Devotions
\n<\/strong>Called workers and parents might discuss how family devotions can take place while driving to or from school or a sporting event rather than around the dinner table. There\u2019s more than one right way to have family devotions.<\/p>\n

Serving Together
\n<\/strong>Called workers can model how families can serve together in worship\u2014ushering, greeting, etc. They can make other families feel welcome and not too \u201cnoisy\u201d or \u201cmessy.\u201d Called workers can also model how families can serve in building maintenance, snow removal, lawn care, sporting events, coaching, volunteering, and the list goes on.<\/p>\n

Focusing on the Lord
\n<\/strong>Called workers\u2019 cheerful, transparent lives and their sharing of God\u2019s Word can pull the parents and families into the Lord.<\/p>\n