The Five Family Values pt 1

Stephen sharing God's word

Stephen is taking the church through "The Five Family" values at the moment. These values are:

1. Everyone in family
2. Committed couples
3. Valued children
4. Sexual purity
5. Christ centredness

We focused on 'Everyone in Family' last Sunday. The scriptures we read were:
Joshua 7:18
Exodus 20:10
Isaiah 58:7
1 Timothy 5:8 & 16
Psalm 68:5 - 6
2 Thessalonians 3:10

Everyone in a family means all of us: husband, wife, children, animals, extended family and so on.We all come together. The focus this time round was on the key scripture - Joshua 7 and Stephen shared about Achan. In v 20, Achan says; "And Achan answered Joshua, 'Truly I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and this is what I did..................................................I coveted them and took them. And see, they are hidden the the earth inside my tent, with the silver underneath........." v 25 "And Joshua said, 'Why did you bring trouble on us? The Lord brings trouble on you today.' And all Israel stoned him with stones. They burned them with fire and stoned them with stones......."

Sin before God is serious and when He deals with sin, it is serious. Sometimes we don't take God's word seriously and we follow other things. Sometimes, in order to justify what we do, we 'change' God's word to suit us. Stephen encouraged the folk to look after their family. He said one of the positive things in African culture is that we look after the elderly, the orphans, the widows etc, and
there is a sense of community. Stephen also encouraged people to invite each other into their homes.


Next week we will look at "Committed couples".......