Do you want to have a successful Christian home?
"You will know them by their fruits.” (Matthew 7:16)
"You will know them by their fruits.” (Matthew 7:16)
Do you want your kids to go to heaven?
Do you want your family/marriage/home to be solid?
If you answered yes….. The next question in front of you is:
“Should you choose a liberal or conservative church?”
Which path gives you the best hope of building a strong family that will lead to your children choosing to be Christians? Today it is common for kids to be raised in a church only to hit teenage years and turn away from the “faith of their fathers!” Many do not realize that it doesn’t have to be that way… and it is not that way among us.
Our families stay together and our kids become Christians.… Want to know more?
It is important to note that within the secular modern description of “Christianity” that there are many “faiths of our fathers!” While they each may claim to be Christianity… they are not the same. They may each choose to follow some of Jesus’ teachings and leadership… but only one can be the “one faith” described in Ephesians 4:5. That faith is the one you need to search for until you find it.
Which “faith” is “the faith?” I chose many years ago to reject liberalism of the day and to follow the Bible’s way of doing things. My wife and I chose God’s way of doing things in His church and in our home.
Here are the results of that choice over time:
As a conservative preacher of the gospel for over 30 years…. never, not even once, has there been a divorce between two Christians where I have been preaching! Ever!
Yes, I have done marriage counseling between Christians. Yes,
Christian families sometimes have to struggle to blend two personalities
into “one.” But never, not even once, have they failed in that effort.
They have always stayed together, healed… and grown with the Bible as
their guide! We tell our kids to go out and marry Christians… Is that
good advice? I have watched as many have rejected that advice and then
wondered why their lives fell apart. Can Jesus help you?
Never, not even once, have we had two Christians “move in together” outside of marriage.
Never, not even once, have we had two Christians “move in together” outside of marriage.
We still preach that you go to hell over that kind of thing… and inside
our homes we make it clear to our kids that we believe it to be as we
preach it! Many parents of our day are afraid to speak the truth. In
both the OT (Deuteronomy 6) and the New Testament (Ephesians 6) this is
an absolute requirement placed on believing fathers.
To the outside world it (living together before marriage) seemed (to
some) like a logical way to improve your chances in marriage with so
many falling apart. It is “a way” I suppose, but it is not God’s way.
Now after numerous lives/families have been shattered… “they” (smart
people with statistics and computers) have proven that this approach
actually undermines your chances at establishing a family later. God’s
way really is better. We make no apologies for our preaching such!
Want Jesus to help your family?
Only once in thirty years have any of our kids failed to become faithful Christians. Not just Christians but faithful Christians. i.e. We have only lost one of our young people in thirty years… and we haven’t given up on that one.
Only once in thirty years have any of our kids failed to become faithful Christians. Not just Christians but faithful Christians. i.e. We have only lost one of our young people in thirty years… and we haven’t given up on that one.
Obviously I need to elaborate a little here. About two years ago we
started a new congregation, the Pillar church of Christ. We made that
decision when the church where we were worshipping decided to start down
the path to liberalism. We adamantly did not wish to go where they
were going… and did not. The Pillar church of Christ is a very small
group… but from
those that are parents, there are thirteen young folks that I can track
over many years to make the claim above. They have been
raised in
conservative churches with said parents consistently making conservative
decisions through their formative years. (Some parents have come to us
after their kids are grown or lost; I am not taking those into account
now.) In other words there are thirteen young folks ranging from teen
age to middle age that I can confidently speak to their upbringing.
Their parents have consistently made hard choices and chosen the Bible’s
way of things even if it meant hardship during their children’s
formative years. Out of these thirteen all are Christians and only one
has fallen away.
When young people are raised in an environment of respect scripture… we don’t have to fret for them when they come of age. When they come of age they become Christians! That is the rule… even in this ungodly age of sex, violence and drugs. Our kids have become good, decent, godly…. Christians!
