A Family Integrated Business?

Nuts and Bolts of the Family Business Conference, July 20-21, 2012

Last week we went to an AME Conference (Apprentice, Mentor, Entrepreneur) called Nuts and Bolts of the Family Economy. The conference was geared toward equipping and encouraging families interested in establishing a family business.

In some of the a family businesses they worked together out of their homes. Fathers work at home leading their families while simultaneously mentoring their own children. The children learn a trade from the best teachers that they could ever have, their parents.

What a radical idea! Instead of sending our children off to college (where they can be brainwashed by secular professors), why not teach them while they’re young how to start their own businesses? Why not give them real world experience learning an actual trade and save thousands of dollars? One speaker proposed the idea that if children start working by the age of six, they will potentially be ready to start a business by sixteen. If a young man starts a business by sixteen he could, potentially, be ready for marriage by twenty-one because he will have a viable income. Actually, there were a few young men at the conference who did this. One started his first business at thirteen.

I found it interesting that every speaker that I saw quoted the same verse from the Shema:

“You shall teach them [the commandments of God] diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.” – Deuteronomy 6:7

And most of the speakers backed up their points using the Torah. One speaker quoted Deuteronomy 5:13,14:

“Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the Lord your God;”

His point was this: God gave us six days to work, not five. So, if we worked for six days, we would have more income and we could get ahead. Moreover, if we worked for six days, how much more would we appreciate the Sabbath?

Another speaker quoted the other half of Deuteronomy 5:14:

“…in it [Shabbat] you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter or your male servant or your female servant or your ox or your donkey or any of your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you, so that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you.”

His point was this: Who’s doing the work? You (the papa and mama), the son, the daughter, the male and female servant, and the sojourner. Could this be a picture of a family business? Could a family business be Biblical? Could moving toward a multigenerational business be the next natural step after homeschooling and being part of a multigenerational community of faith?

Another great point that I took away from the conference was this:

“In a family business, don’t consider yourself a business owner only but a discipler of people!”

Your children and your employees will be your disciples. That is such a great idea and that's what it's all about anyway—right? Making disciples like the Master commanded us?

AME is somehow related to CHEC (Christian Home Educators of Colorado) so all the speakers are coming from a homeschooling perspective. The more I thought about it all, the more I realized that this ‘family economy’ movement was bound to happen. I see it like this—as home schooled children graduate high school, parents start to ask themselves "What’s next for my son or daughter? College or a Job?" Either way, they will be trained, taught, or mentored by someone else. So who are these teachers or employers? What beliefs do they have? What is their relationship to our God and Messiah? Yeshua said:

“A pupil is not above his teacher; but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher.” - Luke 6:40

Has this been your experience? It was for me. In college, students began to mimic their favorite professors; they used their favorite phrases and adopted their philosophies. At a first job, employees try to emulate their bosses; they learn their tricks of the trade and start to use their terminology. It happens just like the Master said—the pupil will, inevitably, be like his teacher. Who is teaching your adult children?

I wanted to share this to challenge your thinking and remind and encourage you that, as disciples of Yeshua, we will be counter culture. The things that we do will not always look like the rest of the world; and that's okay. We should be okay with this. We should get used to this and help our children to get used to it too.



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Minor Traditions For Generations To Come

Esther and Vashti are popular costumes among the girls.

Mordecai, Ahashverosh and Haman are popular costumes among the boys

This past Thursday we had our annual Purim Bash, a minor celebration on the Hebrew Calendar. It's interesting to consider that both Chanukah and Purim take place in the winter. Chanukah takes place a couple of months after Sukkot and Purim takes place one month before Passover. Wow—Spring Feasts, Fall Feasts, Winter Celebrations—there is always something to celebrate on the Hebrew Calendar! Anyway...

This year we did not promote our celebration like we did in the past few years, but we still had a large turnout. I was glad to see how many people actually came out on a weekday night to celebrate with us. Our desire is to celebrate the festivals on the actual date of the festival and not a few days later when it might be more convenient. Making the effort to do this will speak volumes to our children.

