Ministry is wonderful, signs and wonders are incredible, and planting churches is super important. However, TONS of ministry has always been and continues to be a significant mixture of spirit & self. In other words, even though we’re ministering to others, much of our motivations from deep inside are really all about ourselves. And for many, “doing ministry” allows us to only get involved in other people’s messes to the point that are comfortable with, and then we can walk away and go back home and turn it all off. Not so in family life.

Paul taught us in 1 Corinthians 4:15 that though we have 10,000 teachers in Christ, we do not have many fathers. I believe this reveals a powerful insight from Paul’s troubled heart about a crucial element that the church was and continues to be in dire need of.

Ministers, counselors, teachers, therapists, and the like are helpful; but are mostly props and Band-Aids needed due to a lack of high-quality parenting that was not done.

In the coming season where believers get more and more disillusioned with the world system and the institutional churches, and folks continue to try and live out true kingdom community, house churches, organic churches, whatever you’d like to call it; I believe the closest perspective to our heavenly Father’s heart is that these communities are designed to be family. And families are only functional, growing, and healthy if there are mature, wise, loving, patient, firm spiritual fathers and mothers. Who like in healthy natural families, view their role not as a “ministry”; but as sacrificing their lives, time, money, wisdom, & all resources to patiently raise a family to grow strong & productive in every way. Some to stay and continue long-term family life in their local community, and others to be scattered and take with them what was imported during their growing season.

The spirit of Elijah will go before Jesus to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready people prepared for the Lord Luke 1:17.

May the Lord raise up an army of spiritual fathers & mothers.