1 / 32

Family Life Ministry 2017 Focus = UNITY

Family Life Ministry 2017 Focus = UNITY.

virgilp
Download Presentation

Family Life Ministry 2017 Focus = UNITY

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Family Life Ministry 2017 Focus = UNITY Q1-2017January – Introduction (What & Why of Unity) February – Family Unity #1 = Marriage Unity March – Family Unity #2 = Siblings Unity (THE PAIN OF CAIN) Q2-2017April – The Role of Effective Communication in Unity May – Unity in DiversityJune –The Role of Vision in Achieving Unity

  2. February 7th– Introduction WHAT & WHY OF UNITY?

  3. Let’s Remind Ourselves - What is unity?  • Dictionary Definitions: • the state of being in full agreement • the quality or state of not being multiple :oneness • a condition of harmony :accord • the quality or state of being made one :unification

  4. Summary • Oneness was the most important thing to Jesus at the time of His preparation for death; that’s why it was what He prayed for the disciples whom He was leaving behind! (John 17) • God hates disunity (Proverbs 6:16-19) • God commands the “blessing of Life” (ZOE) when He sees UNITY in a home, family, church, group, etc. (Psalm 133:1-3)

  5. February 21: Family Unity Part 1 (Marriage Unity) THE POWER OF UNITY IN THE MARRIAGE SETTING

  6. Questions for The Bible Study • What is disunity?  • Outcomes of disunity  • What’s the original design of God regarding marriage/couples unity? • One place vs. one accord… • Blessings of unity

  7. Outcomes of Disunity • Clash/Collision • Inharmony (orchestra warm-up example) • Disunion (broken unity) • Disagreement (variance, divergence, disparity) • Hostility (unfriendliness, lack of sympathy) • Strife (trouble, rivalry, dissension, friction) • Contention (argument, controversy, conflict) • Fissure (gap, crevice, fracture, crack) • Antipathy (antagonism, opposition, animosity, resentment)

  8. Spiritual Blessings Accompanying Unity Unity = oneness of mind & purpose = one place + once accord 1. God’s Presence & Power (Acts 2:1-4) 2. Divine Enablement (Acts 2:1-4) 3. SweatlessTriumph (Psalm 114: 1-7 ) The Power of God’s Presence Acts 2:44-47: • Gladness (JOY) • Simplicity of Heart (PEACE & TRANQUILITY) • Favor (1 DAY OF FAVOR > 1000 DAYS OF LABOR!) • Daily Addition (CONTINUOUS INCREASE)

  9. March – Family Unity Part 2 (Siblings Unity) THE PAIN OF CAIN

  10. What Causes Anger Amongst Sibling? • Causes of siblings rivalry: • Feeling left out in the family • Feeling that they are not as good as the other • Feeling they are not loved • Feeling they are being cheated • Better academic performance of a sibling than the other • Better jobs/profession… • Envious of successful siblings • They blame their plight on the successful sibling!

  11. Key Message • As parents, we need to guard against the development of siblings rivalry; it causes death (destruction) • There is always a peacemaker in every family, he/she doesn’t have to be the eldest, such a sibling should be listened to!

  12. April – Communication & Unity THE ROLE OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION IN FOSTERING UNITY

  13. Key Points from Text - Genesis 11:5-6 • Question 1: • What was the first thing God did when he saw the progress man was making the city & tower construction? • God was so impressed with the progress man was making he decided to come down and have a look at it! • Question 2A: • What two things did God attribute their success to? • God said the “Behold, the people is one” • God attributed their success to oneness (unity) • i.e. they were united in mind and purpose…

  14. Key Points from Text - Genesis 11:5-6 • Question 2B: • What two things did God attribute their success to? • Examining verse 6 further we see that God attributed the root of their oneness to the fact that “they have all one language” • They were on the same “wavelength” • Message: Unity Requires Understandable (Effective) Communication • Question 3: • What did God say they will have as a result of these two attributes (oneness & same/shared language)? • Verse 6B…“now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.” (KJV) • They will have “unlimited power”

  15. Key Points from Text - Genesis 11:7-9 • Question 4: • What did God do to break man’s “unlimited power” and stop their progress (prevented them from achieving their goal)? • All God did to break their unlimited power was to confuse their language! • That is, God removed their ability to communicate with each other understandably! • He thereby stopped (left off/ceased) the building of the city (their dream and vision)! • The dream or vision of a happy/joyous home and family will be stopped by poor communication skills!

  16. Answers • Question 5:Did the men & women on earth at that time (Genesis 11) have the same personality & preferences? • NO – no two people on earth are the same – then or now! • Question 6:What gave them the ability to work together despite their differences? • They yielded to the beckoning of the caller (original owner of the idea) and his/her call to “come” together, and came together to discuss the concept/idea • 4And they said, Go to (come), let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven • Question 7:What did they have to do to bridge their personality and preference differences? • Knowing man, some must have argued their grievances and stated their disagreement… • They must have come to the conclusion that their common goal was bigger than their differences! • The owner/originator of the concept or idea must have taken his/her time to explain the pros & cons of his/her idea to the point of getting others’ buy-in

  17. Keys to communicating effectively in the family setting to achieve UNITY of MIND & PURPOSE • Cultivate an atmosphere that fosters openness and honesty in your relationship • Don't let anger age! • Reject stonewalling! • Don't criticize or get defensive in conversations… • See your common goal as bigger than your differences!

