Did you catch the kerfuffle here in America when Kansas City Chiefs player Harrison Butker made some
“controversial” comments about marriage and family recently?
There was a huge backlash when he suggested, in a commencement address at a conservative Catholic college that women can find happiness as homemakers, that the LGBTQ agenda is harmful, and that Catholics ought not to support abortion.
Some said his comments were right out of the 1950s and that clock-stoppers like Butker have no place in modern discourse with such offensive ideas!
Even the NFL tried to distance itself from the controversy.
This incident highlights how far modern culture has come in opposition to the biblical plan for marriage and family. I think it’s important that we, as Christian leaders, ministers, teachers, and evangelists, help turn our flocks toward the biblical truth in this important area.
“So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth and subdue it’” (Genesis 1:27-28).
God’s plan for humanity, from the beginning, was for the union of one man and one woman to be fruitful and multiply. Jesus further reiterated in Matthew 19:5-6:
“For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no man put asunder.”
Sadly, this plan has been jettisoned for many in the developed world, where young men and women often marry later (if they marry at all) and are encouraged to delay having children - a world where divorce is common and abortion is readily available. Broken homes, single-parent families, and misery are the side effects.
You see, God laid out the plan for marriage and family not only to provide for humans to oversee creation but also because it is the best plan for humans in a society.
It’s inspiring to see once again how God’s commands are tailor-made for our good, giving us the best possible foundation for thriving. And it’s sad to see how our culture seems committed to flouting them.
This is why it’s so important for us, as pastors and teachers, to build healthy families in our “mission field.” We want to welcome every kind of individual and family into our flock, whether they fit the traditional mold or not … but we want to do all we can to build the healthiest nuclear families possible.
How can you facilitate this? Some ideas:
These are just a few ideas to get you started. The Holy Spirit will undoubtedly also guide you to programs and initiatives that speak specifically to your people and mission field.
Thanks for your commitment to healthy, traditional families that honor God, and thank you for being my partner in ministry. You can always find more resources and information on ministry opportunities at the City Harvest Network website. It’s my privilege to be building the Kingdom alongside you today!
Yours for the Harvest,
Dr. Rod Parsley
Founder & General Overseer
There was a huge backlash when he suggested, in a commencement address at a conservative Catholic college that women can find happiness as homemakers, that the LGBTQ agenda is harmful, and that Catholics ought not to support abortion.
Some said his comments were right out of the 1950s and that clock-stoppers like Butker have no place in modern discourse with such offensive ideas!
Even the NFL tried to distance itself from the controversy.
This incident highlights how far modern culture has come in opposition to the biblical plan for marriage and family. I think it’s important that we, as Christian leaders, ministers, teachers, and evangelists, help turn our flocks toward the biblical truth in this important area.
“So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth and subdue it’” (Genesis 1:27-28).
God’s plan for humanity, from the beginning, was for the union of one man and one woman to be fruitful and multiply. Jesus further reiterated in Matthew 19:5-6:
“For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no man put asunder.”
Sadly, this plan has been jettisoned for many in the developed world, where young men and women often marry later (if they marry at all) and are encouraged to delay having children - a world where divorce is common and abortion is readily available. Broken homes, single-parent families, and misery are the side effects.
You see, God laid out the plan for marriage and family not only to provide for humans to oversee creation but also because it is the best plan for humans in a society.
- Studies have shown that married people live longer, are healthier, are happier - and even, on average, have more money compared to single-adult households.
- The 2022 edition of the General Social Survey found that the combination of marriage and parenthood is linked to the greatest “happiness dividends” for women: Among married women with children between the ages of 18 and 55, 40% reported they are “very happy,” compared to 25% of married childless women, and just 22% of unmarried childless women.
- And statistics show that children have the best chances of thriving when they grow up in a stable two-parent household. This isn’t to say the children of single parents can’t succeed - they can, and many do. But one of the best ways to ensure they do is for children to be reared by their married parents.
It’s inspiring to see once again how God’s commands are tailor-made for our good, giving us the best possible foundation for thriving. And it’s sad to see how our culture seems committed to flouting them.
This is why it’s so important for us, as pastors and teachers, to build healthy families in our “mission field.” We want to welcome every kind of individual and family into our flock, whether they fit the traditional mold or not … but we want to do all we can to build the healthiest nuclear families possible.
How can you facilitate this? Some ideas:
- Honor moms and homemakers and empower older women to mentor younger women. The cultural pressure is on young women to become independent and free, but you can give them the opportunity to develop relationships and community with grandmothers and mothers of adult children who can model the joys of a more traditional role.
- Train young men in their biblical responsibilities as believers, husbands, and fathers. Today’s culture can have a toxic effect on boys, either encouraging them to remain immature through an emphasis on video games for loners or partying for the more gregarious. It’s important to instill young men with the biblical truth that they are the foundation of strong families, which are the foundation of the church.
- Build support networks for parents. Couples Bible studies that emphasize family dynamics are wonderful for cohesion - the two become one, as Scripture says. It’s also helpful to have men’s and women’s Bible studies where moms and dads can receive support from other moms and dads, building each other up in the faith and in their commitment to their spouses, homes, and children.
- Make it a family month or a family Sunday. Choose one month of the year to focus your teaching on traditional families, or choose one weekend each quarter to preach or teach on the topic, explaining why this is God’s plan and how men and women can build healthy families.
These are just a few ideas to get you started. The Holy Spirit will undoubtedly also guide you to programs and initiatives that speak specifically to your people and mission field.
Thanks for your commitment to healthy, traditional families that honor God, and thank you for being my partner in ministry. You can always find more resources and information on ministry opportunities at the City Harvest Network website. It’s my privilege to be building the Kingdom alongside you today!
Yours for the Harvest,
Dr. Rod Parsley
Founder & General Overseer