My three kids are among that number. I raised three kids who are all now on their own. They were taught to seek out Christians for friends and then to marry. They have done so. They have each married faithful Christians and have established Christian homes for my 5 grandkids. I am not surprised… Should I be? My kids are not unique. I can track 13 of them through our group…
Our track record speaks volumes doesn’t it?
When young people are raised in an environment of respect scripture… we don’t have to fret for them when they come of age. When they come of age they become Christians! That is the rule… even in this ungodly age of sex, violence and drugs. Our kids have become good, decent, godly…. Christians!
My three kids are among that number. I raised three kids who are all now on their own. They were taught to seek out Christians for friends and then to marry. They have done so. They have each married faithful Christians and have established Christian homes for my 5 grandkids. I am not surprised… Should I be? My kids are not unique. I can track 13 of them through our group…
Our track record speaks volumes doesn’t it?
- We don’t give them programs, we give them the Word of God.
- We don’t entertain them, we give them Bible teaching.
- We don’t bribe them to come to church; Instead, we draw them through the Word as Jesus Himself instructed us to do…
"No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day. It is written in the prophets, 'AND THEY SHALL ALL BE TAUGHT OF GOD.' Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me." John 6:44-45I can truly say after 30 years of preaching and following His instructions… this is a proven principle that Jesus laid down.
Do you worry about the friends your kids will choose for themselves? It is also worth noting that if you visit one of our worship services with your children….
Every single young person among us (that is of age) is a Christian!
We raise them to respect God’s way of things!
Then we need not be surprised with they do!
We raise them to respect God’s way of things!
Then we need not be surprised with they do!
Not one of our young folks noted above has become pregnant outside of marriage. For the record, only twice in over 30 years has this situation come up in any congregation where I was preaching.
Does those other two mean we are all hypocrites? Does it mean that our
“way of things” or more correctly “God’s way of things” is flawed?
Does it mean that all our parents should give up on the Bible’s teaching
of abstinence outside of marriage? Should we reject the Bible’s
teaching and replace it with the modern approach of “safe sex?”
No! It means that this sin (so common in the world) has been very,
very rare among us for more than thirty years. Among our young people…
everyone really isn’t doing those things they shouldn’t be doing. I
know of the longer term situation for one of the two mentioned and she
repented, confessed such and then went on to build a Christian home! How
does all this compare with the results of the more liberal churches you
are familiar with? For the record, how does this 30 year long “batting
average” compare with the teaching methods of our secular world?
Deep down don’t you want Christianity for your kids?
Do you want your grandkids to know their father? Do you want them to live with their father? For that matter, do you want to know their father?
The choices you make now will help to determine that relationship! Pre marital sex has exploded in the last fifty years in our society and seems to transcend the denominational world as well. Not so among us!
Now, if you are a part of one of these liberal churches (or are following these approaches to life) … can you afford to risk the long term welfare of your kids on some liberal experiment? I recently sat down with a liberal preacher taking issue with his liberal approach to things and asked him, “Where are the brakes for you? I have listened to you and I can’t find the brakes…” His answer was: “Why are you so concerned about the brakes?! Why does there have to be a brake?”
Well, do you want your kids to know their boundaries and respect them? The teaching you choose will definitely have a bearing on whether they find and respect said boundaries. The way of the cross has always been foolish to some… but for us and our kids it is a way of life. (I Corinthians 1:18)
Our young people are too precious to experiment with!
Aren’t your young people too precious to experiment with also?
How does this restrained (conservative) approach to life and godliness compare with the churches that you are familiar with?
Place our results alongside the panic of the parents in liberal churches and those churches themselves as their young people are turning away in droves.
Today I want to look at what should be “the obvious.” Let’s say the general rules of thumb out loud. I am not attempting (within the limits of a small article) to deal with exceptions but just going to make some broad brush statements of the same obvious truths that you can also observe. The book of Proverbs does something similar with the observable truisms of life.
The more liberal a church is, the more shallow they are Biblically. The more conservative a church is, the deeper they go into the word of God.
