PLANTING WITH PERSONAL AND FAMILY PRIORITIES

Author: Jeremy Rowland

​Planting a church will be very difficult without having the proper priorities in place. The stresses, attacks, and emotional highs and lows can cause a church planter and his family to steer off course from a healthy God-honoring relationship. Establishing priorities from the beginning is a must.  
 
I. Your first priority in life should be to Glorify the Lord personally

• Spend your life knowing God (Phil. 3:10)
• Spend much time each day in personal prayer and in His word (Ps. 55:17)
• Your strongest desire ought to be an intimate relationship with Him (Ps. 42:1)

II. Our second priority should be to glorify the Lord with your wife and family

• Your wife and family ought to be a joy to serve with
• The Lord makes a successful family a prerequisite to a successful ministry. (1 Tim. 3:1-7; Titus 1:6-9)
• Family and ministry can be successfully blended and balanced
  • By recognizing the importance of doing so
  • By refusing to see either one as a hindrance to the other
  • By being determined to make whatever sacrifices or adjustments necessary
  • By seeking to glorify God in your family and ministry
  • Avoid the mistakes of family in ministry
  • Giving the impression that others are more important than your family
  • Having time for others but not for family. Do a weekly assessment
  • Treating others better than you treat your family
  • Expecting too much from your family to protect your “image”
  • Being inconsistent, one thing at church and another at home
  • Not exposing family problems in fear that you will jeopardize your “image” before the people. Let them know you are real.
  • Carrying your ministry burdens home with you.
  • Living a life that is too “rushed” – always in a hurry.
  • Building your ministry at the expense of your family. You will regret this!
• The Goals for the Family in Ministry
  • Spend time with each family member, know them personally.
  • Make your family feel valued and cherished.
  • Instill Godly, Biblical values in their lives.
  • Live by convictions and share why they are Bible-based.
  • Be consistent and genuine, model your faith.
  • Seek the wisdom of God as a family when making decisions.
  • Pray together about needs, rejoice together in answered
  • Serve together with everyone involved. Show it to be exciting.
  • Show appreciation and thankfulness for all things.
  • Be open and honest, don’t pretend to be perfect.
  • Allow room for failure. Admit when wrong and ask for forgiveness.
  • Be forgiving, this is Christ-like.