  18. May – Unity in Diversity Achieving Unity Despite Our Differences

  19. How do we achieve unity despite our diversity (differences) in marriage? Deuteronomy 32:30a:How could one chase a thousand, And two put ten thousand to flight… 1. Do not look at the other party as being weak…2. See your differences as uniqueness that God placed in you to complement each other 3. Focus on each other’s strengths not weaknesses4. Your goal (as husband and wife)is to work together despite your differences, so that your joint goal as a team can be achieved5. Always remind your self that your joint/family goals are more important than your differences!Your objective needs to be to harness each other’s strengths for the benefit of your family!

  20. June – Vision & Unity The Role of Vision in Achieving Unity

  21. Text #1 - Genesis 11:1-9 (KJV) • 1And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. • 2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. • 3 And they said one to another, Go to (come), let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter. • 4 And they said, Go to (come), let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.

  22. Text #1 - Genesis 11:1-9 (KJV) • 5 And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. • 6 And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. • 7 Go to (come), let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.

  23. Text #2: Genesis 11:1-9 (KJV) • 8 So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. • 9 Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.

  24. Vision = Imagination of a Future State! • A key element of the success of the “caller” (“go to” man/woman) in fostering the unity of purpose as we’ve seen in the construction of the city & tower at Babel was the creation of a compelling vision that the people bought into! • 6And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they(not him) have imagined to do. • A key challenge of leadership in any setting (home, family, ministry, church, business, country, city, etc.) is in bringing the team to that point where a compelling vision has been created! • Imagination of a future state creates a compelling vision!

  25. Vision = Imagination of a Future State! • God helped Abraham create the compelling vision (imagination) of a large expanse of land and numerous seeds (Genesis 13:14-15)… • 14 And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: • 15 For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. • 16 And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. • The vision enabled Abraham to walk in unity with God for the fulfillment of his divine purpose… • What do you see (envision) of your family’s future? • What do you see (envision) of your children’s future? • To our teenagers – where do you see yourself in 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 years?

  26. Vision = Imagination of a Future State! • It was one thing for the caller (original owner of the idea) to have a vision, it was another thing for him to be able to impart the same vision in all the people at Babel to foster unity of purpose & discretionary effort! • Question: • What 3 things did we see “the caller” use in verse 4 of our text (Genesis 11:1-9) to develop a compelling and unifying vision (imagination of a future state) in the people?

  27. Fostering Unity of Purpose & Discretionary Effort • Question: What 3 things did we see “the caller” use in our text to develop a unified vision (imagination of a future state)? • 4 And they said, Go to (come), let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. • LET US BUILD A CITY & TOWER TO HEAVEN: • The vision casted before the people was compelling! • He did not ask that they build a tent or a house! • He asked for their cooperation to build something of interest that was large enough to capture their imagination • Such vision fostered the cooperation to achieve a result that was bigger than them as individuals • The vision was big enough to inspire the people towards followership!

  28. Fostering Unity of Purpose & Discretionary Effort • LET US MAKE US A NAME: • He personalized the reward! • He made it clear that it was not about “him” • It was about “us” or “the people”! • LEST WE BE SCATTERED: • He explained the consequence of inaction! • It became clear to them that they could not continue with business as usual! • The pain of inaction (being scattered) was more than the pain of their differences. • They were not going to allow the consequence of not building the city & tower to happen.

  29. How to Develop a Visionary & Unified Team • Be a Team Minded Person – [Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (KJV)] • 9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. • 10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. • 11 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? • 12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. • Provide a Clear Vision [Genesis 13:14-15] • God’s Example with Abraham… • Remember that clarity of your idea (vision) to yourself does not equate a clarity of vision to your team (spouse, children, siblings, etc.) • Be crystal clear on the goal… • Inspire Discretionary Effort • Coercion is not inspiration! • What will your team members do when you're absent? • In addition to the “what” provide the “why”…it will inspire discretion!

  30. How to Develop a Visionary & Unified Team • Share Rewards • Appreciate individual uniqueness & contributions • Openly recognize & commend your team members (spouse, children, siblings, etc.) for their efforts • Share accolades, remunerations, etc. • Manage Stakeholders Effectively • Be deliberate in your effort to bring stakeholders alongside (“cation” in communication) • Focus on common/shared interests • Give & take on the process while paying attention to the end goal!

  31. How to Develop a Visionary & Unified Team • Positive Role Modeling • Be a positive role model for what needs to get done! • Be the first to do what you're asking your team to do, and do it consistently! • Foster Situational Leadership • Situational leadership arises in specific situations; the leader functions effectively in the situation where others are not able to… • In every family we need both the transformational ("go to") leader and situational leaders • Recognize the skills of your spouse and empower him/her for the situation

  32. Mid Year Q&A Prayer & Closing

More Related