Posts in category: Top Stories

The church is not just a physical building; it is a community of believers who come together to worship, support one another, and grow in their faith. At the heart of this community lies the family, which serves as the basic unit of the church. The family stands as the fundamental building block of society. Within religious communities, it plays a pivotal role in shaping individuals’ core values and beliefs. In this article, we explore the significance of the family as the basic unit of the church, examining how it contributes to the spiritual foundation of its members and fosters a sense of community within the broader religious framework.

1. The Family as the Building Block

Just as a building is made up of individual bricks, the church is made up of families. Each family brings unique strengths, experiences, and perspectives to the community. Families serve as the foundation upon which the church is built, providing stability, love, and support to its members. Children learn about religious traditions, values, and rituals within the family unit, laying the groundwork for their spiritual development. Parents, as the primary educators of faith, guide their children in understanding the principles of their religious teachings.

1. Spiritual Growth and Education

The family is also responsible for its members’ spiritual growth and education. Parents are responsible for teaching their children about the church’s teachings, instilling values, and nurturing their faith. As the Apostle Paul reminds us in Ephesians 6:4, “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” Families create a rich environment for spiritual growth and development through family prayer, Bible study, and discussions about spirituality.

1.  Support and Encouragement

In times of joy and difficulty, families support and encourage one another. The church community rallies around families, offering love, care, and assistance when needed. As it says in Galatians 6:2, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” Families, in turn, contribute to the strength of the church by being a source of support for other families and individuals within the community.

1. Nurturing Faith and Morality

In families, it’s essential to nurture faith and teach moral values. As the Bible says in Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it.” This means that when we teach children about God’s ways and instil moral values, they are likelier to stay on the right path throughout their lives. So, by living out our faith through daily interactions, prayers, and ethical decisions, we create a strong moral compass for our families.

• Building a Community of Believers

When families come together within the church community, they contribute to its strength and unity. Romans 12:4-5 says, “For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” This means that we are like different parts of one body, and when we come together as believers, we create a solid and connected community. As part of this community, families play a vital role in fostering a sense of belonging and support.

• Transmitting Traditions and Rituals

Family rituals and traditions help pass down our religious identity through generations. Deuteronomy 6:6-7 says, “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” This verse reminds us to constantly discuss God’s commandments and teachings with our children, incorporating them into our everyday lives. By doing so, we preserve our religious heritage and strengthen the bond within our families.

Conclusion

In the tapestry of religious life, the family emerges as a fundamental thread, weaving together the church’s beliefs, values, and traditions. It is within the family that faith is nurtured, morality is instilled, and the foundation for a vibrant religious community is laid. Recognising the family as the basic unit of the church underscores the interconnectedness of individual spirituality with the broader religious tapestry, emphasising the importance of strong, faith-filled families in the flourishing of the church as a whole. 

By Pastor Peter Quayson, Asenemaso District

Christians who exhibit godly principles are lights that bring hope to the lost in a dark world. There are numerous attitudes that oppose effective Christian living and growth in our Lord Jesus Christ. One such opposing attitude in our generation is the act of “invoking a curse or imprecation on others to seek justice.” In contemporary times, people tend to seek spiritual justice through lesser gods due to disagreements with one another.

As the salt and light of the world, we should carefully guide our tongues. Words uttered by believers should be seasoned with salt (Colossians 4:6). As people of God, we should turn to the Lord in times of threat, rather than resorting to cursing or imprecating. Seeking justice from lesser gods or uttering ill wishes upon someone falls into the category of imprecation. Imprecations are strong and often angry statements, words, or curses used to express strong disapproval or wish harm upon someone or something.

Many people in our generation invoke curses or maledictions on others due to grudges they hold. It is disheartening that people of God use the names of lesser gods such as “antoa nyamaa, botworowa, tom kramo,” etc., to wish harm or death upon others they have issues with. It is crucial to note that invoking a curse with the name of lesser gods is an act of worshiping them. The Scriptures clearly state, “You shall have no other gods before or beside me” (Exodus 20:3). Using gods to curse indicates full commitment to their control.

As we are empowered to transform our world, the act of invoking imprecations should find no place among us. The use of imprecatory prayers from the Book of Psalms today should be reserved for our spiritual enemies (Ephesians 6:12). In the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, despite facing the greatest injustice in human history and being condemned to death by His enemies, He never cried out to His Father for justice. Praying imprecations on human foes is unjustifiable and requires taking these prayers out of context. In the New Testament, Jesus exhorts us to pray for our enemies (Matthew 5:44–48; Luke 6:27–38). Praying for their death or wishing harm to befall them is not what He meant. Instead, we are to pray for their salvation first and foremost, and then for God’s will to be done. There is no greater blessing than a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and that’s what Jesus means by praying for and blessing those who curse us.

Praying in this manner allows God to work in our lives, softening our hearts toward our enemies so that we may have compassion for their eternal destiny, and removing bitterness and anger from our hearts. Praying for God’s will means we agree with God and submit ourselves to His divine sovereignty, even when we don’t fully understand what He’s doing in a particular situation. If someone offends you, seek God in prayer, leaving room for God’s judgment and trusting Him to do what is best. This is the path to peace with God and all men (Romans 12:17-21).

Again, Jesus instructed His disciples to love their enemies and do good deeds without considering how the other person may react. According to Jesus, God acts kindly toward “ungrateful and evil men.” This is distinctly different from a cursing attitude. Additionally, God’s kindness toward evil men should inspire His children to show kindness to one another.

In Matthew 6:14–15, Jesus stated that forgiveness is a mark of His disciples, and to be unforgiving is a sign of a non-believer. It is evident that forgiveness and imprecation are mutually exclusive, as one cannot curse and forgive the same individual. Imprecation is inherently excluded, as believers are expected to forgive others (Matthew 10:16-23). As followers of Jesus go forth to proclaim His name, Jesus tells them they will face hostility and tribulation. Despite these trials and sufferings, there is no instruction on how to respond, protect oneself, or escape these sufferings. There is no hint of imprecation or retaliation against those who hate and persecute us in the life and ministry of Jesus. Once again, this provides strong evidence that imprecation is a thing of the past and not applicable to the disciples of Jesus.

Jesus’ personality is entirely at odds with the spirit of imprecation. He is described as “gentle and humble in heart” and has compassion for others (Matthew 9:36; 14:14). In John 9:54–55, when the Samaritans did not greet Jesus as He was heading toward Jerusalem, James and John asked if they should order fire to come down from heaven and consume them. Instead of allowing harm to come to the Samaritans, Jesus chastised His apostles, declaring, “The Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” The message is clear: Jesus came to seek and redeem the lost, not to punish the wicked (Luke 19:10). There is no room for imprecation or cursing.

In Matthew 21:33–39, Jesus, knowing that the chief priests and elders wanted to kill Him, did not retaliate or show them compassion. Similarly, in Matthew 24:9–13, Jesus announced the afflictions the church would experience at the end of time. Despite being hated by all nations, Jesus suggests no punishments for those who persecute Him. According to Matthew 10:22, Jesus encourages His disciples to endure to the end. He instructs them to be strong and patient. Throughout the teachings of Jesus in the Gospels, it is evident that whenever Jesus had an opportunity to curse His enemies, He chose not to retaliate or offer any curses. Instead, both explicitly and implicitly, Jesus taught that believers are to expect hatred and persecution as the cost of following Him and being His witnesses (Acts 1:8).

Written by Elder Richard Agyem (Techiman Area)