For example, approximately 2 years ago, I sent a challenge to explain how to determine right and wrong (Biblically) to a group of over 50 liberal preachers. To date none of these preachers have been able to do so.
Yes, there are conservative churches that are also shallow and their teaching bland. They may loose more of their young people…. But even then, they are less likely to lose their kids than the liberal churches are! Some churches plan/expect to lose some of their young people as they come of age. We refuse to accept that. i.e. We just don’t plan to lose some of our young people! They are not disposable.
Generally speaking, truly Bible believing churches are going to be hard hitting in their preaching and teaching. (comparing conservative churches as opposed to liberal ones) Liberal by definition leaves the Bible way of doing things in search for “better” ways.” “Better” doesn’t turn out to be truly better if it costs you your marriage or your kids, does it?
The trouble is, by the time you loose your marriage, or your kids, because of a lack of solid (Bible) foundations for your faith… how do you get them back? You may rebuild your own personal faith… but family damage is often effected forever. These modern experiments with “better” ways are deadly to you spiritually! Hype has always had a hard time actually delivering. Consider how the demands of the people in 700BC sound very much like the people of our own time…
Today the liberal’s cry is similar to the ancient cry for more “feel good preaching..” But if your church bows to that cry… What does it mean for your marriage and your kids? The liberal churches are losing their young people, panicking and reacting by creating more programs thus becoming even more liberal. They, by doing such, are making the situation worse. They don’t seem to realize that by becoming shallow and replacing a real knowledge of God with hype and programs, they are destroying their children’s chances at going to heaven. Good decent parents only realize after it is too late.
Some examples? Contemporary services, praise services, church sponsored social programs, basketball and baseball rather than Bible study. I once had a liberal deacon state, “We have too many Bible studies around here…. We need more social things!” This entire approach is a rejection of God’s way of doing things.
Should anyone be surprised when kids who have been begged, conjouled, entertained and at times even bribed while they were being raised “in church” aren’t interested in continuing once they leave home?
Liberalism cannot exist in the presence of real Bible study… A serious student asks too many questions.
Let me lay out one obvious example and ask a pointed question….
How many churches do you know that ignore these two passages?
Kids can read!
Even a “little liberal” is “too liberal” because it leads to “more liberal”…
“If you can, then I can…”
As a parent I cringe to hear the above statement from a young adult… don’t you? Young folks find passages like those above in their Bibles thereby learning from their parents and their preachers that you can just ignore what you don’t want to follow. This is what we call liberalism…When they are taught “this or that” is a minor thing and that it just “doesn’t matter”… They learn that what the Bible says doesn’t matter if they don’t like what it says at the time. The parents then get upset when their kids, after being raised in this environment, ignore other passages.
How many young people today ignore this passage?
We have been criticized as being too harsh in our preaching. We have been criticized for being too narrow in our thinking. We have been criticized for being too strict in disciplining our youth. In short we are criticized for following the Bible too closely. So… How is your track record?
Having watched the world around me as well as having preached the gospel within it… What advice would I give to a young couple just starting out? You have to choose between the “feel good” and the “real, sound, solid Bible teaching.” You can’t have it both ways. You have to choose between a church that draws based on hype and programs or a church that draws folks in based on it’s Bible teaching. You can’t have it both ways.
What should be the draw of the church? Bible teaching. I recently received a mailing from a local church that was sent out generally to “draw” people to it. The focal point of the mailing? Free Lunch!
I raised my children to not be suckered by an offer like that one. What should you do? Go that direction and your kids will have their bellies filled. They will be entertained… but when they come of age they will be likely to leave. Deep down they know there has more to life than this and they will go searching for it. Many search through various eastern religions or just lose heart and give up. Isn’t it better if you lead them to the truth in the first place?
I have shared the results of my personal observations with you . . . After more than 30 years of preaching and looking at the congregations where I have preached the gospel and comparing them with others… If you want your marriage to survive and your kids to be Christians… Look for the most conservative church of Christ that you can find and be faithful to God through it!
