November 11, 2008
Marriage Missions
Posted by Pastor John Loppnow
As the pastor of Marriage & Family Ministry I’m always on the search for resources that are easily accessible and helpful to people and their marriages. That is why I was so happy to find the ministry Marriage Missions. This website has so many great resources; a weekly email you can sign up for, great articles for all stages and elements of marriage and they have a section on helping people prepare for marriage (personally I value prevention and preparation very much!). I encourage you all to take a look at it. Even for 5 minutes. I think that everyone can find something helpful.
Here is the reason that they exist and the website.
This Christian marriage ministry is designed to help those who are married and those preparing for marriage to be PRO-ACTIVE in helping to save marriage from divorce and to enrich it by offering INSPIRATIONAL skill-building information which REFLECTS the HEART of CHRIST.
http://www.marriagemissions.com/
Here are some of the topics that are listed with resources:
• Save My Marriage
• Preparing For Marriage
• Newlyweds
• Dealing with Parents
• Sexual Issues
• Marriage Enrichment
• Marriage and Finances
• Spiritual Matters
If you find any of these topics interesting please consider taking 1-2 minutes and look through the website. And sign up for the weekly email. It is definitely worth it.
I leave you with their guiding biblical passage.
“Be imitators of God as dearly beloved children and to live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Ephesians 5:1-2)
November 10, 2008
Forced Family Fun (FFF)
Posted by Pastor John Loppnow
This is what my best friend in High School called the time he had to spend with his family doing something together. I’m sure many of us grew up with FFF. To tell you the truth I’m grateful for my parents’ making us spend time together as a family doing something “fun” together. Even though, at the time, I probably would have rather gone out with my friends, I’m definitely grateful for those memories. And, in some ways, I wish they had created more of those memories.
As a parent I can see the importance of creating many moments of connection. Some more elaborate such as a family vacation. Or as simple as running errands together. Some of my fondest memories are running errands with my parents. I can remember going to the bookstore with my dad and he said that I could pick out one book. I think he is the reason for my book addiction. (Yes, I take full responsibility for my Dad getting me addicted to books). I also enjoyed our family trips to see extended family on the weekend.
I think its a great idea to intentionally create family memories together. As the kids grow we can increasingly include them in shaping the family memories. We can ask for their input and what they would like to do as a family. So, in the midst of our busy schedules lets slow down to remember to focus on what is most important – one another. Mom and Dad can find creative ways to create the best FFF (Forced Family Fun).
November 7, 2008
Godly Marriage
Posted by Pastor John Loppnow
To be made in the image of God is to reflect and participate in relationships founded on love (as described in 1 Cor 13). As human beings we must wrestle with two natures: our sinful fallen nature (as we depend upon ourselves – self-will) and our God given nature that is enlivened and empowered by the Spirit of God. As people who follow and look to Jesus on how to live a good life, we can learn from God, who is three in one, how to live in relationships of love. Jack & Judy Balswick state, in their book A Model for Marriage, “The love shared among the persons of the Trinity and love of the triune God for us provides the best model for our love relationships (p.26).” A marriage built on biblical principles looks to our God for a vision of what it means to love. Anything less than giving and receiving love (as God loves us) is living from our sinful nature. As we learn to love like God we participate in His divine nature (find scripture). Not only will our spouse and families experience the goodness of this, but also people who do not know God will “know us by our love (John 13:35).”
The Balswick’s go on to show the theology of an increasingly mature covenant between two spouses. They present the biblical principles of covenant, grace, empowerment and intimacy as the basis for a resilient marriage (p.38). They depict these four principles in a circle as interrelated in an ongoing, deepening process.
“When spouses live according to the covenant principle, “to love and be loved,” the grace principle, “to forgive and be forgiven,” the empowerment principle, “to serve and be served,” through mutual servanthood, and the intimacy principle, “to know and be known,” they will reap the rich rewards of following God’s more excellent ways (p. 38).”
Using the Balswick’s taxonomy as a vision for our marriages as well as the way we relate to one another in our families and church, we then can see that heading in the opposite direction will lead us towards trouble and broken relationships.