Raising Ruling Sons and Daughters
As we gathered this Sunday, we continued our “Year of the Kingdom” series, focusing on how ruling families raise ruling sons and daughters. The message powerfully reminded us of God’s original design for family as the foundation of Kingdom rulership and the importance of intentional parenting.
God’s Original Design: Family as the Source of Kingdom Dominion
Paul began by taking us to Genesis 1:26-28, highlighting God’s original mandate for humans to “be fruitful and multiply” and to have dominion over the earth. This passage reveals a profound truth:
- Kingdom originates in family
- From one man and one woman would come sons and daughters who would exercise dominion
- Though mankind surrendered this rulership through sin, Jesus was born as a ruler to restore us to this Dominion Mandate
This reminder wasn’t just casual—it was fundamental to understanding how Kingdom operates.
Intentional Kingdom Parenting
One of the most challenging points was the call to intentionality in raising children. Without intentional design:
- Our families can drift without purpose or direction
- The world often shows more strategic intentionality than believers (Luke 16:8)
- We need “intentional Christianity” and “intentional Kingdom” approaches to parenting
The pastor noted that throughout human history, we’ve moved through different eras—from nomadic to agricultural to industrial to information. Yet the agricultural era held a particular Kingdom essence: cultivation, inheritance, and the patience required for growth. This contrasts sharply with our instant-success society.