Let me close by repeating the obvious…
Our approach is apparently not a mistake …
Because our marriages survive, and our children stay with us as adults!
Will yours?
Deep down don’t you want Christianity for your kids?
Do you want your grandkids to know their father? Do you want them to live with their father? For that matter, do you want to know their father?
The choices you make now will help to determine that relationship! Pre marital sex has exploded in the last fifty years in our society and seems to transcend the denominational world as well. Not so among us!
Now, if you are a part of one of these liberal churches (or are following these approaches to life) … can you afford to risk the long term welfare of your kids on some liberal experiment? I recently sat down with a liberal preacher taking issue with his liberal approach to things and asked him, “Where are the brakes for you? I have listened to you and I can’t find the brakes…” His answer was: “Why are you so concerned about the brakes?! Why does there have to be a brake?”
Well, do you want your kids to know their boundaries and respect them? The teaching you choose will definitely have a bearing on whether they find and respect said boundaries. The way of the cross has always been foolish to some… but for us and our kids it is a way of life. (I Corinthians 1:18)
Our young people are too precious to experiment with!
Aren’t your young people too precious to experiment with also?
How does this restrained (conservative) approach to life and godliness compare with the churches that you are familiar with?
Place our results alongside the panic of the parents in liberal churches and those churches themselves as their young people are turning away in droves.
Today I want to look at what should be “the obvious.” Let’s say the general rules of thumb out loud. I am not attempting (within the limits of a small article) to deal with exceptions but just going to make some broad brush statements of the same obvious truths that you can also observe. The book of Proverbs does something similar with the observable truisms of life.
The more liberal a church is, the more shallow they are Biblically. The more conservative a church is, the deeper they go into the word of God.
For example, approximately 2 years ago, I sent a challenge to explain how to determine right and wrong (Biblically) to a group of over 50 liberal preachers. To date none of these preachers have been able to do so.
Yes, there are conservative churches that are also shallow and their teaching bland. They may loose more of their young people…. But even then, they are less likely to lose their kids than the liberal churches are! Some churches plan/expect to lose some of their young people as they come of age. We refuse to accept that. i.e. We just don’t plan to lose some of our young people! They are not disposable.
Generally speaking, truly Bible believing churches are going to be hard hitting in their preaching and teaching. (comparing conservative churches as opposed to liberal ones) Liberal by definition leaves the Bible way of doing things in search for “better” ways.” “Better” doesn’t turn out to be truly better if it costs you your marriage or your kids, does it?
"Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn {bushes} nor figs from thistles, are they?" Matthew 7:15-16
The trouble is, by the time you loose your marriage, or your kids, because of a lack of solid (Bible) foundations for your faith… how do you get them back? You may rebuild your own personal faith… but family damage is often effected forever. These modern experiments with “better” ways are deadly to you spiritually! Hype has always had a hard time actually delivering. Consider how the demands of the people in 700BC sound very much like the people of our own time…
" Now go, write it on a tablet before them And inscribe it on a scroll, That it may serve in the time to come As a witness forever. For this is a rebellious people, false sons, Sons who refuse to listen To the instruction of the LORD; Who say to the seers, "You must not see {visions";} And to the prophets, "You must not prophesy to us what is right, Speak to us pleasant words, Prophesy illusions." Isaiah 30:8-10
Today the liberal’s cry is similar to the ancient cry for more “feel good preaching..” But if your church bows to that cry… What does it mean for your marriage and your kids? The liberal churches are losing their young people, panicking and reacting by creating more programs thus becoming even more liberal. They, by doing such, are making the situation worse. They don’t seem to realize that by becoming shallow and replacing a real knowledge of God with hype and programs, they are destroying their children’s chances at going to heaven. Good decent parents only realize after it is too late.
Some examples? Contemporary services, praise services, church sponsored social programs, basketball and baseball rather than Bible study. I once had a liberal deacon state, “We have too many Bible studies around here…. We need more social things!” This entire approach is a rejection of God’s way of doing things.