These celebrations are really geared toward our children anyway. We work extra hard and make the necessary sacrifices to create fun and exciting memories that will stay with our children for the rest of their lives. They will tell their own children about the fun they had at these celebrations and hopefully make the same effort to create exciting celebrations for them. We do this for our children, the next generation, so they will take these traditions and pass them on to generations to come. This is the Hebraic way. This is a core value for us at Front Range.

To see photos of our Purim Bash, visit our Facebook photo album here: Purim Bash! 14-15 Adar 5772



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Don't Lose Them!

If you have attended Shabbat Service at our congregation you probably noticed that the children stay with their parents during the service time. This is because we do not hold Shabbat School or have a nursery. This is one of the unique qualities of our community and one that we have been criticized for. We believe that this is one of the essential elements in keeping our children in the Church once they become young adults.

There's a new book out by the president of the Barna Group, David Kinnaman, called You Lost Me: Why Young Christians Are Leaving Church...and Rethinking Faith. For the past five years the Barna Group has been researching young adults who have dropped out of the Church in order to find the reasons why. This book is a summary of what they learned and some suggestions on how not to lose them in the future.

I haven't read the book yet, but I have read a sample chapter, some book reviews and some related articles. From what I've heard and read, it seems it all boils down to building and maintaining relationships with the young people in the Church and helping them to feel like they are part of the community. This is precisely what we are trying to achieve by keeping the children in the entire service and allowing them to participate.

Below is a suggestion from a ministry leader that supports our position. This idea was posted on the Ideas for Finding a Generation page in the youlostmebook.com website.

Share the Youth Ministry Load

Young people need to feel connected in authentic relationship with as many mature Christians as possible. For too long we have been fooled into believing that hiring a cool youth pastor and a dynamic children’s director will be enough to create transformed, life-long disciples in our kids.

Relationships that are built in age-segregated church compartments result in graduating high school students who have no significant relationships to call them back to the Body. Why would they want to come to a place where no one even knows their name? Instead, we need to teach entire congregation how to become a vital part of the ministry to our children and youth so that real, face-to-face, authentic, life-long Christian relationships can grow between the generations. A congregational commitment to do whatever it takes to raise our children in the faith must begin with the senior pastor and flow out to every adult in the body!

What if we started by hanging a mirror in the church entry with “Our Youth Pastor” in large letters printed on the top so that whenever any adult looked in the mirror they would see their own reflection?

Lorraine Frey

Educator, leader and trainer for The LOGOS Ministry

Related Links:

You Lost Me,
By David Kinnaman

Five Myths about Young Adult Church Dropouts,
November 16, 2011, The Barna Group

What Teens Aspire to Do in Life, How Churches Can Help,
June 14, 2011, The Barna Group

New Research Explores How Different Generations View and Use the Bible,
October 19, 2009, The Barna Group



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The D6 Conference

"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates."

- Deuteronomy 6:4-9, (ESV)

"Deuteronomy 6:7 tells us three things: Love God, treasure His Word, and teach this to the next generation. The vision of the D6 Conference is to champion a movement of parents who disciple their own kids and teens in partnership with their local church. The D6 Conference is dedicated to helping churches, leaders, parents, and volunteers to develop a generational discipleship model based on Deuteronomy 6." Learn more about D6: d6conference.com

I sure do wish I could have made it to the D6 conference this week. It looks like it's going to be a good one. Below is a video from last year's D6 conference. The experience this pastor describes is very, very similar to my experience when I saw the light.

D6 Conference
September 21-23, 2011
Dallas, TX

Other relevant, upcoming conferences:

Reunited Conference
December 10-11, 2011
Wake Forest, NC

Teach Them Diligently Convention
March 15-17, 2012
Spartanburg, SC



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Restoring The Hearts Of The Fathers To Their Children

D6 Conference 2011 from D6 Conference on Vimeo.

I was speaking with an acquaintance this past week who said to me, "I would consider visiting your congregation but, you see, I don't like children." This was probably one of the saddest, most appalling statements that I've ever heard from a believer in Yeshua. Unfortunately, this is the reality of how many senior adults feel about children. They'd rather not be around germ-infested rug rats. They don't want to hear the disturbing cry of an infant or see a snot-nosed toddler throwing a fit. They will put a pro-life bumper sticker on their car, but they want nothing to do with children at all. They don't understand that these are the sites, the sounds, and yes, the smells of life! Children are our hope. Children are our future. If we don't have children, we will have no future.

