Trinity Bible ChapelTrinity Bible ChapelTrinity Bible ChapelTrinity Bible Chapel
  • Jesus
  • About
    • Service Times & Location
    • Our Mission
    • Our Four Pillars
    • Our History
    • What We Believe
      • Our Doctrinal Statement
      • Specific Issues
        • Baptism and Communion
        • Church Government
        • Church Membership
        • Church Planting Philosophy
        • Church Structure
        • Counseling Philosophy
        • Creation, Evolution and God’s Sovereignty
        • Eternal Security of the Believer
        • Sufficiency of Scripture
        • Spiritual Warfare
        • The Trinity
        • Women in Ministry
        • Worship
    • Church Staff
    • Job Opportunities
    • Contact Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Project Rehoboth
      • Rehoboth Updates
    • King Alfred Academy
  • Connect
    • New Here?
      • Welcome to Trinity!
      • What Should I Expect?
      • How Can I Be Saved?
      • Get Baptized
      • University Bus Shuttle
    • Get Connected
      • Step 1: Connect
      • Step 2: Consider
      • Step 3: Commit to a Small Group
      • Step 3: Commit to Serve
      • Step 4: Covenant in Membership
    • Resources
      • Weekly E-News
      • Events Calendar
      • Church App
      • Subscribe to Our Podcast
      • Pulpit Curriculum
      • Bible Reading Plans
      • Weddings
  • Ministries
    • Trinity Kids
      • Parenting Resources
      • Web Protection Guide
      • Parenting Conference Audio
    • Trinity Youth
      • Youth Ministry Blog Posts
    • Small Groups
      • Pulpit Curriculum
      • Small Groups Blog Posts
      • Accountability Resources
    • University Bus Ministry
      • Adopt-A-Student Ministry
    • Worship Ministry
      • Family Worship
      • Weekend Song List
    • Sunday Support
    • Evangelism
      • Evangelism Videos
    • King Alfred Academy
  • Sermons
    • Latest Sermon
    • View All by Date
    • View by Series
    • View by Preachers
    • View by Topics
    • View by Scriptures
    • Subscribe to Our Podcast
  • Blogs
    • The Pastor’s Blog
    • Trinity Ministry Blog
  • Give

The Pastor's Blog

By Jacob Reaume

Examining the Family Integrated Church Movement

By Jacob Reaume | October 8, 2014 | Leave a Comment |
Tagged: church, ecclesiology, family integrated church

I’ve seen lots of programs blow through churches leaving a wake of disillusionment and disappointment where they promised to bring revival.

For decades, churches have attempted to minister to rising numbers of children who abandon their Christian faith and heritage as fast as they move away from their Christian homes. Proposed solutions to reach the children are as numerous as the families devastated by their defections: hip youth pastors versed in pop culture; trendy program names; provocative sermons devoid of the Gospel; crazy games. The list goes on and on and though each new idea promises to end the mass defection, the result is merely disappointment and exasperation in families and churches as the desertions continue.

A generation of Christian parents are now on the scene who have wisened to the promises of these sensationalistic programs. These parents see through the false pretences and want none of it for their children. Instead, their hope is to offer their children something simpler, something more biblical.

Enter the family integrated church movement (FICM). Like any movement, it is difficult to define. Generally speaking, the FICM is a call for parents to integrate their children of all ages into all aspects of church life, and thus seeks to end age-segregated church ministry. Nursery, children’s ministry, and youth ministry become obsolete, as toddlers, children and teenagers attend Sunday services, prayer meetings, and adult small groups with their parents. The entire family as a unit is thus integrated into the whole of church life and ministry. As a result, the church ministers to families instead of individuals and the church essentially becomes a family of families, not a family of individuals. In some more extreme fringes of this movement, I have even heard where the idea of age-segregation in church ministry is labelled as unbiblical, destructive to the family, or ‘socialistic’. Either explicitly or implicitly, proponents of the FICM teach that the younger generation will be restrained from the brink of defection if the church replaces the model of age-based ministry segregation with a family integrated approach, and if parents alone, without church leaders, disciple their children in the ways of the Lord.

This movement has many good emphases. FICM represents a well-needed call to end superficial attempts to reach youth. No amount of flashy pyrotechnics or programmatic implementation will ever save a child’s soul, and it’s time we all acknowledge this. It is a clear call for fathers to take responsibility for leadership and discipleship in their homes. It is a call for fathers to model an authentic Christian life at home, step up their game and lead their families in devotion and worship instead of dropping their children into a ministry program at church and relying on others to instruct and disciple them. It is a call for families to be strong and intact in a world where the Christian vision for family is largely an alien concept. The FICM is certainly not all bad.

