Y.C.F. "Church in the Home" Priorities 

"Line up Your Home Life and Ministry"

VISION - Believers all over the world are being confronted with the reality that God wants to live where they live, talk when they talk and walk where they walk! There is no greater vision in living the Christian life! This all starts in and through our own home-fronts! God wants to bring the influence and expression of a Bible-believing church home with us! All leadership and ministry in a local church can be qualified by these scriptural priorities, so that the plans and purposes of God can be fulfilled! 

God wants our personal lives to flourish with a "Spirit-filled" home life, close intimate friendships and productive ministries! The following priorities will help us "line up" spiritually so we can powerfully step out in the Spirit-filled life of Worship, the Word and the Work of God!  We should start each day with a spiritual check-up and get our lives in order, God's way!

1. RECEIVING THE LOVE OF GOD - All believers must start their real "church life" here! The Bible calls this our first love! "We love Him, because He first loved us..." (1 John 4:19) Most believers need to get back to this first priority! The root of most Christian failures is a neglect in keeping ourselves in His "personal" divine flow of love and grace! (Revelation 2:4, Jude 21, 1 John 4:16, Ephesians 3:17-21)

a. Church in the Home Key: Start the day off with thanksgiving for the covenant we have with the Father God! Thank Him for loving us just the way we are! Receive that love in Jesus name!

b. Church in the Home Key: Take time to remember his unfailing love towards us! Be personal! Talk to him and recount testimonies of his grace! Take time to listen to His intimate thoughts!

2. LOVING OURSELVES GOD'S WAY - As Christians we need personal time to "digest" the love of God into our own spiritual lives! Through His love for us, we develop a personal respect for what God has done in our new creation! Through this new-found honor we enter into our 2nd priority of truly loving our real selves by desiring to be sin-free! ( Mark 12:31, 1John 4:17,18, 2 Corinthian 5:17, Roman 12:1,2)

a. Church in the Home Key: Every morning we must start our day by confessing who we are in Christ! Truly this is how we love ourselves by showing honor and respect for our new birth!

b. Church in the Home Key: A confession a day keeps "low self-esteem" away! We are the sons and daughters of Almighty God! Let's love & respect ourselves, God's way! (Scripture confession sheets are available by request or mail from the YCF office or Altar Ministry.)

3. LOVING GOD BACK IN WORSHIP - What comes down must go up! As God's blessings come down from heaven, the worship of God will rise up by faith in our hearts! Jesus said, "God is looking for those who will sincerely worship Him in the spirit!" (John 4:23) The Bible says, " don't rely on outward ceremonies, but worship God in the spirit and rejoice in Jesus Christ!" (Phil 3:3 , 1 Corinthian 8:3)

a. Church in the Home Key: It's easy to love and worship God when we daily experience His loving protection and encouragement as we pick a Psalm of deliverance out of the Bible each morning and read it out loud in worship unto God! We can feel his presense ministering to us! (Start with Psalm 18 & Psalm 145)

b. Church in the Home Key: A good way to start a powerful time of worship (worth-ship) to our heavenly Father is to confess out loud, from our heart to God, His attributes and nature! For example, start by saying... "Father God you are so forgiving to me..." Then start singing or speaking God's blessings in thanksgiving!

4. LOVING OTHERS WHO ARE CLOSE TO US - Be encouraged! As a believer, the actual love of Christ lives on the inside of us! It is more than sufficient to meet any need that our loved ones may have! Having faith in God's love will activate the power of God! Our home life must be secure in this love first before we can effectively reach out to others!(Prov12:7,14:1,11,15:6,17:1, 9:1-6)

a. Church in the Home Key: As a married couple, our first real "people priority" is our spouse, then our children! As couples we are commanded by God to love and yield to one another as we walk out our faith in Jesus! Then our love can overflow to our children! (Ephesians 5:21,25 ; 4:29- 5:2) 

b. Church in the Home Key: As single adults, our fourth priority in life is to minister love and faith to our parents! Let's honor (esteem, cherish) them daily! Then God daily promises things will go well! Do we want real "well being"? Daily reach out in love to our parents! (Ephesians 6:2,3)

c. Church in the Home Key: Another "people priority" that many Christians overlook are those "special" people whom we bring into our homes...we have brought them into covenant with us!! They may not be "blood" family, however, they are to be treated with the same love and honor! 

5. BEING DILIGENT TO WORK AT OUR JOBS - Why work? Can't it be such a pain at times? The Bible encourages us to work "as the servants of Christ...doing the will of God from our hearts"! The Word continues by saying, "if you don't work, you won't eat"! Furthermore, scriptures command us to provide for our own families' needs and burdens and save enough to help others in their needs!

( Ephesians 6:5-9, 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15, Ephesians 4:28, Acts20:35, 1 Timothy 5:3-16)

a. Church in the Home Key: Pray for all those at our jobs who are in authority each day! Expect a move of God to take root in our work place! There is nothing more exciting than going to work and knowing that the Holy Spirit can be moving to bring revival to work!!!

b. Church in the Home Key: As a homemaker or a home-worker, remember providing for the family's need in cleaning, chores, or "honey do" work projects are important labors of love!

c. Church in the Home Key: Attitude is everything in God! Remember, the Word says "do your work heartily as unto the Lord, not as men pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God"! If we go to work with a willing heart in the Lord, we will have our reward! ( Colossian 3:22-24 , 1 Corinthian 9:17)

6. ESTABLISH STRONG CHRISTIAN FRIENDSHIPS - One of the most exciting Christian priorities that can help us "line up our lives" is by getting strong Christian friendships! We can start by going to a "friendly" Home Bible Fellowship! This is a higher priority than your personal ministry! Why? The answer is simple! We need strength! (Matt 18:19,20) We need help! (Ecclesiastes. 4:9) We need care! (Ps.142:4) We need closeness! (Proverbs18:24) For correction! (Proverbs27:17) For intimacy! (Proverbs 27:9)

a. Church in the Home Key: Everyone needs someone to "bounce" things off of! This gives us a better perspective on life in general! This day-to-day "touch" with someone is called account-ability! Without it purposes are disappointed! (Proverbs15:22) Everyday, we should open our hearts to others who are pure in heart...for God works through them and through us. Be transparent with God and man!

b. Church in the Home Key: Having a prayer partner is a must for any active Christian nowadays! A good way for the busy Christian to do this is through the use of the telephone! Find others who are going through the same things that we are and call them at set times each day to pray and encourage one another in God's Word! We will be amazed how this will change our lives!!!!!

7. STEP OUT IN MINISTRY TO OTHERS - Freely we have received! Now it's time for us to freely give! Since our priorities of life are now in order, we will not be burdened with the cares and conflicts of people's lives! We can now step forth in the power of the Holy Spirit! "Out of our bellies will flow rivers of living water to a lost and dying world!" (John 7:37,38) Our lives have purpose in God! Every one of us has been set in the church to influence the world around us! (Ephesians 2:10, 1 Peter 4:10-11, 1 Corinthians 12:12-31)

a. Church in the Home Key: It's easy to find out what ministry God is calling us into! When we get deep into the heart of God in prayer...who do we pray for? What do you pray about? After prayer, we should reach out in some way to those being prayed for and we should follow up on events that need to change.

b. Church in the Home Key: Take time to open our home up to a move of God's love at least once a month! This is called giving ourselves to hospitality. The Bible exhorts all church leaders to give themselves to this grace! Through this ministry, many have entertained "messengers" (angels, ministry gifts) unawares! (1Timothy 3:2, 1 Peter 4:9, Romans 12:13)