As worldwide population continues to grow church attendance is declining, and thus there is a dramatic worldview shift. The textbook, pop-culture, and the media have replaced the Bible as authorities for faith and practice. False doctrines derived from Darwinism, Marxism, Feminism, Secular Humanism, Psychology, and countless other unbiblical sources, have emerged from a society that has discarded Divine Revelation and have contaminated or replaced God’s standards even in many professing churches of the Lord Jesus Christ. People have seldom heard relevant biblical preaching, and they feel the church has nothing to offer them.
The Bald and the Bearded has a unified vision. We want to restore people’s understanding of the role and purpose of the church. We are convinced that the church does have a role in reversing this disturbing trend, but the church is not the only institution that must be involved. The church and the family are both holy institutions, ordained and established by God. The Bible reveals that the family is an integral part of the unfolding of His eternal purpose for the redemption of sinners. This great and gracious salvation—purposed by the Father, accomplished by the Son, and applied by the Holy Spirit—is in great measure passed on to succeeding generations as parents faithfully disciple the children God gives them. The problem is cyclical. A lack of leadership in the church has led to decay in the family, and a lack of strong male headship in our families has led to weak leadership in the church. Therefore, the biblical order and unity of the family are crucial to the stability and health of the Church of Jesus Christ and visa versa.
Which came first? That I do not know, but this I do; the only resolution to this problem is repentance and reformation. We must confess our failures, reject the traditions of men, and wholeheartedly return to God’s revelation for the establishment and nurture of the family in loving obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church. Our fervent prayer is that our God will raise up Spirit-filled, Christ-centered, families through our ministry at Ebenezer Baptist Church and through this blog to the glory and praise of God.
It is the parent’s job to teach their children to know and to love the One True God. Parent’s are instructed to teach God commands “diligently to (their) children, and (to) talk of them when (they) sit in (their) house, when (they) walk by the way, when (they) lie down, and when (they) rise up. (To) bind them as a sign on (their) hand, and they shall be as frontlets between (their) eyes. (To)write them on the doorposts of (their) house and on (their) gates” (Deuteronomy 6:7-9). This text implies a lifestyle of worship instead of a life that involves worship. Our lives must be God-centered instead of simply involving the church as a good community event. Ebenezer Baptist church is adopting as its vision, “Equipping your family for a lifestyle of worship.” I do not have that ideal perfected in my own family, but I invite you to join us as we strive toward it together. Ask questions, give feedback, join the cause of equipping families for a lifestyle of worship.
* The content of this post was greatly influenced by NCFIC (The National Center for Family-Integrated Churches)
(The Bald One)
I have talked for years about the fact that muslim children have the Koran memorized at an astonishingly early age. I am tired of bragging on them. My daughter will memorize the most sacred text in our home. Why should we be content with her learning a few verses and some stories? Why can't a Christian child memorize the pentateuch? Mostly because we as parents are too lazy to teach them. Keep up the good work my friend.
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