As I considered the comment made by this person -- and believe me, all week long I have not been able to get these words out of my mind -- I came to the conclusion that this individual has not been educated correctly in the faith. We, as believers in Messiah Yeshua, are all called to a multigenerational faith. We, as a people, are commanded to pass His Torah along to the next generation. One generation to the next; one collective group to the next. Whether you have children or not, this is a command to the community. Seniors who don't have young children should be teaching the younger generations; helping the young parents, sharing experiences with the young adults. This is what Paul teaches us in Titus 2; older teach the younger, younger learn from the older.

I believe that today, there is a move of the Ruach in the body of Messiah; a move back to a multigenerational faith. It started with the homeschool movement. Now, homeschooling parents are beginning to wonder, "Why am I homeschooling my children all week long but when we go to church, I put them in an age-segregated school?" Parents are beginning to open their eyes, God is moving in their hearts. Could this be the beginning of what was prophesied by Malachi? Are the hearts of the fathers being restored to their children? I believe more and more church leaders are realizing this movement of God. Earlier this year, a prominent leader in the Messianic Community of the Metro Denver area told me, "What you are doing is the right thing to do. I can't change what we are doing with our children because we've been doing if for so long. It's already established; but if I could do it all over again, I would keep the children in the service with the adults."

Then children were brought to him
that he might lay his hands on them and pray.
The disciples rebuked the people, but Jesus said,
"Let the little children come to me
and do not hinder them,
for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven."
And he laid his hands on them and went away.

- Matthew 19:13-15 (ESV)

Related Links:

Some churches cancel Sunday school, put parents in charge
By Adelle M. Banks, September 14, 2011

D6 Conference
September 21-23, 2011
Dallas, TX

Preparing for the High Holy Days as a Family

For family devotions last night we went through
our Elul Workbooks together.

FREE Elul Workbooks from Torah Family Publications:

1. Elul: Season of Repentance Family Workbook
2. Elul: Personal Bible Study Workbook (Youth & Adults)  
3. Elul: A Bible Study Workbook for Kids

I found these Elul Workbooks four or five years ago and they have been a great resource in preparing for the High Holy Days. There is an exercise for each week. Don't get too far behind, Yom Teruah will be here before you know it! Download them and get started today!



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The Grammar of Multigenerational Faith

Isaac (back row, far left) in his Brazilian Jiu Jitsu class.

Grammar: the elementary principles of a science or art. 

Multigenerational Faith: faith that is bigger than isolated individualism because it's goal is to be passed on, not only horizontally to the nations, but also vertically to the coming generations.

I recently enrolled Isaac in a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu academy that is right up the street from our house. The place is run by a couple of brothers who happen to be from a family of Sephardic Anusim.These two guys have a deep passion for this martial art; they live it and breathe it. One of the coaches has his son in the class with Isaac. As I expected, the coach's son knows a lot of the basic moves because he's been formally training for more than two years now.

Before he started the class, I had to explain to Isaac the difference between Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, which is basically grappling on the ground, and Kickboxing, which is basically striking while standing. But after the first class I was concerned that he would not understand why he was doing certain 'ground exercises' and not kicking and punching toward a mirror. As an attempt to keep him from becoming discouraged, I rented the 1984 movie, The Karate Kid, hoping that he would see how Daniel-san learned to fight through the obscure exercises prescribed by Mr. Miyagi. He got it and now, he does the sometimes silly-looking exercises without questioning them.

At this point, Isaac is learning the 'elementary principles' of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. In much the same way that he is learning the fundamentals of reading, writing and arithmetic Isaac is also learning the basics of this martial art. Sometimes he does not understand why he is learning certain exercises and positions; but once the coach explains it to him and once he uses them on his opponent, he gets it. He can then put the principle that he has just learned to use. It becomes a part of his thinking. I could not help but see some similarities between this class and our faith.

The sites, smells, and flavors of the Havdalah Ceremony
all help to engage the children and give them lasting memories.

Whether we have children or not, we are called to a Multigenerational Faith. Over and over in the Torah we find the phrase 'throughout your/their generations.' The implication of this phrase is that the Children of Israel were to teach and pass along the 'ways' of Adonai to the next generation who were to, likewise, pass it along to the generation after them. If we neglect to pass along our faith to the next generation, we have failed to accomplish this task given to us by Adonai. Being Torah observant is a way of life; it is a lifestyle and not a system of beliefs.

