I received the following response regarding an answer to a question. I felt it deserved a post of its own as there are many valid questions that deserve an answer. I will try to the best of my abilities to answer them. I will list the questions in their entirety and then break it down point by point. Since the person asking has asked this on a public forum I assume there is no issue answering it on the same.
“Thank you for the answer above. I have another question that I am unable to answer, and would like your thoughts. First of all, what is a missionary supposed to be? I know that we are all “missionaries” in our own sphere of influence, but what about foreign missions? Some men say that they and their families are “called” to foreign missions. Some men leave their families in order to go to the foreign mission field for weeks or months at a time, and leave the wife at home to teach/train/minister to the children. Some husbands and wives go to the foreign mission field and work together while their children are being taken care of by nannies or if older they are sent off to a Christian boarding school. What is the biblical standard for foreign missions?
While I am here one more question, if you please: Whose job is it to homeschool the children? I know that the women are to be keepers at home and that entails a lot of work. Who is responsible for the biblical training and overall learning of the children? If the father is working outside of the home, he doesn’t have much time to give. If the mother is responsible for the entire household, she doesn’t have much time either. Maybe more than the father, but not dedicated hours at a time. We see this problem in a homeschooling family who lives near us. The children haven’t learned much academically. They have 9 children, and the parents seem to be worn out every time we visit with them. The children are unkempt and so is the home. They are a nice family, but I don’t want my family one day to resemble that. What advice do you have?”
First of all, what is a missionary supposed to be?
Great question, but for the sake of not being redundant please reference the post “Women Missionaries – are they Biblical”. But a short form answer is that a missionary as we know it today is nothing more than a church planting and soul winning pastor in a foreign field.
I know that we are all “missionaries” in our own sphere of influence, but what about foreign missions?
You are correct that the occasional misuse of that word could cause confusion. We are all “missionaries” in the sense that we are all to be a witness for Christ in our actions as well as in our words. But in the application of a foreign missionary who is representing a church office it is an entirely different thing.
Some men say that they and their families are “called” to foreign missions.
Not exactly a question, but a statement that deserves a response. A family in actuality is not called to be a missionary family as much as its called to follow the Biblical leader of the home. It is he who is called of God although God indeed does use the wife and family to help confirm the call. We must never forget the needful counsel of a wife who is walking with the Lord.
Some men leave their families in order to go to the foreign mission field for weeks or months at a time, and leave the wife at home to teach/train/minister to the children.
Once again a statement that requires clarification. It is one thing for a man to travel in short term trips as long as he does not neglect his role as a father. That is no different than a man who takes business trips. I would say that a man in a secular field who travels constantly cannot be the husband and father that he needs to be. A man’s first ministry is his family. I believe it is not Biblical to abandon the family in the name of ministry. Personally I do not know any men that do that. But there may be some outside our circles who do not know that Biblical principle.
Some husbands and wives go to the foreign mission field and work together while their children are being taken care of by nannies or if older they are sent off to a Christian boarding school.
I addressed this before and this is totally un-Biblical. The wife and mother is to be a keeper “at” home. This is her God ordained ministry and one of the most important as well as impacting ministries there is. This is basically just feminism in the church as well as lack of responsibility.
What is the biblical standard for foreign missions?
Hate to be too simple, but the answer is the Bible. Clear cut examples such as those by Paul, Phillip, Peter, and many others whose first name doesn’t start with a “P”. Thought a bit of levity would serve well here. But in all seriousness, we have the Bible that shows us who missionaries are as well as their Biblical qualifications. We also have Biblical examples of foreign missions. But in studying missions as well as other New Testament things we must be careful studying as many erroneously try to establish their doctrine from the Book of Acts for example. Now while we can and should draw much from the book we must also remember that it is a transitional book and weigh that and compare it to the many other books in the NT. We must always compare Scripture with Scripture. To make a long answer short….. the Biblical standard is a man that meets the Biblical qualifications of a pastor found in I Timothy and Titus.
While I am here one more question, if you please: Whose job is it to homeschool the children?
Ultimately it is the father’s responsibility and he is accountable to God for his family. But let me use this analogy. Who is the head of the USA? Obviously the president is the head and in charge as well as the key person responsible. But does not the president delegate responsibility without delegating his authority? Doing this does not violate Biblical principles as it would when the same argument is used to try to have a woman be a pastor for instance. The Bible clearly speaks to the fathers in many cases regarding their “training”. I prefer to use that as it suits the topic at hand better. Our goal is not just to educate their heads, but to win their hearts.
Deut 6 – 9: And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates. Christian education or homeschooling is a full time job. It is the Biblical nurturing of the children. While we want academically accomplished children we want more importantly Spiritual children. Neither need be sacrificed. But sadly we oftentimes choose academic children who are lost over spiritual character.
Mr 8:36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
So in summary it is the father’s ultimate responsibility, but it is the family’s job.
