Not sure if you do family bible studies at your home, but if you don't, you should. They're some of the sweetest times you'll ever spend with your wife and kids.I know many Men who would most willingly lead a Men's bible study, or co-ed bible study, for their church but aren't leading family bible studies at their home, and I think I know why.
If you're like me, you grew up in a home that didn't practice family devotions, and now that you have your own family, you don't do it with them either. That may seem like a justifiable reason not to do them, after all, how can we expect you to do them if you don't know how to do them, right?
Well, If you didn't grow up in a family doing family devotions, and don't know how to lead a family devotion, then how is it that you're able to lead a Men's bible study? How, by sheer desire to impress those who you deem important. Perhaps you were asked by a Pastor, and he can put your name in a bulletin, and that bulletin can be read by the whole the church, and the whole church can esteem you and hold you in high regard, and if esteemed enough, maybe you could get a reward or certificate at the church banquet coming up, and hear your name announced before the congregation as someone who is "on fire" for the Lord. Wow, who wouldn't want all that.
And your family, well....what will they say about you? What can they offer you for leading them in family devotions? Will they esteem you? Will they give you a certificate or a promotion to group leader from assistant? Does your wife and kids only get to see you at your best like the guys in your group? I'm sure you know the answers to these questions, and you know what I'm getting at.
If you can lead a bible study for Men your not in covenant with, won't give an account for, and aren't responsible for spiritually, don't you think you can do it for those God will hold you accountable for, responsible for, and are in covenant with? Yes you can. How do I know? Because God wouldn't put more on you than you can bear. And if the Lord says to do it from Genesis to Revelation like he does, then He'll equip you to do it.
Over the last few nights my family and I have discussed the parable of the sower and who were the Christians in the parable, and last night we stayed up late talking about various aspects of theology. If you haven't been asked theological questions by your wife and kids, then you haven't been asked questions! What a blessing it is to have your 14 year old engaged in a parable and have your wife asking about the differences between Arminianism and Calvinism. Praise the Lord!
Don't miss the blessing guys. Your children need you to evangelize them and to disciple them. Their souls are depending on you. Will you rise up and lead them? Or will you take the road most traveled, and allow your children to fend for themselves in a culture that would love to wrap it's arms around them and claim them for itself? It's your call!
