A New Day for Family Ministry

As I read this work I was amazed how relevant it was even though written a decade ago. And, while the fast pace of change since 1996 is apparent this book is prophetically accurate. Further, as I pastor an "emerging" congregation I resonate with this work's effort to redefine, or perhaps more accurately, recapture the biblical understanding of family. The majority of the family systems in my congregation do not comply with the idealization of family as presented by the more vocal evangelical organizations like the one led by James Dobson. It was refreshing to read a book that addresses family in a manner more germane to the reality of my congregation. I am especially grateful for this work's definition of family: ". . .any network of two or more people linked over time emotionally and usually biologically and legally, sharing such things as home, spiritual and material resources, interpersonal care giving, memory, common agenda, and aspirations." (25-26) Further, in the pages that follow the presentation of this definition the authors are careful to explain that "singles" are part of this definition. This definition and the explanation of how single people are included is most helpful given the constituents of my pastoral setting. The authors depart from an evangelical understanding of family not only through their definition but by how to approach a meaningful ministry to and with families. They propose a dialog of ". . .four equal partners: (1) Scripture; (2) personal experience; (3) the wisdom of the church, past and present; and (4) discoveries and insight from social science research." (46) While I agree that these four sources of insight should be in dialog I am hesitant to give them all equal status. As an evangelical, I must weigh the truthfulness of all voices with the truth of Scripture. Said more pointedly, if the other voices contradict scriptural truths then they must be challenged as to their validity. It is not that I want them to be silenced-it is that not all voices hold equal status. This evangelical position that I hold makes accepting a portion of this work's practical suggestions regarding family ministry difficult. However, as I considered the authors' presentation of the other voices apart from Scripture I was challenged to reconsider my exposition of biblical truth on many occasions. This book has certainly pricked my ongoing wrestling with the reality of how family systems challenge the historical orthodoxy of evangelicalism.