Parental Home Missionary Work

According to God’s plan the family is to be a CENTER OF EVANGELISM for both the married and the singles that constitute it. A married man or woman ought to have this as their marital vision. The home is to be a city of refuge in which all can find refuge against the manslayer – even Satan. Outside the home he seeks to corrupt and ruin the souls of men. The home therefore is to be God’s impregnable fortress that brings safety to its dwellers through the indwelling presence of Christ and the loveliness of character of each dweller.

A family can be a center of evangelism in 3 ways:

1. Exerting a silent influence by the character of its dwellers

“The restoration and uplifting of humanity begins in the home.”

Ministry of Healing, p.349

God intends that your family will be the light of the world to those around you. Those around us should SEE something in our homes that will lead them to glorify our Father in heaven. Unfortunately, in most professed Christian families, people see all other things except God.  

“A well-ordered Christian household is a powerful argument in favor of the reality of the Christian religion–an argument that the infidel cannot gainsay. All can see that there is an influence at work in the family that affects the children, and that the God of Abraham is with them. If the homes of professed Christians had a right religious mold, they would exert a mighty influence for good. They would indeed be the “light of the world.”  Adventist Home, p.36 

King Hezekiah wasted an excellent opportunity to minister to men who were sent from Babylon and show them the secret of his recovery and the miracle of the sun moving ten degrees backward. Instead of exalting God to the heathen that God brought to learn the truth, king Hezekiah full of pride did something else:

Isaiah 39:2 “And Hezekiah was pleased with them, and showed them the house of his treasures–the silver and gold, the spices and precious ointment, and all his armory–all that was found among his treasures. There was nothing in his house or in all his dominion that Hezekiah did not show them.” (NKJV)

He showed them temporal progress when these were things they were used to seeing in Babylon. What they did not have and what they needed desperately was a knowledge of the only true God of heaven. The king invited no prophet or priest to instruct them in the knowledge of the living God for which they were thirsty. Might Hezekiah’s sickness be ailing many church members today?

WHAT HAVE THEY SEEN IN YOUR HOUSE?

When people visit our homes, what do they see? Academic achievements hanging upon our walls, albums showing how we have travelled and acquired wisdom and prowess? What do they see? Prophet Isaiah was sent to king Hezekiah shortly after the royal visitors left and here was the conversation:

Isaiah 39:3-4 “Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah, and said to him, “What did these men say, and from where did they come to you?” So Hezekiah said, “They came to me from a far country, from Babylon.” And he said, “What have they seen in your house?” So Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shown them.”(NKJV)

This question comes back to modern kings and queens who lead families today, “What have they seen in your house?” What do those around us see in our houses? Do they see God or our temporal treasures?

“The home in which the members are polite, courteous Christians exerts a far-reaching influence for good. Other families will mark the results attained by such a home, and will follow the example set, in their turn guarding the home against Satanic influences. The angels of God will often visit the home in which the will of God bears sway. Under the power of divine grace such a home becomes a place of refreshing to worn, weary pilgrims.” Adventist Home, p.31   

HOME MISSIONARY WORK FOR PARENTS

Introducing our children to Christ and seeking any that is lost within the home

To every Christian parent has been committed the solemn work of introducing their children to the Jesus as their Savior and Lord. Two thousand years ago, some mothers burdened for their children’s future, sought the blessing of Christ upon them. When Christ saw the disciples send them away, He rebuked them saying, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.” Mark 10:14 (NKJV). This is the privilege of every parent today.

“Fathers and mothers should look upon their children as younger members of the Lord’s family, committed to them to educate for heaven. The lessons that we ourselves learn from Christ we should give to our children, as the young minds can receive them, little by little opening to them the beauty of the principles of heaven. Thus the Christian home becomes a school, where the parents serve as underteachers, while Christ Himself is the chief instructor.”  Desire of Ages, p.515 

“Teach them that the Saviour is calling them, that nothing can give Him greater joy than for them to give themselves to Him in the bloom and freshness of their years.”  Desire of Ages, p.517 

Apart from introducing our children to Jesus in their infancy, we are to seek for those children who due to one reason or another are lost within the family.

