When I was in middle school, I was SENT HOME, on several different occasions for things like bringing crickets to school, throwing a pool ball at a friends head and fighting my best turned Mike multiple times (Mike was a Yankees fan..)  but that’s not the kind of SENT HOME, we will be talking about at Refuge this fall.

SENT HOME is the idea that, Home is Mission.

We often don’t consider our families and homes as a mission, but that is exactly what they are.  

Consider who sits at your table.  How about who rides in your car.  What about the activities you say yes to that impact your family.  Your neighborhood.  Your roommates, your spouse, your children, even your grandchildren. Heck, maybe even great-grandchildren.  Foster children?  In laws?

Psalm 127 states in verse 1, “Unless the Lord builds a house, those who labor it build in vain.”  The Lord has a plan for your home that includes Him and His priorities at the center of your home and family.  He is building something in your family and home, no matter what it looks like, are you following His lead? Or has your agenda and plan, even schedule, become the God of your home?

SENT HOME

When Beth called my almost 23 years ago, on my Nokia cell phone (before texting,) to tell me we were pregnant, of all the thoughts I had, the thought of Home is Mission was not what first came to mind.  As we walked with God and the Lord added kids to our family, we began to see that the Lord wanted us to prioritize His plan for our Home.

This fall we will spend several months talking about how God desires to build a Home and a Family.   With Psalm 127 and Ephesians 5 being heavily learned on we will talk about family Values, from scripture.  Marriage, God desires for Men and Women, Parenting, Singleness, even dating.  

What I am NOT going to do is tell you when I am preaching on what subject, just know this fall we will cover marriage, parenting, male & female roles, singleness, dating.. and the entire church values from hearing all of them!

- Josh