The Family is a Church
The Puritans believed and taught that your family is your church. Every man has a responsibility to pastor his wife and his children.
Every Christian family ought to be as it were a little church, consecrated to Christ, and wholly influenced and governed by his rules. And family education and order are some of the chief means of grace.
– Jonathan Edwards
A man ought to look upon himself as obliged to act in three capacities:
As a prophet to instruct As a priest to pray for and with As a king to govern, direct, and provide for them.– George Whitefield
Love Your Wife as Christ Loved the Church
Pastoring your family begins with loving your wife as Christ loved the church. Through our marriage, we are examples of the gospel to our children and to our church.
Family is the Seminary of the Church
Puritan Thomas Manton said:
A family is the seminary of the church.
The Puritans believed that the home was the primary place of learning the Bible and moral instruction. They also believed that it was a parent’s spiritual responsibility to disciple and teach their children about the faith. The Bible instructs us, “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6).
Regularly Practice a Family Day Off
Puritans were a great example for spiritual rest because they had a rhythm of work and rest and service and worship.
Source: http://www.acts29network.org/acts-29-blog/five-lessons-from-puritans-on-family/
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