Should anyone be surprised when kids who have been begged, conjouled, entertained and at times even bribed while they were being raised “in church” aren’t interested in continuing once they leave home?
Liberalism cannot exist in the presence of real Bible study… A serious student asks too many questions.
Let me lay out one obvious example and ask a pointed question….
How many churches do you know that ignore these two passages?
I Corinthians 11: 22. What! Do you not have houses in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? In this I will not praise you.
I Corinthians 11: 34. If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, so that you will not come together for judgment. The remaining matters I will arrange when I come.
Kids can read!
Even a “little liberal” is “too liberal” because it leads to “more liberal”…
“If you can, then I can…”
As a parent I cringe to hear the above statement from a young adult… don’t you? Young folks find passages like those above in their Bibles thereby learning from their parents and their preachers that you can just ignore what you don’t want to follow. This is what we call liberalism…When they are taught “this or that” is a minor thing and that it just “doesn’t matter”… They learn that what the Bible says doesn’t matter if they don’t like what it says at the time. The parents then get upset when their kids, after being raised in this environment, ignore other passages.
How many young people today ignore this passage?
" Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor {the} covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God." 1 Cor 6:9-10Why shouldn’t they ignore passages like the above… if they have been taught to ignore various other passages of scripture at church?
We have been criticized as being too harsh in our preaching. We have been criticized for being too narrow in our thinking. We have been criticized for being too strict in disciplining our youth. In short we are criticized for following the Bible too closely. So… How is your track record?
Is the way of scripture really too harsh?
Is the way of the cross really too narrow?
Is it really a mistake to follow Jesus’ teaching too closely?
Our approach is apparently not a mistake …
Because our marriages survive, and our children stay with us as adults!
Having watched the world around me as well as having preached the gospel within it… What advice would I give to a young couple just starting out? You have to choose between the “feel good” and the “real, sound, solid Bible teaching.” You can’t have it both ways. You have to choose between a church that draws based on hype and programs or a church that draws folks in based on it’s Bible teaching. You can’t have it both ways.
What should be the draw of the church? Bible teaching. I recently received a mailing from a local church that was sent out generally to “draw” people to it. The focal point of the mailing? Free Lunch!
I raised my children to not be suckered by an offer like that one. What should you do? Go that direction and your kids will have their bellies filled. They will be entertained… but when they come of age they will be likely to leave. Deep down they know there has more to life than this and they will go searching for it. Many search through various eastern religions or just lose heart and give up. Isn’t it better if you lead them to the truth in the first place?
I have shared the results of my personal observations with you . . . After more than 30 years of preaching and looking at the congregations where I have preached the gospel and comparing them with others… If you want your marriage to survive and your kids to be Christians… Look for the most conservative church of Christ that you can find and be faithful to God through it!
"Choose God’s plan… your spouse and your kids desperately need you to choose and build your life wisely! If you don’t … They will pay later. "Woe to the rebellious children," declares the LORD, "Who execute a plan, but not Mine, And make an alliance, but not of My Spirit, In order to add sin to sin;" Isaiah 30:1
Let me close by repeating the obvious…
Our approach is apparently not a mistake …
Because our marriages survive, and our children stay with us as adults!
Will yours?
Hi I am glad you stopped by our blog. These articles are from an emailing that we did several years ago. Today most of our work is on facebook
You can follow my personal page on Facebook by clicking on this link ...
Jerry Blount
You can follow the postings on the congregation's page by clicking on this link....
Las Vegas church of Christ
If you wish to worship with us....
Las Vegas church of Christ
709 Dora Celeste
Las Vegas, NM 87701
Our meeting times are
10am Sunday morning for Bible study.
11am Sunday morning for the worship service.
6pm Wednesday evening for Midweek Bible study.
If you wish to contact me...
yakipreacher@gmail.com
Be well
Jerry Blount