But there are significant concerns, and the FICM is just as certainly not all good.

The movement has the potential to subvert the biblical role of elders in the local church. The New Testament calls all Christians to place themselves under the authority of elders in the local church (Hebrews 13:17), and nowhere in Scripture do we find that only fathers or heads of household are under the care of the elders. The Bible teaches that the elders will give an account for the spiritual condition of all believers within the congregation (Hebrews 13:17). If the elders, desiring to make disciples of all people (Matthew 28:19), direct the church to offer age-appropriate biblically-sound instruction, it is clearly their prerogative to do so. The elders should equip parents to instruct their children, and they must also offer instruction to the children within the congregation.

The movement has the potential to fail to acknowledge the true family of God. The church is a family of individual believers (1 Corinthians 12:27) – some of whom happen to be blood relatives – not a family of families. The Bible indicates that the Church, the bride of Christ, will outlast the nuclear family by an eternity. Jesus said that He came to divide families and turn children against their parents and parents against their children (Matthew 10:35-38). His true family members are those who obey His commands, not necessarily those related by blood (Matthew 12:46-50). Therefore, unbelieving children of believing parents are not part of the church family. They sit clearly on the outside until they are born of the Spirit, not of flesh and blood (John 3:5-6). For the sake of His Kingdom, Jesus told one man to not even attend His own father’s funeral (Luke 9:60). The church is a family of individuals redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ, not the redeemed along with their blood relatives.

The movement has the potential to subvert the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). Jesus entrusted the evangelism and discipleship of children to the entire church, not just to their Christian parents. Wise parents will acknowledge the unique role that other Christians should have in the discipleship of their children. I thank God for the whole church. There are countless people in our own congregation who have spent time with my children without me present and have reinforced the same things I teach at home. Good children’s teachers are valuable assets to the congregation; not everyone is gifted in the same way. It takes the entire body of Christ to reach and disciple believers. As the entire community upholds and proclaims sound biblical teaching together, an even greater impression is left on our youth. Some plant, others water, but ultimately God gives the growth (1 Corinthians 3:6-7).

The movement has the potential to unintentionally segregate people, as it attempts to de-segregate ages. We should be thankful for intact families with strong Christian fathers and mothers. Strong families are unquestionably important for strong churches; but so are singles, widows, orphans, and divorcees – all who have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. If we define the church as only a family of families, then what of these people? What of the families with children who aren’t trained to sit in services? What of the parents who appreciate the break various age-appropriate programs offer? What of the people who have serious issues to be discussed in the safety of adult believer small groups, but issues too delicate to be discussed amidst children and unbelievers? None of these people should be marginalized.

The movement has the potential to place unnecessary burden on parents (and on churches) to implement it just the right way to get just the right results. “If I just do this, my children will be like Abel and Seth instead of Cain, or like Jacob instead of Esau,” we tell ourselves. Instead, we should preach the Gospel, trust the Gospel, and be content to live in light of the Gospel. Besides, Jesus was the only perfect child. And His parents didn’t even keep Him with them at all times during all religious services (Luke 2:41-52).

My greatest concern is that this movement, like the myriad other programs that promise to prevent our youth from abandoning their faith, will merely disillusion and disappoint. It is a reincarnation of the same old idea, but the trendy window dressings have been replaced with something plainer and seemingly biblical – a vision for the family. God’s means are sufficient to convert and disciple God’s elect; the local church, baptism, the Lord’s Supper, the Word, prayer, and biblical preaching are enough.

In the end, the people of God must trust God. Jesus is Lord of the Church, and He will build His Church.

I need to acknowledge, with thankfulness, Brandon Plattner who offered many helpful editorial suggestions as I put this together.


SHARE


Comments

Related Posts

  • A Gay Bar with Free Math Lessons

    By Jacob Reaume | June 15, 2022

    I have been advising parents to pull their children from public schools for several years.  The primary objective of education should be to foster Christian virtue in the hearts of children.  Apparently this view was once shared by the majority of Ontarians to the point that they had it enshrined in law.  Section 264.1.c ofRead more

  • Protect Your Children from Public School

    By Jacob Reaume | June 9, 2022

    A few months ago, I reported (here) of a Waterloo Region public school teacher who the WRDSB chair censored at a board meeting.  Her offence?  She questioned whether school officials should be teaching children that hormone blockers are a good idea.  She did so while quoting a public school library book that presented hormone blockersRead more

