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LOCAL CHURCH
FAMILY MINISTRY IN THE
NEW MILLENNIUM
Dennis RaineyR
No church, community, or nation will rise higher than the spiritual
condition of its families.
Today our nation suffers from a sickness of the soul because our
families are weak. Weak in their knowledge of God. Weak in their con-
victions about God. Weak in their experience of God. Weak in their
understanding of how to love one another.
This is not how God intended it. The family is God’s smallest
unit in the battle for the soul of any nation. He designed the family as
the birthplace and residence of Christianity. It is the place where the
knowledge, fear, and love of the Lord are taught by parents and
learned by children. The family is where character is planted and
grown. It is the place where civility and respect for others are nurtured
and cultivated.
If the soul of America is to be restored, it will be done one home,
one family at a time, and in the church we assist that by proclaiming
God’s truth for the family. We need a “family reformation.” Just as the
Protestant Reformation restored vibrant faith to the soul, so a family
reformation can restore spiritual vitality in our homes, communities,
and nation.