SHAPING YOUR FAMILY’S FUTURE


1 • THE FAITH OF OUR FATHERS (AND MOTHERS)


Resident Policeman For many Christians, God’s role in their lives is limited to their conscience. This concept of God as a policeman might sound perfectly reasonable, especially if you are from a family that focused on proper behavior. This view of


God draws on the idea that faith is about what we do. Based on the Old Testament law codes (Exodus 20–23; most of Leviticus; Deuteronomy 5–26) it is easy to see when this concept of God originated. For more about this, click the button to listen to Sarah's story.


Parental Hangover


While we have been discussing the ways your family of origin shaped your ideas about faith, Phillips notes that the view a person has of family—specifically a person’s father—can often translate into that person’s view of God. If you had a positive, loving relationship with your father, that can be a very good thing. But if your relationship with your dad was filled with fear or fighting, it can lead to a serious faith crisis. Note the countless examples of God punishing human


sinfulness in the Bible—just read the books of Judges, Kings, and Chronicles. For more about this, click the button to listen to Sam's story.


Meek and Mild Very faithful people, as well as those who say they have no interest in God, often share the view that God is meek and mild. That’s because in this view


God is a pushover. These people see God through the person of Jesus. And they see Jesus as tender, gentle, and harmless—as in the hymn by Charles Wesley, “Gentle Jesus, meek and mild.” For many Christians, this idea of God is comforting. It makes God feel safe. For others, it makes God seem unable to provide the protection that they feel they need. For more about this, click the button to listen to Amanda's story.


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