Therefore, it is incumbent upon parents and Messianic communities to equip their children, the next generation, with the elementary principles of their faith. The next generation needs to be taught, from an early age, the ways of Adonai. It needs to be explained to them 'why we do what we do.' They need to be shown the traditions of the community and given the meaning of their significance. The children need to be included in Shabbat and Moed Services and shown that they are an important part of the life of the community. They need to understand that the teachings of the elders are for them too and not just for the adults.

Like the father that diligently teaches his son Jiu Jitsu, Torah observant fathers must diligently teach their children the Torah of Adonai and the halakah of their family and their community. Parents must teach and disciple their own children in the faith and minister to their young hearts at every opportunity. Messianic Congregations must welcome the young people into their community functions and allow them to learn and grow with the adults. Elders must champion the accomplishment of this task to pass along the Torah to the next generation.

For I have chosen him, 

so that he may command his children and his household after him 

to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice...

- Genesis 18:19 (NAS)

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L'Dor Vador, It's Happening!

Last night before we began family devotions my oldest son, Isaac (8), asked me what festival was coming up next and when it would be. I stopped short of answering him, sat back and said, "I don't know, you guys tell me." With very little help from Margaret and I, the children were able to collectively determine the upcoming fall festivals; each of them contributing details. I was very, very impressed. Of course Michaela (13) and Maya (11) provided the majority of the information, but the others contributed as well. Isaac remembered that Elul began the Season of Repentance that culminated with Yom Kippur. Miryam (6), my youngest daughter, explained that on Yom Kippur the Great Judge (Yeshua) would separate who was His and who was not His; who would be with Him and who would not be. I was amazed at how much they knew and more importantly, how much they understood. I woke up this morning encouraged, knowing in my heart that what we have been doing for our children is really having an impact on their lives. I can see the fruit.

This past Shabbat, Isaac was publicly immersed in Messiah; a major milestone in his young life. We see Hashem working in his heart and we hear him speak of Hashem working in his life. It is clear to us that this young boy has given his life to Messiah. He had his first communion this past Sunday at Erev Rosh Chodesh service in the park. He knelt next to me and prayed silently before eating the matzah and drinking the juice. I am very proud of my son; I am proud of all my children. Although we see the Ruach moving in their lives, we know we cannot stop here. Margaret and I have determined to more diligently teach our children the ways of Hashem through Bible study, devotions, and in our daily lives. I think we are doing a pretty good job, but it can be better! We purpose to step it up a notch.

Below is the theme song for our community and for our family. It's called L'dor Vador which means 'From Generation To Generation.' As we were preparing for Chanukah back in 2009, Michaela and I were listening to Chanukah music and singing along to some CD's. As we sang along to this song, I remember being overwhelmed by the lyrics and moved to tears. This song expresses the heart of our vision for FRMC and the desire we have for our children to carry the Torah to the next generation. Since then, we've sung this song at each festival celebration. I hope you enjoy it.

L’dor Vador / From Generation To Generation
Words and Music © 2007 Josh Nelson Music (BMI)

We are gifts and we are blessings, we are history in song
We are hope and we are healing, we are learning to be strong
We are words and we are stories, we are pictures of the past
We are carriers of wisdom, not the first and not the last

L’dor vador nagid godlecha
(From generation to generation, we will tell of Your greatness)
L’dor vador… we protect this chain
From generation to generation
L’dor vador, these lips will praise Your name

Looking back on the journey that we carry in our heart
From the shadow of the mountain to the waters that would part
We are blessed and we are holy, we are children of Your way
And the words that bring us meaning, we will have the strength to say

L’dor vador nagid godlecha
(From generation to generation, we will tell of Your greatness)
L’dor vador… we protect this chain
From generation to generation
L’dor vador, these lips will praise Your name

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A New Appreciation For Doug

From Right to Left:
Doug, Beall, Joshua, Justice, Liberty, Jubilee, Faith, Honor, Providence, and Virginia Hope

I went to the CHEC Conference today but I did not follow my initial plan of attack. I found out last night that, due to airline problems, Doug Phillips was not going to speak at the morning General Session. I decided not to go to the conference at all but then, in an attempt to cure her cabin-fever, Margaret wanted to go. Of course we had to bring five-day old Moses with us, so his first outing was a homeschool conference (Yeah!). As odd as it sounds to take a new born to a conference, we were not alone. I was actually amazed at the amount of infants at the conference. I don't remember there being this many babies in previous years.

