IPC Messenger 2017 May 2017

IPC Messenger A W eekly P ublication of T he I ndependent P resbyterian C hurch O ffi c e 912-2 3 6 - 3 3 46 | F a x 912- 236-3676 | E-Mail [email protected] | Website www. ipcsav.org Volume 17 • No 18 MAY 2017 The Well-Ordered Home “A n ardor for order” is how J. I. Packer characterized the piety of Puritanism. 1 If we properly are to utilize the means of grace, establishing both the family altar and the family pew; if we properly are to “discipline” and “instruct” our children (Eph 6:1ff); if we are to provide them with a “godly example,” leading to their salvation, then priorities will have to be established which allow all of life’s duties and activities to be fulfilled. We have the demands of our jobs, of our spouses, of our children, of our church, and of our community. We primarily are citizens of the city of God, yet we retain our responsibilities as citizens of the city of man. How may we faithfully fulfill all of our obligations, and do so in a way that the souls of our children receive our priority attention? Order We may begin by bringing order to our lives, by establishing “a planned, well-thought-out flow of activities,” says Packer, in which all “obligations are recognized and met, a time is found for everything that matters.” 2 What do we mean by order? We mean order as opposed to chaos; order as opposed to disorder; order as approved to everyone doing whatever they want whenever they want; order as opposed to family members 1  See Johnson, The Family Worship Book, (Fearn, Ross-Shire, Gr. Britain: Christian Focus Publications, 1998), 18. 2  Ibid., (slightly modified). more or less eating, sleeping, playing, and working (or not working!) when they feel like it. By order we mean that every worthwhile thing has a time and a place. By order we mean that the family acts in concert, coordinating its activities to the benefit of the family as a whole. By order we mean a well-ordered home, where children join in decluttering the house, where the Puritan motto of “cleanliness is next to godliness” is cherished, and where time is not lost searching, searching, searching three, four, five times a day for misplaced objects. By order we mean that family possessions are given proper care, extending thereby their usefulness, eliminating unnecessary trips to the store and wasteful expenditures of time and funds. In this fashion we “number our days” and “redeem the time,” making the most of our God-given opportunities, God-given resources, and fulfilling all our God-given duties (Ps 90:12; Eph 5:16). Routine A regular routine makes fulfilling family responsibilities more likely than it otherwise would be. We recommend consistency in the family schedule. Regular bedtimes, regular mealtimes, regular playtimes, and predictable routines are both comforting for children and freeing for parents. Regular routines define a child’s world, providing stability and security. James Dobson offers two illustrations of how a regular family routine, with standards of what is allowed and disallowed, provides a comforting Continued Page 3 IPC Messenger CONTENTS 2 Women’s Ministry 3 Music Ministry 4 College and Career Ministry 5 Student Ministries 6 Family Corner 7 Children’s MInistry 8 - 9 Point Pleasant 10 Announcements and Events SUBSCRIBE! IPC eMessenger