"Divided" free movie viewing

Our family recently watched this documentary.  It’s an eye opener, but makes sense!  Thanks for posting the link, Melissa

Wow…so many things struck me.  I love how they brought out the idea of using the youth pastors to train the fathers to train their own children.  I was concerned this would be just another group complaining about the church, but instead this movie offered solutions based on the Word of God.  So many things to think about…although I am so forever grateful for youth group in my own life b/c I didn’t have parents who taught me at home…

Also, there is a really big focus on men’s ministry right now — mentoring men and equiping father’s to be the spiritual leader in the home.  It is going to be a very exciting year at FBC! 

We watched it last night. It was wonderful. I don’t think you all know that we came from a family integrated church in Phoenix, AZ, and we sure do miss it. There are absolutely NONE in the area that I live…closest is 4-6 hours away…don’t remember…way south.

My favorite memory was right before we had to move, we all went to “Family Camp.” Every family had their own cabin. It was a blast. I treasure those memories.

The church consisted of 25 families with an average of about 6 children per family but up to 8/9 and even a couple of them about to birth #10. It was amazing. It was one of the most spiritually mature groups trying to live out the scriptures that I have ever seen. They were human…but they were being responsible and were growning. Modesty was never an issue. First thing my husband asked me and commented on was the lack of gossip and absolutely no bad mouthing of spouses. It just wasn’t done. The positive peer pressure for the adults and children was amazing.

We were sold completely when on our first day we went to a function, and a little girl was playing with our 4 y/o girl. My husband had told dd not to do something and as she went to do it, the little girl said to my dd your daddy told you not to do that. We have to obey our daddies, let’s do this instead. My daughter listened. I melted on the spot. It was so uplifting and worked in conjungtion with us instead of against us.

We love our current pastor and his wife. We keep our children with us. They support us in that though we are the only ones. But it is not the same. We miss like minded FAMILIES. In Phoenix, we were one of the 25 HOMESCHOOLING families (yes everyone homeschooled, though it was not a required part of membership, it was how those people chose to live out Deut.) Most of them believed that God opens and closes the womb. And that children are blessings of the Lord. We never had to answer questions like, are you going to have MORE children? (My response is always, we’ll have to see, that is up to GOD.) Side note: I sure hope so, though it is terribly hard for me physically, and I am already 41 🙂

These were people who actively were training their children in obedience and the habits of attention, etc. And they were so happy and fun!

Now don’t get me wrong. Not every family integrated church will look like that one. None of the women worked outside of the home, really large families, homeschooling, modest dress, etc. And every Sunday we all came in with our crockpots and plugged them in on the long power strips on a long table and had a huge buffet after main service before the more informal sunday school teaching part. Church with dinner lasted to 1:30 or so. It was great fellowship, too. They do have different denominations and of course, being very conservative ourselves we were very pleased to be led to a conservative one.

Hope this is encouraging to someone.

We were very encouraged by the movie…encouraged to keep standing though we be the only ones doing so. I will also admit. I miss our church in Phoenix terribly. There are always problems everywhere as we are all fallen sinful humans…but those people where such a blessing to us and we grew so much…even though I really didn’t like all Phoenix had to offer, brown instead of green, climate, hard to garden, heat, scorpions…yet I long for that kind of fellowship and discipleship…I think if my husband said we were going back…I wouldn’t even hesitate…funny isn’t it.

Here is a website where you can see if they have a church like that in your area: http://www.ncfic.org/

God Bless

jo

I would LOVE to be a part of a church like the one Jo described, but….*sigh*….we are not that type of family. It would take a “parting of the Red Sea” type of miracle to make us look like that. (Or just a whole lot of change over a great deal of time.)

We are a family of separated spouses, one striving to live according to God’s Word, one who chooses to live with his girlfriend. There is a lot of anger to deal with in two of my children, one of whom is mildly autistic. The people in our church generally love my children, but it is difficult to dress appropriately, act appropriately, even just show up on time when we have to deal with a highly less-than-perfect family. I really don’t know how well we would “integrate” in churches like that.

