Family… the last idol, or final protectorate?

Something that has often taxed my mind is the responsibility christians have towards their families.

There is obviously a strong idolatry of family in our country and in our churches. The ‘needs’ of our children govern where we live, what school we send them to, what we spend our money on etc etc. rather than the gospel shaping and defining these things. We often use the phrase ‘I just want what’s best for my children’ when what we are really doing is teaching them that they are at the centre of the world and deserve a comfortable and successful life, at least in the world’s terms – which of course is not what’s best for them at all.

We end up teaching them the way of comfort rather than the way of sacrifice and so it is no wonder that we have a lack of gospel-centred leaders and sacrificial church planters in our country.

But how much should I ask my family to sacrifice and how much should I protect them? This is particularly pertinent for my family as we consider going to South Africa where there is a high rate of violent crime towards women and children.

At the Acts 29 Conference I was at over the past few days Scott Thomas talked about a decision he made not to go and plant a church at one point because his ‘children needed a father more than that city needed a church’. The utmost thing in his mind was to care for his family. Is this falling into the same idolatry as the world? I think not… but why…?