I’ve been reading and thinking about Noah this morning. For over 100 years while Noah built the ark, he preached to the lost people around him. When the ark was finished and he was done preaching, the invitation was given, and the only people willing to get on the ark with him was his family. Some might think that Noah wasn’t very successful as a preacher, because he had zero conversions in all his years of preaching. But don’t forget that all Noah’s family was saved with him on the ark. I personally think that makes him an extremely successful preacher.
Our families should be our most important ministry.
And when that great day comes and God calls us all home, if the only people I can get to go with me to heaven is my family … then I’ve been tremendously successful as a minister.
I am a Christian husband and father, who moonlights as the minister for the church of Christ in Childress, Texas. My wife Lea and I have been married for 21 years. We are doing our best to raise our 4 boys, who are all growing up way too fast.
I've often wondered about that, Trey. We assume he only had three sons but he could have had many more. He certainly was old enough to have had them! Yet, three walked on the Ark with him. Whatever his preaching skills, his faithfulness in preaching regardless of the non-reaction of his hearers is amazing.
And I like him because, like me, it took him a hundred years to build a big box. That's the kind of carpenter I am.
I would have got frustrated and given up in about a week.
I only have a wife and a daughter, and I hope to have a 100% success rate getting them to heaven!
Another great post, Trey. Thanks for getting me thinking!
For a LONG time, our son just did not seem interested in our faith. His Father's Day gift to me when he was 18 was to say, "Dad, I want you to baptize me in our pool." Up until that moment, I thought about Noah's preaching a lot because I felt I was not even able to convince my own child.
My mother prayed for our younger brother for over 20 years! Today he's very strong in his faith and in his walk with the Lord. Only a mama's prayers, huh?
Good post. I am with you … if the only people I can show the way to heaven is my family, I'll have been successful.
thanks for this today
I think this is Spiritual Leadership at it's core, that is, the man's role as father and as Spiritual Leader of the household. If we cannot lead our families then we have no business leading anywhere else.
Thanks Trey – Great Post!
Great post and great point. I still want to tag along.
I'm not a preacher, but I hope to have the same impact on my family as Noah did on his. Thank you for this encouraging post, Trey.
That hurts me so much. I just came from home and i really wanted to share the gospel to my family but i didn't have the courage to do so…I am sorry Lord!
What I find interesting is how ordinary Noah was. He had his high points and like the rest of us failures too. He had a bit of a problem with the drink.
As I read Mikes Sumondong's comments I just want to tell him that just showing and living the love of Christ to friends and family who may be opposed to the gospel, is all the Holy Spirit wants us to do. Sometimes it is not the words we use, because, after all, it is the Holy Spirit who prepares the hearts and it is HE who draws people unto the Father. Keep praying for their salvation!
and my husband is not a Christian. I went through much guilt before I handed it over to God and now I can trust that God will work on his heart. It is not my responsibility to convert him. It IS my responsibility to witness to him (with my life more than with words) and trust the power of the HS to work.