THE PARABLE OF THE LOST COIN

Luke 15:8-10 “Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!’ Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”(NKJV)

Here is the divine commentary for this sublime parable:

“This parable has a lesson to families. In the household there is often great carelessness concerning the souls of its members. Among their number may be one who is estranged from God; but how little anxiety is felt lest in the family relationship there be lost one of God’s entrusted gifts.” Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 194 

“The woman in the parable searches diligently for her lost coin. She lights the candle and sweeps the house. She removes everything that might obstruct her search. Though only one piece is lost, she will not cease her efforts until that piece is found. So in the family if one member is lost to God every means should be used for his recovery. On the part of all the others let there be diligent, careful self-examination. Let the life-practice be investigated. See if there is not some mistake, some error in management, by which that soul is confirmed in impenitence.” Ibid. 

“If there is in the family one child who is unconscious of his sinful state, parents should not rest. Let the candle be lighted. Search the word of God, and by its light let everything in the home be diligently examined, to see why this child is lost. Let parents search their own hearts, examine their habits and practices. Children are the heritage of the Lord, and we are answerable to Him for our management of His property. Ibid, p. 195 

“There are fathers and mothers who long to labor in some foreign mission field; there are many who are active in Christian work outside the home, while their own children are strangers to the Saviour and His love. The work of winning their children for Christ many parents trust to the minister or the Sabbath school teacher, but in doing this they are neglecting their own God-given responsibility. The education and training of their children to be Christians is the highest service that parents can render to God. It is a work that demands patient labor, a lifelong diligent and persevering effort. By a neglect of this trust we prove ourselves unfaithful stewards. No excuse for such neglect will be accepted by God.” Ibid. 

So we should bring our children to Christ while they are young and if any be lost within the home they must be sought for with prayers and tears.

Training our children for missionary work outside the home

“Missionaries for the Master are best prepared for work abroad in the Christian household, where God is feared, where God is loved, where God is worshiped, where faithfulness has become second nature, where haphazard, careless inattention to home duties is not permitted, where quiet communion with God is looked upon as essential to the faithful performance of daily duties.” Adventist Home, p.35 

Mothers and fathers are called by God to train their children for service to Him. Moses, Samuel, Samson, John the Baptist and Jesus are examples that stand out as to the success of faithfulness in home training. The destiny of the world and the church hung upon the faithfulness of parents of these children who God called for a special work in their generation. To every mother and father God says, “Take this child away and nurse him for me, and I will give you your wages.” Exodus 2:9 (NKJV)

While those mothers and fathers did their part in the past, we are now living in the most important period of earth’s history. The period just before the second return of Jesus is a period of solemn interests because much is at stake. There is a woe to those who live in this generation, for “the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.” Revelation 12:12 (NKJV).

“We are living in the most solemn period of this world’s history. The destiny of earth’s teeming multitudes is about to be decided. Our own future well-being and also the salvation of other souls depend upon the course which we now pursue.” Great Controversy, p.601.

To us has been committed the rare and solemn task of preparing the world for the second return of Jesus. To fail in this task is fail all the mothers and fathers of the past who handed over the baton to us to finish the race.

IMPORTANT QUESTION TO EVERY CHRISTIAN PARENT

“In view of this command (The Great Commission), can we educate our sons and daughters for a life of respectable conventionality, a life professedly Christian, but lacking His self-sacrifice, a life on which the verdict of Him who is truth must be, “I know you not”?”  Education, p. 264  (Brackets Mine)

If we are faithful in training the modern Elishas, Elijahs, Samuels and John the Baptists to be part of God’s final army then the results will be glorious. Watch this:

“With such an army of workers as our youth, rightly trained (In the christian home), might furnish, how soon the message of a crucified, risen, and soon-coming Saviour might be carried to the whole world! How soon might the end come–the end of suffering and sorrow and sin! How soon, in place of a possession here, with its blight of sin and pain, our children might receive their inheritance where “the righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein forever;” where “the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick,” and “the voice of weeping shall be no more heard.” Education, p. 271  (Brackets Mine)

Our work in the home in training an army of youth for Christ determines how soon the pandemics that plague our planet will end. Will you dear parent commit yourself to the most important work given to you by God? You can make that commitment and God will help you do it.

God bless you.

Learn here how the YOUTH can also be missionaries in their homes.