You might need to see this good stuff ,a long read though on Family Ministries Subject

Hullabaloo About Family ministries ( patiently read through ,it's healthy )

"What is the church turning to ?" Angrily said a Facebook Commentary Titan .

"Imagine the man is now handing over the leadership of the church to his son",he went on and on .,till I had to privately educate him .

This isn't not politics sir ,I told him ,your Opinion doesn't count, here scriptures do.

Each case must be seen with and its own merits,you can't make such comments without proper investigation and dismissing the successor ( son of the leader ) without checking his antecedents and see whether he is fit for the leadership scripturally .

God put choosing leaders within our purview and as led by His spirit in agreement with scriptures ,

No need getting worked up sir ,I told him .

So I took him through scriptures .and he calmed down and put down the post he put out foolishly ,as believers we must know our boundaries ,

Yorubas say " when a dog goes rabid ,it must yet respect its owner '

Respect the church and its Head,Jesus ,it's leaders and above all ,the scriptures .

This isn't up for debate Like national issues.

If you can't study scriptures ,shut up and allow those who do comment on strictly bible matters

This issue is strictly scriptures ,no democracy here !

That said

Sentiments hardly interprets things appropriately ,emotions are usually terrible judges .

James 1:19-20 KJV

[19] Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

[20] For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

Our judgment of persons and issues must be with caution and wisdom .

We must never be acting on what journalists write ,most media are motivated by Satan and aren't promoting the cause of the gospel .

That said .

Is it scriptural for families to run ministries together ?

Husband and Wife? children also involved and inclusive ?

First and foremost ,it is not a requirement or it has to be the norm .

Ephesians 4:8 KJV

[8] Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

He gave gifts to men not families .

However ,neither is it unscriptural to have natural families or those with natural ties head ministries .

The basic requirements for church leadership are sacrosanct .

Outlined in Pauls letters to Timothy

1 Timothy 3:1 KJV

[1] This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.

And His letter to Titus

Titus 1:5 KJV

[5] For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:

In no place does he say " you must ensure a man heads the church with his wife and kids and they must be his successors when he passes to glory " also neither will you find " never allow any one lead a church with his family ,God so detests it "

Historically ,Callings and Ministries have been perpetuated within families .

Abraham ,Isaac,Jacob .( All Gods prophets and succeeded each other )

Aaron and Levites ( sons of Levi ,Aaron inclusive )

David ,Solomon .etc ..

We should take note that ,that wasn't the only happenstance ,other different scenarios did exist .

But Families did lead ministries and also succeeded each other .

Now let's get nearer.

Hebrews 7:9 KJV

[9] And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham.

Levi is a family .

Hebrews 11:9 KJV

[9] By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:

Abraham ,Isaac and Jacob .

Let's come closer in history .

Amongst Jesus' disciples were Blood brothers

Matthew 10:2 KJV

[2] Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;

Amongst the Apostles was Jesus half brother too( though some needless try to dispute this )

Galatians 1:19 KJV

[19] But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother.

1 Corinthians 15:7 KJV

[7] After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.

He was mentioned in the four gospels but not as a disciple .

Mark 6:3 KJV

[3] Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James..

Matthew 13:55 KJV

[55] Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James,

He led the church at Jerusalem .

Acts 15:13 KJV

[13] And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me:

This wasn't the James who was an apostle in the four gospels .

Acts 12:2 KJV

[2] And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.

Who had been murdered ( martyred) earlier by Herod.

He played prominent roles

Acts 21:18 KJV

[18] And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present.

He led the major / mother church assembly in the world then .

Infact wrote the earliest epistle .

James 1:1 KJV

[1] James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.

And was regarded severally as the Lords brother ,if you truly believe in the humanity of Jesus ,he really was his earthly brother .

There are other examples of families leading and overseeing churches

Before this ,let's not forget whole families and households did receive the gospel and even together .

Acts 11:14 KJV

[14] Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.

Cornelius household .

Same as the jailer

Acts 16:34 KJV

[34] And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.

Now to ministries .

Priscilla and Aquila were a married couple

Acts 18:2,26 KJV

[2] And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them.

[26] And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them , and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.

They functioned in ministry together ,it even appeared by construction of texts that Priscilla was more prominent .

They led the church as a couple .

1 Corinthians 16:19 KJV

[19] The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.

Other folks too

1 Corinthians 16:15 KJV

[15] I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)

A household addicted to ministry

Romans 16:7 KJV

[7] Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellowprisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.

This was arguably a couple and also were apostles .

Romans 16:15 KJV

[15] Salute Philologus, and Julia, Nereus, and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints which are with them.

Siblings ,heading a local church ministry .

We can go on and on.

Siblings ,married couples did lead churches .

So it's not forbidden in scriptures .

Paul infact made allusion to a generational influence In Timothy's ministry

2 Timothy 1:5 KJV

[5] When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.

Never forgetting ,it's not so in every instance

At least not peter or even Pauls family .

Yet,it mustn't be frowned at as unscriptural if families ,couples ,siblings ,families lead ministries.

Rather than get sentimental and react foolishly Like saying " is it now family business etc "

Let's ask the right questions .

Are they capable according to scriptures cited earlier ?

Can we see grace in them?

Or they become unqualified simply because they are family related ?

I recall engaging a colleague who Kept ranting about how some churches had children succeeded their parents as leaders in ministry .

I let him finish and laughed at his hypocrisy since he was a Methodist !

A church founded and led and succeeded by siblings!

Charles and John Wesley .

History is replete with great revivals led by relatives .

Churches too

Yes,some weren't as effective as others ,same as other instances were it wasn't led by family relations .

So it wasn't the family ties that " killed the ministry !"

If Aquilla passed on to glory before Priscilla ,you won't sue the ministry I court if Priscilla runs the church as leader alone ,will you ?

Same with others earlier mentioned .

Only proven men are put in leadership .

If it happens that the predecessor led with family members,surely it must be more reliable to hand over to faithful and tested men ,who might turn out to be his family .

We are to be very discreet in ordination

1 Timothy 5:22 KJV

[22] Lay hands suddenly on no man,

But give responsibility to tested men

2 Timothy 2:2 KJV

[2] And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.

No one often suits this better than those who have worked with you more closely and you can trust .

Philippians 2:19-22 KJV

[19] But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state

. [20] For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state.

21] For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's.

22] But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel.

Pauls words here are personal .It was about how Timothy served paul

It happens some are family related .

We should not throw fits over that if it happens .

I don't know any sane person who won't want his house hold with him in ministry,faithfully serving and able to succeed you in ministry .

In my own opinion .

Joshua flaunted this .

Joshua 24:15 KJV

[15] And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord , choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord .

What boasting .

So rather than get into unnecessary debates over this ,pray and work to see your own family serve God with you in ministry .

What glory it would be to His name if this should be for us all.

Hope this makes sense to you ?

Have a blessed day ahead

I call you blessed

Jesus is Lord,we win

August 15,2013

Reverend Onayinka Olusegun