Francis Chan Challenges Christians: Stop Idolizing Family, Put Christ’s Mission First

Francis Chan Challenges Christians: Stop Idolizing Family, Put Christ’s Mission First

Yep. Christians idolize the family. I’ve been blogging about that for a few years now.

(Link): Francis Chan Challenges Christians: Stop Idolizing Family, Put Christ’s Mission First

Excerpts:

• March 23, 2016|3:20 pm
  BY KEVIN PORTER , CHRISTIAN POST REPORTER
• Many Christians have lost their edge — their radical, burning fire for Christ, says preacher and author Francis Chan, a firm believer that while family is important, the mission of the Kingdom of God should come first.In a video message recently shared by (Link): ChurchLeaders.com, Chan says that after many Christians get married they place Christ’s mission on the back burner, spending their days in the bubble of relationships, children and the comfort of security.
• The preacher challenges married Christians to stoke the flames of their passion for Christ and his work, and to step out of their comfort zones to take more risks to further His Kingdom.

  Chan, who’s been married to his wife, Lisa, for over 20 years and has seven children, asks, “Could I be an example of someone who’s married and has kids and is still thinking ‘Kingdom first?'” He adds, “Your mission with the Lord doesn’t end when you get married,” giving examples of how when people date, or get married, or have children their focus tends to shift from standing on the frontlines for Christ to pouring the majority of their time and energy into nurturing and protecting their relationship, family and security.

  “… It’s not about going out in the harvest and being a worker [anymore]. It’s about ‘let’s protect our family now … let’s keep us safe. Let’s find some gated community and keep them all in our house — away from all the bad people.’ There’s no excuse for that.”

  The preacher says that the mentality of only worrying about oneself and one’s family causes believers, and even their children, to miss out on life.

  “That’s why so many of the kids, when they turn 18, they just ditch God altogether,” says Chan….

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  Related Posts:

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  (Link):  Sexism, Protecting Women, Family Values, and Christians Placing Biological Family Above Everyone Else

  (Link):  If the Family Is Central, Christ Isn’t, by John B. Carpenter, CP Guest Contributor

  (Link):  Christianity Should Be Able To Work Regardless of Culture, Childed or Marital Status / Article: Unlike in the 1950s, there is no ‘typical’ U.S. family today by B. Shulte

  (Link): How Christians Have Failed on Teaching Maturity and Morality Vis A Vis Marriage / Parenthood – Used as Markers of Maturity Or Assumed to be Sanctifiers
  

  (Link):  The Single American Woman via NY Magazine
  

  (Link):  Time to End ‘Nuclear Family Privilege’ – Let’s Overcome Irrational Nostalgia for a Version of Family Long Since Transformed

  (Link):  The Case Against ‘Saving’ Marriage – Married Nuclear Families Are the Gold Standard Against Which We Are All Judged. by N. Rodgers
  

  (Link):  The Bible Does Not Teach Christians to “Focus On The Family” – The Idolization of Family by American Christians (article)

  (Link): Want To But Can’t – The One Christian Demographic Being Continually Ignored by Christians | Re: Marriage Not Happening for Hetero-sexual Christians Over the Age of 30

  (Link): False Christian Teaching: “Only A Few Are Called to Singleness and Celibacy”

  Link): The Netherworld of Singleness for Some Singles – You Want Marriage But Don’t Want to Be Disrespected or Ignored for Being Single While You’re Single

  (Link): To Get Any Attention or Support from a Church These Days you Have To Be A Stripper, Prostitute, or Orphan

  (Link): Statistics Show Single Adults Now Outnumber Married Adults in the United States

  (Link):  Stop Overlooking Singles in Church By Joy-Elizabeth Lawrence