While running my five-mile loop recently, I’ve been listening to John MacArthur preach from 1 Timothy on qualifications for elders and deacons. A couple requirements Paul emphasizes are that they are to be “the husband of one wife,” (i.e. a “one-woman man”) (3:2,12) and that they are to “manage their own household well.” (3:4,12)

Ministry to family is not tangential biblically, nor should they receive the “leftovers” when other work is done.  After all, God instituted marriage all the way back in Genesis 2, and my work is not “bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh.” The Bible is full of guidance for family members, examples of good and bad families, and illustrations of how the family in certain ways is like the church and even like the Godhead.

Dropping Adam off at Trinity a few weeks ago led me to pause and consider if my family has been receiving my best ministry efforts. Family is a blessing from God, and a wonderful opportunity to serve and show God’s grace to others very near to us, yet all too often I fall short of offering the service and grace they deserve.

Jesus seemed to value the “family of God” even more highly than his biological family (Matt. 12:46-50). Last week I wrote about our church family. May God grant us the grace to minister well to both our biological families and the family of God.