I’m writing this at Appalachian
Family Camp. As I was thinking about why I enjoy Family Camp, the
first thing that came to mind was the opportunity to spend time with
my brothers and sisters in Christ. Though none of my biological
family attend camp, I am not alone there. I had a similar feeling at
the recent Triennial Convention. There is a unique sense of unity and
fellowship among believers in Christ.
I wonder sometimes whether the local
church has lost sight of the family-hood we have in Christ. I wonder
if your church is like this—after the service ends on Sunday there
are a few minutes of conversation in the sanctuary or foyer, but
before long each family gets into their own vehicle and goes home and
they don’t see each other again until the next church-sponsored
event. Aside from a few limited exceptions, there is not much effort
made to reach out beyond the boundaries of the family units. Parents
get so tied up with their family responsibilities that they forget
that there are those who have no family around. The busyness of daily
life overshadows the eternal reality of our relationships in Christ.
In the creation of the man and
woman, God gave them the commission to “Be fruitful and multiply
and fill the earth and subdue it” (Gen. 1:28 ESV). Throughout the
Old Testament, family units were really important. In the Exodus each
of the tribes had a specific place to camp each time they set up the
Tabernacle. If a woman lost her husband, there were provisions for
her to be integrated into his brother’s family in order to carry on
the family name. Boaz is the classic example of the kinsman redeemer
in the book of Ruth.
But when Jesus came, a new type of
family came into being. The first glimpse we get is when Jesus is
twelve years old and stays behind in Jerusalem. At Mary’s question,
“Son, why have you treated us so?” Jesus answered, “Did you not
know that I must be in My Father’s house?” (Luke 2:48-49). He
wasn’t dissing His mother, but was pointing to a higher reality.
After He started His ministry, His
family came looking for Him. His response was, “Who is My mother,
and who are My brothers? …Here are My mother and My brothers! For
whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister
and mother” (Matt. 12:48-50). Jesus prioritized spiritual family
over biological family, yet the church today seems to have done the
opposite. Church programs tend to be geared toward families, perhaps
with the intention of keeping whole families involved in the church.
But the end result is that individuals are not connected to the
church outside of their immediate family. And when they leave home
they also leave the church.
Our culture is increasingly mobile,
and individuals often don’t stay in one community for a lifetime
as they once did. Unfortunately many churches have not caught up with
this trend. When a new person or family comes to church, they can
have a hard time really connecting with others. I’ve been at my
church 20 years now, but I still often feel like the new kid on the
block. Other folks have come and gone because they felt like they
didn’t belong.
It is hard to change a long-standing
church culture, and I don’t know what all the solutions are. I
think it begins with frequent reminders that spiritual family is
eternal, while biological family is temporary. Then we can build on
the eternal foundation by reminding one another that we are
responsible for building each other up in the faith (1 Thess. 5:11),
caring for one another (1 Cor. 12:25), bearing one another’s
burdens (Gal. 6:2), encouraging one another (Heb. 10:25), and
stirring one another to love and good deeds (Heb. 10:24). Until we
accept that responsibility and begin to live it out day by day, we
won’t truly begin to experience what it means to be brothers and
sisters in Christ.
©
2017 Dawn Rutan. Unless otherwise indicated all images are copyright
free from pixabay.com.
