Please continue to pray for all who are at risk under the current threat of COVID and all the conditions afflicting our community and families.
Many of you are working in “essential jobs” outside of the home. All of you are essential in the kingdom of God at home, to everyone in your households, and those to whom you relate from afar. This is a time to pray for and encourage those who are sick and those caring for them in homes and in the hospitals. It is a time to also reach out to those who are well but waiting and waiting and waiting with longing for normalcy. In this waiting, take some time to put into practice some of what we have been learning about Spiritually Vibrant Homes. God is with you. His Spirit is at work in your household of faith.
This Week’s Focus: “Spiritual Conversations”
Spiritual conversations with the people in your household are important, but you may be having fewer of them than you think. Don Everts writes, “The latest research tells us we are having fewer spiritual conversations. In fact, [Lutheran Hour Ministries] and Barna found that a full three-quarters of all self-identified Christians have fewer than ten spiritual conversations a year. This includes a conversation with anyone about faith: a discussion at a Bible study counts, a conversation with your spouse counts, discussing the recent sermon counts. Most Christians are having less than one of those conversations per month. Most Christians are, as the researchers concluded, “reluctant conversationalists.” Our tables are pretty quiet.”
God wants us to think about things that are true and excellent (Phil 4) and talking about work, about sports, about politics, about the latest star performer can certainly fall in those categories. ALSO, and most eternally vital, God wants us to talk about His story, His promises, and our experiences in His grace.
These words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
Dt 6:6–7
Barna’s research learned this when examining spiritually vibrant homes:
- Finding 1. Households that engage in spiritual conversations tend to do a lot together.
- Finding 2. Many conversations happen around a table.
- Finding 3. Spiritual friendships are important. “Our most frequent companions and our most dependable ones tend to be the same.”
- Finding 4. Spiritual coaching helps. (Somebody takes the lead in initiating conversations, often a grandparent or mother)
- Finding 5. Some people struggle more with conversations. (Millennials have an easier time than boomers. Dads really struggle)
How Can I Help My Household Have Spiritual Conversations?
Don Evert has a whole section in Chapter Four of his book that offers many good suggestions. Check out the book. We’ll soon be offering a small group study of the book at Zion. Let me know if you are interested in participating. A tool I’ve tried out (and mentioned in my ermon on Sunday) is the Vibrant Conversation Deck that can help if you have kids or grandkids with you (or to talk to online). The card deck contains 52 conversation starter questions in four categories: applying spiritual disciplines, extending hospitality, engaging in spiritual conversations, and food and fun. (find them here).
Some stewardship questions to consider this week: Who in your household is the hardest to talk to? Who is the easiest? Will you be driving together, eating together, doing chores around each other this week? What simple question might be a first step toward deeper conversations?
God bless your week!
in Christ’s peace,
Pastor Stephen
Want to dig deep into the research behind our fall series? The basis for our study this fall is The Spiritually Vibrant Home: The Power of Messy Prayers, Loud Tables, and Open Doors by Don Everts.
The Senior VP of Research at Barna Group explains, “The Spiritually Vibrant Home unpacks the research and what it all means for our households. This book provides Christians with a roadmap to developing intentional rhythms that nurture their spirit, honor their heavenly Father, and pass on their faith to the next generation.”
Find this book and related resources developed by the Barna Group and Lutheran Hour Ministries at https://www.lhm.org/households/