The first full session we saw was the 1:00 teaching by Doug Phillips' called The Family Table. This lesson was basically an encouragement for homeschooling families to make dinnertime a special occasion; a time for bonding and learning. In his teaching I learned something about Doug that surprised me--he's Jewish on his father's side.  He mentioned his father's Jewish identity because it was his father who instilled this principle in him. This idea of family fellowship and teaching during a meal is an Hebraic concept. He also suggested that, during dinnertime, parents teach their children to sit still and listen.  This serves as a good time to practice for Sabbath Services.

We missed the 2:15-3:15 session because, well, Moses was hungry and a bit uncomfortable so we had to find a place for Margaret to nurse him. We spent the time together talking about what we had just heard and learned and how we could apply it to our family.

We caught the last session at 3:30 called A Homeschool Vision Of Victory by Doug Phillips. In this lesson he expressed the importance of why we, as believers is Messiah, should homeschool our children. He shared a little bit more about his Jewish heritage that helped to give me a better understanding of and a new appreciation for him and his ministry. He mentioned that he attended Hebrew school as a boy and that he knows many Yiddish words and phrases because his family spoke Yiddish in his home. He revealed that he comes from a long line of Rabbis who claim to be of Levitical descent. Because of his father, Doug is familiar with Judaism and Hebraic thinking. I have come to the conclusion that the passion that he has about the family stems from the Jewish influence in his upbringing. A lot of what he teaches about the family is Hebraic in nature. Now it makes sense to me why I've been drawn to his ministry and teachings. He's coming from the same perspective.

For another Hebraic perspective on homeschooling I would recommend this article by Tim Hegg called Homeschooling -- Why? In this article Tim Hegg comes to many of the same conclusions that Doug Phillips and other proponents of homeschooling have made. Could homeschooling be a more Hebraic or Biblical model for education?

He also told them a parable: 

"Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? 

A disciple is not above his teacher, 

but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher."

Luke 6:39-40

Who is teaching YOUR children?



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CHEC Conference 2011

Ah yeah - Doug Phillips, RC Sproul Jr and Kevin Swanson are speaking at this years CHEC Conference. I can't make it to all three days, but I think I will go tomorrow; and this is my plan of attack...

8:30-9:45 (General Session)

Doug Phillips

Toxic: Seven Poisons Which Threaten

The Health Of The Home School Movement—And Their Antidotes

The homeschool movement was birthed out of a principled desire to return education to its biblical foundation. But dangerous influences have emerged which threaten to undermine the coherence, purity and significance of the homeschool vision. In this session, your eyes will be opened to seven of the most insidious poisons being absorbed into the heart of home education and offer solutions necessary to restore health

10:00-11:00

Kevin Swanson

Homeschooling—Capturing The Vision

What is it about home education that has profoundly re-energized education and produced such outstanding academic results? Here, Kevin presents the basic elements that make up an outstanding homeschooling experience for your child. This message will give the first-time homeschooler confidence and vision, and help provide encouragement and a reality check for the experienced home educator.

1:00-2:00

Doug Phillips

The Family Table

As families have become disconnected, the centrality of the family table has been neglected. Scripturally, the table is defined as a place of peace, discipleship, hospitality, and cultural transformation. Christ communed with His disciples around a table, and for lasting reformation to occur in our time, families must likewise embrace mealtime as an opportunity to fellowship with one another and glorify God.

2:15-3:15

R.C. Sproul, Jr.

