Posted by Matt Markins in 
2,500 of the worlds leading economist, bankers, political leaders, and CEO’s are gathered together this week in Davos, Switzerland to address the urgent needs of the global economy at the World Economic Forum. The financial cricis we are facing in America with the US auto market, the housing market, the credit market, just to name a few, is only part of the global challenge. According to many at this global event, as Groundhog Day looms just around the corner, we may have some long dark days ahead of us.
With a near bankrupt economy wavering out on the horizon, I can’t help but to notice the parallels between the state of the economy as compared with the state of the “lost connection” between church and home.
Over the last 30 years, we have become so preoccupied with church attendance and with the kinds of cool events our churches are hosting, that we have failed to stay true to one of the central pillars of the church, which is to make disciples of our own families. God’s plan for this is found all throughout scripture (not just in Deut. 6).
Large church attendance and cool events are wonderful! But if they don’t fall in line with an overarching philosophy and strategy that is birthed out of scriptural principles, than we are falling short of God’s great plan for both the institution of the Church and the family.
Churches must make an immediate turn or shift in their mission and re-tool their ministries to equip parents to be the headquarter of spiritual formation, and allow the church do be that second center of discipleship, encouragement, and equipping. If we don’t shift now, we will continue to see the same results…droves of students leaving the church each year after high school graduation.
There is an event in 09 that will be addressing the Church and family crisis. This event is called D6. The D6 Conference is a Kingdom event that will pull together churches from all denominations to tackle this central issue in the church. The question can be asked several different ways:
- How do we connect church and home?
- How can churches partner with parents?
- How do we stop the mass exodus of students leaving the church each year?
- How do we transfer faith from generation to generation?
Again, there are several ways this question is being asked, but the one thing that remains true is that this is the central issue in the church today.
I hope to see you at D6. Come and join in on the conversation as we explore God’s word and share about what’s successes we are experiencing in the body of Christ in this critical discussion.
