Where there is true love, home is heaven
【Building a Family Altar Part 3】
Summary of the previous article: Home is not only for people to live in peace, but also for people to go out; only when the source of living water is connected, it is possible for faith to be passed down from generation to generation through blood. The last ten chapters of 2 Kings tell every parent the iron law of cause and effect of "two choices → two roads → two stories → two endings". Children are the mirror of their parents, so parents should remember that "sincerity is better than anything else" in all aspects of life. When cultivating the "Seven Qs" of children, we must adhere to the principle of "workers come before work" and observe God's actions in their lives, keeping them in our hearts and thinking about them over and over again. (Please go online to read the relevant series of articles in the related units of issues 41 and 42 of this journal)
▲Building a family altar and managing family harmony require the full dedication of every member.
(Image source: http://thepackycompany.com/http://aquizone.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2014/12/family-night.jpg)
How often? How long is it each time?
So, how often should the "family altar" (if someone in the family does not believe in the Lord, it can be renamed "family time" to reduce backlash) be held? every day? weekly? Every month? How long is it each time? What should be the procedure? Are there any textbooks for study and reference? —These are good questions that everyone is concerned about and very practical. My answer is: There is no standard answer! Because every family’s situation is different and their needs are also different.
In my native family with eight brothers and sisters, from Monday to Saturday morning, I would first read and memorize the Bible individually, and then gather in front of my parents to recite the Bible and receive blessings before going to school. In the evening, we spent a longer time singing hymns together, sharing how the memorized scriptures apply to today's life; listening to mom telling Bible stories, and taking turns praying. The whole family goes to church together on Sunday, so the family altar is suspended for that day. Such a high-intensity and high-density family altar is quite rare among the many Christian families I have personally come into contact with, and not everyone can learn from it.
A family of five I know well strives to hold hands in prayer together in the early morning hours from Monday to Friday before going out, and has a more formal family altar time on Sunday evenings. According to my interviews with many people who have experienced it, if you want to be long-lasting and effective, it seems that at least once a week is more appropriate. So, how long does it take each time? That’s not necessarily the case. If everyone finds it meaningful and interesting, they won’t care about time at all, so the focus is on “whether the content is good or not” rather than “how long it takes” (actually, isn’t this true for any teaching, course or activity? )
The Golden Formula for a Successful Family Altar
Then again, how do you make a family altar meaningful and interesting? It is difficult to say it, but it seems not difficult; it seems difficult to say it is not difficult, but it seems difficult. This is what I wrote in the preface of "With True Love, Home is Heaven - Family Altar Spirituality Textbook" (True Love, 2011) - daily warm family affection + parents' firm persistence + creative inspiration and guidance + application practice in life =Enjoyment for the whole family.
First of all, "everyday warm family affection" - the "family altar" is not so much a means or tool to promote family intimacy and happiness, but rather a fruit. For a family altar to be successful, it is definitely not just about making everyone feel happy and full of expectations when holding the family altar, but also maintaining a good communication and interaction model on daily basis so that family members like to go home and treat family members as good friends. This is the same reason that many counselors have been emphasizing that "the intimate relationship between husband and wife does not start in the bedroom, but in the kitchen." If we fight, scold, and fight each other on weekdays, and suddenly say that we want to make a family altar on Sunday night, and hope to improve the family atmosphere and improve family relationships through the family altar, isn't it true that we are seeking fish from a tree?
Secondly, there is "the firm persistence of parents" - when you first start building a family altar, you will definitely encounter setbacks, backlash, and resistance. As a parent, on the one hand, you have to manage the daily warm family relationships, and on the other hand, you must live a good example of perseverance, until "where sincerity reaches, gold and stone will open." Of course, you can also think of some ways to enhance the motivation to participate. I remember that when our children were young, my wife and I made a family rule with them: if you did not attend morning prayers on time at 7 a.m., you would lose the privilege of watching movies or playing computer games on weekends (at that time, our family did not turn on the TV on weekdays, but only during church hours). 6. Each has half an hour of computer game time and watching a video with parents’ consent on Sunday.)
Third, "creative inspiration and guidance" means that sharing the truth or telling Bible stories, as well as the entire family altar process, should be lively and explain things in simple terms, rather than one-way, hard-hitting teaching. This requires more reading, more training, and more observation. The book "With True Love, Home is Heaven" provides twenty-six examples of creative Bible teaching, allowing everyone to observe what participatory and interactive Bible teaching is.
▲During the Su family reunion, everyone prayed and blessed the son of the author’s second brother Wenbo, who was about to get married, and his soon-to-be daughter-in-law. (Photo taken in 2014, courtesy: Su Wen’an)
Experience what Heavenly Father does in your home
Finally, "life application and practice" means that the biblical truths learned in the family altar must be applicable in daily life. God's way is true, living, and powerful. If it only stays at the level of the mind and knowledge, and cannot implement the faith in thoughts, words, deeds, and conduct in life, or has never experienced God's supernatural deeds, then this faith is just Theories are just the religion of parents and cannot be the real way for children to settle down and live their lives.
Speaking of applying practical truths in daily life, I have to mention my fourth brother Wen Zhe. In my childhood and teenage life, he was my living teaching material for experiencing the supernatural power of Heavenly Father. In 1948, that is, sixty-seven years ago, when he was born, he had the so-called third-level cleft lip (the throat can be directly seen from the outside). He could not suck milk. It was said that he would die in 12 days at most. His mother relied on prayer, artificial nutrition, and many painful surgeries to save him. I only heard about the tragic story at that time because I was six years younger than him. But then he suffered from a strange disease before graduating from elementary school and high school. The doctors were helpless and he was sent home to die. His parents gathered us around him to pray for him urgently, and held a family altar beside his bed. And I witnessed with my own eyes how God miraculously healed him.
