THE GOSPEL IN THE FAMILY

Growing up in a Christian family, it was easy for me to imagine the love of God the Father, because I felt that love manifested through my own father. It was easy for me to love the church community because my whole family is serving the Lord together, and I see the church community as my own family. When I accepted Jesus as my "personal" Lord and Savior, I knew it was a decision I made for my own  soul, for my own salvation. The essence of following Jesus, however, is strengthened because of my connection with my family and the church community.

A lot of times, I hear people evangelize saying they should disregard their seat mates, ignore friends, family, or whoever gets in the way, as long as they express their faith in God. Most Christians would preach the value of personal salvation without considering the essence of family and community, which is the very nature of the Triune God.

In most cultures, especially in the Philippines, family and kinship are primary values. It is expressed in our political structures, business, and other primary institutions. Political leaders rule not only as individuals, but as families. The larger the clan, the larger their political influence and allies. Top business industries are ruled not only by individuals, but by clans. Churches, especially mega churches, also follow the same pattern. Pastors who lead the church would have their children lead the different ministries inside the church. This pattern has both positive and negative implications, but what I want to focus on is how we preach the gospel to individuals, as if their salvation is important only to them as individuals, disregarding the importance of family.

I know a lot of people who come from non-Christian families and are converted into Christianity. They are people who experience a lot of struggles within their family once they became Christians. As new Christians, they are challenged to share the Good News to their family, but often times it becomes the reason for family conflict and misunderstanding. Matthew 10:21 is being used in the wrong context, encouraging them that it is alright to be in conflict with their own family as long as they keep their faith in God.

Upon reflecting on certain situations that I come closely exposed with, I must say that the church as a community has a mission not only to bring individuals to Christ, but also their families. It should not be up to those individuals to bring their own families to Christ. The church must be able to step up and walk with new Christians as they reach out to each of their family members. The Good News can be holistically experienced if you experience it with your family. The family is the immediate manifestation of the love of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

In this culture where family, kinship, and ties, are strong foundations for political, economic, and socio-cultural survival, there is no reason to leave the family behind when it comes to spiritual transformation and growth. A strong personal relationship with Christ can be fully enjoyed with family and community.