My other question is, how do churches such as this handle unchurched families who know very little about God’s Word and how to apply it in their lives or even how to teach it to their children? Is there ministry in place to address families in need this way?

Sue

I hear your pain Sue. I have experienced some of it personally in my vaired past. And I’m sorry. Our Redeemer LIVES!

In regards to your statements and questions:

You would integrate fine. You and your children would be able to go and be loved and supported. These people are not perfect or without problems.

No there are not ministries set up like what we think about as necessary in our time of broken families…instead the fatherless and the widows are adopted as part of a family or families. I know that if something happened, and I was widowed, being with a group like my old family integrated church would be the only way to go…men would step up and mentor my boys. Women would come together and bolster me and my daughter up. When the time for courtship arrived (for the children –or even a young widow), we would have help and resources and wisdom. Repairs would happen if I couldn’t make them happen…etc. The church is responsible for orphans and widows-not the state.

Now Sue, I have no idea of your situtation. And am not asking or prying even. What I am about to say is not personal. But in a church like I am speaking of, they beleive and practice church discipline. It is a true New Testament kind of church…that said. If two married people split–for whatever reasons…but against the will of one (or even neither)…I believe they would do what they could to help reconcilation occur…whether it took years, jail time, or what. But I know my old pastor would wait for true repentance before recommending any kind of reconcilation…and true repentance takes humility. They would not support and uplift a person who committed adultrey for example in putting away the other spouse. They would exhort and pray with tears and supplication for the one who has fallen away. And they would not turn away from the orphaned and widowed or widowered -sp? It goes both ways, male and female is what I am trying to say.

Not perfect by any means. But trying to be discerning…and sometimes people do things and harden their hearts…and really do terrible things…and they need to be disciplined, exhorted, prayed for, lifted up, sharpened, told the truth in love, pay the consequences, etc…and sometimes the Lord does a mighty work in their hearts…and He makes Beauty from Ashes. I think it takes a church full of adults (men) willing to be accoutable to God and each other…(and women too)…to really address some of these hard things we do in sin.

In regards to the unchurched, etc. Families meet people in their lives and bring them in as part of their family. And they join right in very happily…the discipleship is occurring naturally in the questions they ask and the relationships they observe. Also the sermons are a bit different. They clearly lay out how to live and disciple our children etc. each Sunday morning. Also, there are men’s meetings. And women’s ones…that I found very practical. It was rich and deep and meaty! My husband had more biblical masculine support and interaction there than anywhere we have ever lived.

Now ladies, please do not get up in arms about what I am saying. I am not trying to stir up a hornets nest. I am clearly saying that we should be held accountable and not overlook each other’s sins…but without judgement..because we all fall short of the Glory of God. But I never could justify it in scripture to support a man (or woman) in putting away their spouse and living with someone else in sin. It isn’t right. And would not be glossed over at this church. But…the hurt party would not be shunned either. They would be loved. And if they needed to grow (don’t we all) then they would be helped if they could be.

I’ve probably said far too much. I do apologize for any and all toes that have been stepped on. I have sin in my life. I had sin in my life then when I went to that church. And I must say it was wonderful to go to a place where I was challenged each week to grow and grow and grow in my walk with Christ, in loving my family, etc. I felt that I have so much to learn…and I do. It was invigorating. I was learning and am learning obedience to Christ and my husband. Submission to authority. Trust. Faith. so many things. And I wasn’t surrounded by the COVERING UP OF sins of gossip, lying, immodesty, pride, adultrey, lust, etc…those things hamper growth. Sin hurts everyone. Hidden sin is a great destroyer and is hyprocrisy. I am not saying that those sins were not present ever…I am saying they were not covered thereby giving tacit approval.

Enough said. I am not a theologian and am loath to start or be in any debates. I hate all that.

I love you ladies.

Jo

For those interested the church website:http://www.heritagebaptistaz.org/

Jason’s Sermons (which are awesome): http://www.sermonaudio.com/source_detail.asp?sourceid=heritagebaptistaz