Dr. Clyde Dupin
The basic building block of our American society is the family. When our homes are destroyed, our society will eventually disintegrate. The church must proclaim the message of the Bible as it relates to the home. When homes are broken and shattered, it must first focus on restoration, and in some situations, forgiveness and a new beginning. But we must never depart from God’s original plan for the home. Socialism, unions, and liberal school boards have declared war on parents.
The American family is in crisis and only the message of Jesus Christ can change things. A recent Southern Baptist study discovered some alarming facts about Christian homes. The study found that 88% leave the church at age 18 and never return. The divorce rate among evangelical Christians is almost as bad as that of non-church people. Each year in America one million children see their parents’ divorce. The majority of children in America have less than ten minutes of meaningful conversation with their parents each week. Most of this time is with a mother.
Children need the loving, caring attention of both parents. The presence or absence of a father in a child’s life is the largest factor in predicting whether a child will graduate from high school, become involved in crimes, drugs or get pregnant before 18.
The church must be at the forefront of helping troubled families. Too many pastors today believe that they can create God in man’s image and adopt a new interpretation of the Bible to accommodate a changing society. This is a poor substitute and has little to offer troubled families or lost people who attend the church.