▲Pastor Su Wen’an’s fourth brother Wenzhe (the one in Mother Su’s arms) is a living teaching material for his family’s experience of God’s supernatural power. (Photo taken in 1949, courtesy: Su Wen'an)
An even greater miracle is that, although he still cannot speak clearly until now, he was able to come to the United States and serve in the Pennsylvania Association of Christian Messengers for thirty years. During this process, he established a family where the husband and wife love each other and the children have grown up. Today, the whole family serves as a team. All the people who work with him, whether Chinese or Americans, really like him and appreciate him. "Personally experiencing God's supernatural deeds" is one of the most valuable assets that Christian parents can pass on to their children, and it is also the ultimate in "practical application in life." If you can do it, you really don’t have to worry about not being able to make the family altar, because your family will have fresh and hot true stories to share every time!
The “supernatural acts of God” mentioned here do not only refer to signs and wonders in the narrow sense. In fact, transcending the difficult and difficult real environment and trusting God wholeheartedly requires supernatural power; when parents are willing to put aside their dignity, confess their sins and repent, ask for forgiveness from their children, and change their bad habits, it also requires the supernatural power of the Heavenly Father; for the sake of love, In order to spend time with your children, you are willing to give up some seemingly reasonable, legal and reasonable rights in your daily life (for example, go home from work and watch TV with your legs crossed, or chat and play games online, or go golfing with friends on the weekend Or fishing, etc.), why don’t we need the supernatural power of Heavenly Father!
▲The author’s fourth brother Wenzhe (second from right) has experienced God’s healing and has now established a family service team that loves the Lord and respects God. He is a living teaching material that bears witness to the power of God.
Practice well and practice well
" The book "With True Love, Home is Heaven" provides twenty-six examples. One article every two weeks can be used for a whole year.
In addition, "Family Altar: A Practical Manual for Dear Time" (Olive, 2010) written by teacher Luo Meiling also provides many practical suggestions on the procedures and activities for family altars.
▲May the trickle of family altars become more abundant and bring endless vitality. (Image source: http://www.the-awakeningintl.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/DSC00492.jpg)
Let us encourage each other with this passage from the book "With True Love, Home is Heaven": "In the life classroom of pursuing the truth and practicing true love, parents and children are just classmates. Truth must be practiced with true love in order to Create a character and temperament that is consistent in words and deeds, and consistent in appearance and inside. True love must be based on the foundation of truth in order to exert its influence in life. "We not only learn from the greatest teacher, the Lord Jesus, with our children, but also Parents, children, and even grandparents and grandchildren serve as teachers and learn from each other.
Yes, home, not only do not destroy it, but also maintain it, but also beautify it. Furthermore, we need to allow our family members to learn, grow, receive supplies, and be healed; finally, we need to be able to go out and contribute to the community, the world, and the Kingdom of God. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, so let’s start with the trickle of water at the family altar! "Because this water flows from the Holy Place." As time goes by, it will become more and more abundant, more and more vital and healing, and eventually it will become an endless river of life, with clear and sweet water that will last for generations to come! (Full text ends)
Extended reading (provided by teacher Liao Zhaorong)
1. 《家庭祭壇：親愛時光實作手冊》，駱玫玲著，橄欖，2010。
2. 《家庭真理教室：青少年基督教教義問答》，駱玫玲著，橄欖，2015。
3. 《基督化家庭》，葛禮聖著，章福卿譯（The Christian Family, by Larry Christenson），中國主日學協會，1984。
4. 《為孩子屬靈品格禱告》，劉梅蕾著，天恩，2005。
5. 〈Family Time〉專欄，廖肇蓉執筆，真愛家庭雜誌（http://www.familykeeperss.org/）自80期起。
"With true love, home is heaven"
By Su Wen'an, International True Love Family Association, 2011.
‧Understandability: While sharing Bible reading insights and new spiritual light, it demonstrates how to unite family members with truth and true love, making you understand and deeply enlightened.
‧Feasibility: With life application as the main axis and creative, heuristic, family-friendly and interactive spiritual leadership as an example, it is unique, easy to learn and easy to do. In addition to being shared with family members, it can also be used as a material for opening up families and leading creative Bible studies for young people born in the 1990s.
‧Accessibility: The five protagonists in the book have different roles, ages, and personalities. They are just like the parents and siblings in your family, they are lifelike, close and caring. ‧Readability: With smooth and concise writing and warm and vivid scenes, it will lead you to think deeply about 26 topics that are required for Christian families. The writing is brilliant and will make you forget to get tired of reading.
Author profile
Pastor Su Wen'an is currently the vice president of the American True Love Family Association and the editor-in-chief of "True Love Family Magazine". At the same time, he serves voluntarily as the editor-in-chief of this magazine, the Kingdom of God Resources for Christ Association and the Genesis Text Training Shuyuan Text Pastor. As a beneficiary of the family altar, he is also a practitioner and advocate. He is the author of the book "With True Love, Home is Heaven - Family Altar Spirituality Textbook", and led the team to write and produce two masterpieces on family faith inheritance, "As for Me and My Family" and "Loyalty to the Family". If you are interested, please contact American True Love For purchase, please contact the Family Keepers office@familykeepers.org or Taiwan Tianen Publishing House (02-2515-3551).