The Chairman of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, has challenged Christian parents to be deliberate and consistent in raising family altars in their homes.
He was of the view that excuses made by fathers who are expected to act as pastors in their homes to be absent from family devotions were not consistent with godly principles in raising children and as role models.
“Make time to be present and participate in the family devotion as the father-pastor,” he said, adding: “Don’t give excuses in the name of preparing to meet deadlines.”
According to him, family worship should be consistent, saying that “consistency is one of the strongest ingredients or components in achieving success in all endeavours.”
Speaking on the topic, “Raising family altars to strengthen the local church: lessons from the Puritans,” at the ongoing Heads’ Meeting at the Pentecost Convention Centre (PCC), at Gomoa Fetteh, on Thursday, November 17, 2022, Apostle Nyamekye explained that consistent family devotions have the propensity to put in place checks and balances that would inure to the benefits of the family in the long term.
“Constant communion amongst family members builds healthy relationships. But the most important of all is that our children do not grow up in pagan ignorance of Christ – that there will not rise a generation of our descendants who would not know the Lord,” he observed.
He warned that failure to raise godly children could be detrimental to the growth of the family and the church. He expressed concern about Samuel and Eli, two great prophets who could not raise the family altars in their homes and as a result had their children become deviants, thereby ending their priesthood lineage at their death.
“The promise of God could be trans-generational. However, the role of children in seeing to the fulfillment of these promises cannot be overlooked,” he indicated, adding, “Eli’s priestly line was cut short because of the behaviour of his children (1 Sam 2:27-36).”
He was quick to add that “generational blessing is guaranteed if the entire household is included in this relationship of building family altars.”
Apostle Nyamekye used the life and story of Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758), a Puritan and a clergyman and his wife Sarah who bequeathed a godly legacy to their 11 children and future descendants.
He enumerated that 150 years after his death, one of his descendants became US Vice-President, US Senators (3), Governors (3), Mayors (3), and College Presidents or VCs (13). The rest included 30 Judges, 65 Professors, 80 Public Office holders and 100 Missionaries.
“Edwards’ life is worth emulating, for it teaches us that leaving a godly legacy to our children should be our goal as Christian parents. Admittedly, the faith and godliness of children is ultimately the work of the Holy Spirit, but I equally believe that God often uses the influence of parents to make a great impact on their children,” he observed.
He called on ministers to see their marriage and family life as a calling and their family as a church and seminary as the puritans saw and lived with an aspiration to be the best in all human endeavours.
He charged Christians to be the best husbands, best wives, best children, best masters, best servants, best magistrates, and best subjects, saying, “In so doing the doctrine of God might be adorned not blasphemed (Titus 2:7-10).”