Home Work

Peoples perceptions never cease to amaze me. People have a view of the Minister and his family that we live a near perfect life. I sometimes wish that perception was a reality. The truth of the matter is that in my family of 3 we struggle with life and faith just as much as most people. Perhaps because I am a full time Pastor our struggles at times are greater than others in the body of Christ! In just 2 short months we will celebrate our 1st year of ministry at a Church that both my wife and I love dearly. First Christian Church is full of love and it is a joy coming into the office everyday even when I am in a sour mood.

With the incredible amount of joy that we have as a family you would think that everything is just fine. But it is not! I noticed that since moving back to Illinois my wife and I have let our spiritual lives slip just a little. At first you don't notice it, but eventually like a unpaid electric bill it all catches up with you. So at first we discussed it periodically, but we still were not moving forward. This over time began to trouble me more and more. I saw a pattern developing in my wife and me that happens to a lot of couples in the Church. It is what I like to call a "Sunday Faith!" What I mean by that is those who even though they read their Bibles and pray a little through the week they never share their faith as a family through the week like they should. So I even started wandering how much of God we have been missing out as a family because of my lack of Spiritual Leadership in the home? My answer was "too much!" So instead of whining anymore around the house and pointing fingers at one another I came up with a plan. I call the plan the "Moore Family Spiritual Standards!" We decided that by these we will live and we will watch and wait for God to move in greater ways in our lives. The Standards are as follows;

1. We will Trust in God prayerfully for all circumstances as a family.
2. We will pray with regularity as a family.
3. We will actively live out the Word of God daily.
4. We will honor God in words & deeds.
5. We will be wise with God's resources.
6. We will love others (inside & outside of the Church) as Jesus loves us.
7. We will worship God as a family everyday.

I know there has been a day or two when we did not pray or worship as a family, but we are making progress. My son who is only 20 months old will not sit still for nightly prayers after dinner, but he will pray at dinner and before bed with eyes closed, head bowed, and hands clasped together. For this I praise the Lord. In the Church regardless of position we need to have committed people who are leaving spiritual legacies within their families. We will only get from God what we ourselves are willing to give.