Family Matters

Dealing with your child’s behavior at home is one thing, but when the pre-school teacher contacts you to talk about his or her behavior at school, you have another issue on your hands completely. We are not in control of the situation at school, and yet our parenting at home may be the cause of behavioral problems at school or during extra-mural activities.

Bringing two families together to form a new family is always tricky. There are all sorts of challenges that go along with blending a family, even down to the labels that are given to the new Mom or Dad.

When so many marital relationships end in divorce, why should I even bother tying the knot? It's hard to avoid the conclusion that the institution of matrimony has outlived its usefulness and doesn't mean much these days. Can you say anything to convince me otherwise?

Won't God protect me from temptation if I pray? Here's my reason for asking. Though I'm unaware of any immediate threat to the health and well-being of my marriage, I'm still afraid that, somehow, someday, I may trip up and fall into an adulterous affair. I recently heard a man confess that this very thing had happened to him in spite of his commitment to marital fidelity and in spite of the fact that he had prayed many times to avoid sexual sin. This scares me. Why would God refuse to answer such a prayer? It's not as if the guy was asking for a new car or a suitcase full of money. He wanted to be kept pure! Can I trust the Lord to answer my prayers and protect me from temptation or not?

With all the marriages that we see disintegrating around us, many young people must wonder if it's really worth it to get married at all. Well, we are certainly strong advocates for the sanctity of marriage, but we’d like to share some thoughts for those who are considering entering into this sacred bond.

Why can't I have a biblically based family with multiple partners? Most of the great men of the Bible – Abraham, Jacob, David, Solomon – had many wives. Given your ministry's strong commitment to the Scriptures, I can't see why you're against things like polygamy and polyamory. I consider myself a polyamorous Christian. I love several different women, and there's no reason we can't build a strong family together on a foundation of consensual, ethical, and responsible non-monogamy. When did the "change" occur that established marriage as a covenant relationship between one woman and one man?

In order to believe in an unseen God, we need to have faith. And although we may have faith, as human beings we can still find ourselves doubting God’s power at times. I think that many Christians throughout time have grappled with doubt, in fact, the bible has numerous accounts of those who doubted. We want to encourage those who have felt disqualified because of a lack of faith on the next Family Matters, stay tuned.

Historical cultural norms can have a great influence over family life and choices, but there’s a difference between culture and Biblical truth. When backing up our beliefs with scripture, we need to be careful that we look at the verses in context.

Biblical language can sometimes be difficult to decipher or interpret. It is full of imagery, comparisons, and complex descriptions. Bible scholars have poured over the words with fine-tooth combs to pull out the pearls of what God wants to tell His people through His word. Something that can take time for us to wrap our heads around, is the Bible’s description of God’s relationship with a man being one of intimacy, compared with marriage, and using sexual language. This has caused much dissension among Christians and non-believers alike.

How should I talk with my adolescent son about a friend of his who recently took his own life? The boy was hardly more than an acquaintance, but I know that this incident has impacted my teenager deeply. Can you help me figure out the best way to approach the subject with him?