Is the church around the globe a lot different than America? Hear from four people in different parts of the world discuss the tremendous need for Christian parents to live their faith at home. Homes Devoted is now encouraging and equipping churches globally! God is doing amazing things!
We want to encourage you to watch this video as a family and then have a family devotion using this to help ALL THE TIME (a family devo).
Transcript below (minus interviews):
As you may know, I was invited to speak at a global summit in Bangkok. What an exciting experience to worship with and hear from other Christ followers and hear what God is doing around the world. The theme of the conference was on rooting and releasing children; getting them grounded, rooted, in the Word, in faith and then encouraging them to be released to do great things in ministry for God. I thought I was going to be one of many voices advocating the importance of parents “impressing” their faith in the home as Deuteronomy 6 says, but what I realized was the role of parents discipling their children in the home, had not been a focus or emphasis at all with so many people I met.
Of course, the enemy would be on the attack of the homes all over the world; seeking to prevent impressing the faith on the children. 1 john 5:19 says “We know that we are of God and the whole world is under the sway of the evil one.” The home is crucial for faith development and it is going to be a primary target no matter what country we live in.
By God’s design and with God’s grace, parent-child discipleship is most effective. Think about it…the average family spends 1 hour a week at church. George Barna revealed that, in America, over 90% of Churched parents do not practice any spiritual disciplines at home other than saying a mealtime prayer. We have the majority of families going to church on Sundays, but not embracing God throughout the week, not living out their faith where children experience living life with God as part of the daily routine. The consequence is that we are losing the majority, (up to 88%) of children growing up in the church.
To my amazement, the rest of the world isn’t any different when it comes to faith practices in the home. Instead of just telling you what I learned, I asked some of my new friends if I could interview them, so you could hear it in their own words. You might be just as surprised as I was. Luckily, my cell phone did an okay job.
VIDEO Inverviews: Jonas, Gabriela, Michael, Leisl & Petrus
Does this sound familiar? Does this represent churches you know? It is essential that people all over the world focus on the home; on living out their faith in all aspects of life. John 15:4 says we are “to abide in Christ.” First John 15:4 encourages us to ‘walk just as He walked.” We must share this vision with the world, so children might know our God who is alive and working and trustworthy.
These are just a few of the people I was able to get on video. It doesn’t include people I talked with from Poland, Sweden, U.K., Ukraine, Pakistan, Egypt, Peru, Singapore and from around the U.S.
HomesDevoted™ is seeking how to best minister and equip pastors and families locally and now, globally. We are writing family devotions and other replicable resources and systems for churches and families to apply worldwide and with your help, they can be translated into Pakistani, Spanish, French, Albanian and other languages. We are skyping pastors and ministry directors. We are speaking every opportunity we get to large and small groups alike and hosting conferences for churches.
Jonas, from West Africa, asked me to come share this message at a national conference in April of 2016. Pastors in Peru asked me to speak at their conference to 2,000 pastors from all over Central America. The need is tremendous. Parents and grandparents need to be informed, encouraged and equipped. Pastors are looking for the resources and tools to empower the parents and grandparents as they build up the next generation of believers. Parents are looking for family role models.
Pray for us as we are truly dependent upon God and what He wants us to do and where He wants us to go. Live out your faith with your children and grandchildren in a bold and powerful way. Would you please pray about giving financially to God and the mission He has for Homes Devoted? Join with us…Be a part of how God is using this ministry to help spread the faith changing message to families across the globe. We know this message will impact families, cause revival in churches and help save a generation we are losing. It starts with you.
Thank you so much to those who have already partnered with us…You are impacting families all over the world! We are still in need of more monthly supporters, so we can focus our energy and efforts towards ministry. Maybe your small group might be interested in supporting us. Maybe the company you work with matches donations. Maybe you have a year-end contribution coming. Maybe you are deciding on how to bless ministries with your tithe for 2014. Please keep Homes Devoted in prayerful consideration. If you would like us to personally share this vision with you or a group of any size, please let us know!
God is doing amazing things. Eph 3.20-21 says “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
It is His power at work and for His glory. We hope you will join us as we take this message to people all over the world. Your tax-deductible donations are easily made online from our website.
Thank you so much, please stay connected, let us know how we might be able to serve your families and most of all, please keep praying for us!
Written by Jonathan
Rev. Jonathan Cronkhite has been serving youth and families for the last 28 years. With the heart of a pastor, he encourages and equips families to have Homes Devoted, through conferences, workshops, coaching, and writing. Married to Carrie for 25 years, they have 5 children, three of whom are young adults. Jonathan enjoys working alongside and discipling his teenage sons and their friends, renovating and flipping homes. He supports Carrie as she leads a home school co-op, and together they practice hospitality and serve in the community.