Perseverance

Not a day passes without our faith and our convictions being assaulted. Whether it is worldly influences seeking to destroy the foundation we stand upon, or influences from within the Christian world seeking to undermine the direction of our families, the attacks and discouragement are real. Perseverance is of utmost importance if we are to stand our ground and forge ahead in the tasks given to us.

or

Kevin Swanson

Entertainment And Your Family

There are biblical principles for entertainment, and in this workshop, Kevin Swanson will measure the relative benefits or drawbacks of cottoncandy novels (e.g. Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew), historical adventures (e.g. G.A. Henty), “classic” novels, 19th century Victorian fare, the fantasy genre, Walt Disney motion pictures, television (from Andy Griffith to 24), recorded music, and radio drama

3:30-4:30

Doug Phillips

A Homeschool Vision Of Victory

Home education is a God-ordained means of accomplishing His purposes in the home, the hearts of young people, and in society as a whole. Doug will discuss the historical significance of the homeschool movement, the true objectives of home education, and the importance of a multi-generational vision of victory

Man, there are so many more sessions that I'd like to attend. My plan may change when I get there.



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Appreciating the Foul Poles in my life

Foul Pole, a photo by Michael David Gonzales on Flickr.

I had coffee with a good friend of mine this morning and it really made my day and my week. I haven't met with him in a long time so it was good to catch up. When we first started Front Range, back in 2009, I would meet with Jarrod on a weekly basis for coffee and a bagel at Einstein's. How we met was a God directed appointment and we continued to meet because of a common interest. We were both in the process of planting a 'Family Integrated' church. Ours–Messianic, and theirs–Christian. He shared with me his wealth of knowledge about Biblical and historical family integration in the church and ancient Israel. He had recently graduated from Denver Seminary where he wrote his master's thesis on this topic. In addition to all the information he shared, Jarrod was also very encouraging which was what I really needed at the time. Starting a church is not easy and it can get intimidating and overwhelming at times; a lot of the time.

What I noticed about our meeting today was that Jarrod holds me accountable in my thoughts and actions. I don't think I've noticed this in the past like I did today. I don't remember asking him to hold me accountable, he just does it. Why? Well, this is what a godly friend is supposed to do. As believers, we should be challenging each other spiritually because Adonai is part of our friendship. Proverbs 27:17 says Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another. This means that when we come together as friends and as we share our ideas and our thoughts, we should be encouraging and admonishing each other in the process. This back and forth challenging each other in areas of weakness, encouraging each other in new pursuits will continually push us toward Adonai and strengthen our relationship with each other.

A godly friend is like a foul pole at a baseball park. When a ball is hit over the centerfield fence it's obviously a homerun. But when the ball is hit over the fence straight up the foul line, depending on where you are standing, it is hard to determine if it is a good ball or a foul ball. The foul pole is there to make it clear, no matter where you are, if the ball went foul or not. Sometimes when we pass our ideas and thoughts by our friends, we may think they are homeruns; But after meeting and talking it over with them, we discover that our thoughts or past actions were actually foul balls.

Thank you, Adonai, for putting foul poles in my life; friends who push me back to You and Your Word.

Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
Psalm 1:1

Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise,
but the companion of fools will suffer harm.
Proverbs 13:20

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A Family Integrated Seder

My Children (on the left in the back) sing traditional Passover songs during the Seder.

Today we had the opportunity to lead a group of Christian families through a Messianic Seder. They are part of a Life Group at Calvary Bible in Erie. Calvary Bible has many different kinds of Life Groups, each with a different focus. The focus of this group is Family Integration. They meet and study the Bible or do activities together as families.

It seems to me that Family Integration is becoming a more talked about topic among Believers in both Christian and Messianic congregations. From my observation, many people misunderstand the Family Integrated concept and make assumptions of what it looks like and why it is done. For others the Family Integrated model is challenging because in order to integrate families in their communities, many changes in their church organizational structure would have to take place.

Another observation: Family Integration is not only popular among homeschooling families. This group of families, that we led through the Seder, is a mixture of home, public, private, and charter schooling families. In one case, a family is homeschooling one child and sending the other to a charter school. In our community, we have a mix of homeschooling and public schooling families.

As the world around us gets darker and darker, believing families are seeing the need for more intentional and consistent family Bible study, especially on the Sabbath. As parents, we are commanded by God to teach our own children (Deut 6:6-9, Eph 6:4). I pray that more believing fathers would be moved to take time out of their busy schedules and lead their own families. I believe the current Family Integrated movement is being led by the Spirit, preparing us for the return of Messiah.

“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers...”
- Malachi 4:5,6

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