How can we apply Jesus' view of family in our church community? Jesus Calls Us a New Family “‘Your mother and brothers are outside, looking for You.’ … He replied, ‘Who are My mother and My brothers?’ … ‘Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of God is My brother and sister and mother.’” (Mark 3:32-35) What This Means for Us Today • Jesus re-centers family identity on obedience to God, not genetics. • The local church, therefore, is a household bound by shared faith and mission. • Every believer—single, married, widowed, young, old—belongs in this family circle. Turning Church into True Household 1. Warm, Familial Language ‑ Address one another the way Scripture does: “brother,” “sister” (1 Timothy 5:1-2). ‑ Celebrate spiritual birthdays (John 1:12-13) as joyfully as physical ones. 2. Devoted, Sacrificial Care ‑ “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love.” (Romans 12:10) ‑ Practical helps: meals during illness, shared childcare, job leads, housing in crisis. 3. Shared Tables and Time ‑ Acts 2:46 models believers “breaking bread from house to house.” ‑ Regular, unhurried hospitality dissolves cliques and generational gaps. 4. Mutual Accountability ‑ Family corrects in love (Galatians 6:1-2). ‑ Small groups or discipleship pairs keep hearts soft and lives transparent. 5. Inclusive Welcome for the Isolated ‑ God “sets the lonely in families.” (Psalm 68:6) ‑ Assign spiritual grandparents, aunts, uncles to college students, singles, and newcomers. Balancing Spiritual and Biological Ties • Honoring parents remains God’s command (Ephesians 6:2). • Yet when priorities collide, allegiance to Christ must lead (Luke 14:26). • Healthy biological families thrive when they see church life as extension, not competition. Impact on Our Witness • Jesus said, “By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:35) • A congregation patterned after Mark 3 attracts the hurting and skeptical more powerfully than programs or performances. Simple Next Steps - Invite a member you barely know for coffee this week. - Join or start a care team for widows, foster families, or shut-ins. - Replace the word “attendee” with “family” in ministry language and publications. Living Mark 3:32-35 turns Sunday crowds into everyday kin, rewriting the word “church” to read “home.” |
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