I know that the women are to be keepers at home and that entails a lot of work. Who is responsible for the biblical training and overall learning of the children? If the father is working outside of the home, he doesn’t have much time to give. If the mother is responsible for the entire household, she doesn’t have much time either. Maybe more than the father, but not dedicated hours at a time.
Now here is a one of the more profound areas of discussion. If the family is trained and run in a Biblical manner you would be more than surprised what can be accomplished by the team. I am blessed with 11 children and above that blessed with a Proverbs 31 wife. Let me let you in on a little known secret. She was not born that way. She became that. And how did she do that? We committed to making our home a Godly Christian home and that required Godly parents. We have not arrived, but we are both trying our best in spite of our weak flesh. In all honesty life is much simpler with 11 than it was with 2. Our children are a part of all that we do. My wife is not the “keeper at home” who slaves all day while the kids hang out. Neither is she the “keeper at home” who sits around eating Bon Bons while the children slave away.
We have trained our children in the ways that they should go. They have been taught that as an integral part of our family they all have a responsibility. So not only do they homeschool (as a whole most homeschoolers are all ahead academically although that should not matter), but they all have their daily chores. We have a schedule of responsibilities for everyone in the home and because of it there is peace and security. So a home run in a Biblical fashion is a peaceful home where all help carry the load. Whether its 2 kids or 20 it’s the same God and the same truths.
We see this problem in a homeschooling family who lives near us. The children haven’t learned much academically. They have 9 children, and the parents seem to be worn out every time we visit with them. The children are unkempt and so is the home. They are a nice family, but I don’t want my family one day to resemble that. What advice do you have?
If I may I would like to break this apart as there is a topic within your question that needs to be addressed. You mention a “homeschool” family who is lacking academically. You mention “9” children. And you say their home is unkempt as well that they are worn out. Lets tackle this first.
The above stated observations have nothing to do with homeschool or secular schooled as there are many that fit that bill in both categories. Go to Wal-Mart and see for yourself. It has nothing to do with 1 or 9 children as many fit in both those categories. You mention unkempt and I can show you endless examples of single people who are and they have no excuses. And you mention worn out and that applies to at least half of America. The reason I point this out is that there is a misconception that their natural circumstances are dictating their spiritual lifestyles and that would be erroneous to accept that. Before giving any advice it is much like figuring out the problem before figuring out the solution.
Without knowing the family or their spiritual condition let me just say that you need not worry about becoming that or anything else if you choose to follow God’s Biblical methods. Now with that said that does not mean that you are guaranteed to be Mrs. Ward Cleaver and wear a spotless white dress and have an impeccable house with brilliant Rhodes Scholars for children. Nor does it mean that these people are wrong. Your husband needs to evaluate what his goal is for his family. You need to have a target in order to hit it. If you aim at nothing that is just what you will hit. If the goal is a Biblical family then you must understand what that is. Sometimes we have to realize that what pleases us may not be what pleases God. Perhaps you want a Rhodes Scholar for a child. But have you considered that God may not have wired every child to be one? So are you and your child a failure? No.
Will little surprises come up and maybe your house will be a mess? Yes. The Bible does teach about things being done decently and in order, but this very week our entire family came down with the flu. That’s 13 of us sick. Guess what? Mr. and Mrs. Cleaver and the kids looked rough. Is that the rule? No nor should it be. But neither will it be a rare exception. Does God dictate how many children we should have based on our cleanliness as a home? If so which child do you kill first when the milk spills on the rug? We should be obsessed with the cleanliness of their hearts more so than of their rooms. Ironically their room will oftentimes follow the condition of their hearts as a Godly home will be one of order.
But also remember that you do not know the struggles that a family goes through behind closed doors. They have struggles as well as you do. Regarding being worn out? You should see us after a deputation trip. We are frazzled!!!! The bottom line is to obey God. I believe it is best to be married should God dictate. Accept as many children as God would give you if you indeed believe God is in charge of your body (don’t freak out, he won’t give you 20 unless He wants to). Homeschool your kids and love them where they are. Keep an orderly Godly home and do the best you can with what you have to work with. And remember, we are not trying to live by what the world considers a family and home, but by what God considers a family and home. It is all about love and obedience. Loving and obeying the world or loving and obeying God. We are doing this for our God so don’t worry about how others see you. If you are doing it for God then its for God to worry about and not you. Be sure that you are saved and in a good Bible preaching church that exhorts you to grow and loves you where you are at. We are very blessed in that area as we have a very supportive church.
And one more thing. If you remember that God loves you where you are at it will be much easier to love others where they are at. Oftentimes we look down the stairs at those who are a step or maybe even several beneath our spiritual level. All we have to do is to look up the stairs to realize that God has to look down the stairs to see where we are at as well. Hope this helped.
On a practical note there are many methods or scheduling in the home that can make your life easy. My wife has found one called Managers of their homes which has been a blessing to us.
Thanks for the questions.