  • Wisdom in Evangelizing Your Children

    By Jacob Reaume | May 17, 2022

    The following is adapted from a short sermon I gave at a child-dedication service on Mother’s Day. Introduction Many think that there is a recipe to get your children into the Kingdom of God.  “Maybe if I just protect them enough from the world they will be good,” some may reason. The problem is thatRead more

  • John Bunyan Opposed Church Attendance Limits

    By Jacob Reaume | May 12, 2022

    Just over a year ago, the Province of Ontario seized our church building and charged me, along with all our elders, with contempt of court for the second time.  The Province, claiming to be acting in the public good, had set limits on church attendance, and we had no regard for them.  We, ourselves claimingRead more

  • Property Rights, Free Enterprise, and God’s Law

    By Jacob Reaume | April 21, 2022

    Early in the first COVID lockdown, I had quickly publicly opposed the mandates, and in April 2020 someone criticized a post I made.  The individual said that we should be doing our part to save society from COVID just as our ancestors did their part to save society from the Nazis in WWII.  I tookRead more

Newer PostOlder Post

Top 5 Trending

  • A Gay Bar with Free Math Lessons

    June 15, 2022
  • What does “makes her commit adultery” mean? (Matt. 5:32)

    October 25, 2018
  • Protect Your Children from Public School

    June 9, 2022
  • Yes, Bruxy Cavey Is A False Teacher

    July 11, 2018
  • Wisdom in Evangelizing Your Children

    May 17, 2022

Latest Posts

  • A Gay Bar with Free Math Lessons

    June 15, 2022
  • Protect Your Children from Public School

    June 9, 2022
  • Wisdom in Evangelizing Your Children

    May 17, 2022
  • John Bunyan Opposed Church Attendance Limits

    May 12, 2022
  • Property Rights, Free Enterprise, and God’s Law

    April 21, 2022

About the Author

Jacob Reaume

Born and raised in Guelph, Jacob holds a Master of Divinity from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He became pastor of Trinity Bible Chapel in August, 2009. Jacob is married to his high school sweetheart, Joanna, and together they have six children.

CHURCH LOCATION
Address:    1373 Lobsinger Line
Waterloo, ON, N2J 4G8

Phone: 519-658-6333
Email: info@trinitybiblechapel.ca

NEW HERE?

  • Service Times & Location
  • Welcome to Trinity!
  • What Should I Expect?
  • How Can I Be Saved?
  • University Bus Shuttle
  • Our Mission
  • Our Doctrinal Statement

OUR MINISTRIES

  • Trinity Kids
  • Trinity Youth
  • Small Groups
  • University Bus Ministry
  • Worship Ministry
  • Sunday Support
  • Evangelism

GET CONNECTED

  • Step 1: Connect
  • Step 2: Consider
  • Step 3: Commit to a Small Group
  • Step 3: Commit to Serve
  • Step 4: Covenant in Membership
  • Get Baptized
  • Events Calendar
Trinity Bible Chapel on Rumble
Copyright © 2022 Trinity Bible Chapel
  • Jesus
  • About
    • Service Times & Location
    • Our Mission
    • Our Four Pillars
    • Our History
    • What We Believe
      • Our Doctrinal Statement
      • Specific Issues
        • Baptism and Communion
        • Church Government
        • Church Membership
        • Church Planting Philosophy
        • Church Structure
        • Counseling Philosophy
        • Creation, Evolution and God’s Sovereignty
        • Eternal Security of the Believer
        • Sufficiency of Scripture
        • Spiritual Warfare
        • The Trinity
        • Women in Ministry
        • Worship
    • Church Staff
    • Job Opportunities
    • Contact Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Project Rehoboth
      • Rehoboth Updates
    • King Alfred Academy
  • Connect
    • New Here?
      • Welcome to Trinity!
      • What Should I Expect?
      • How Can I Be Saved?
      • Get Baptized
      • University Bus Shuttle
    • Get Connected
      • Step 1: Connect
      • Step 2: Consider
      • Step 3: Commit to a Small Group
      • Step 3: Commit to Serve
      • Step 4: Covenant in Membership
    • Resources
      • Weekly E-News
      • Events Calendar
      • Church App
      • Subscribe to Our Podcast
      • Pulpit Curriculum
      • Bible Reading Plans
      • Weddings
  • Ministries
    • Trinity Kids
      • Parenting Resources
      • Web Protection Guide
      • Parenting Conference Audio
    • Trinity Youth
      • Youth Ministry Blog Posts
    • Small Groups
      • Pulpit Curriculum
      • Small Groups Blog Posts
      • Accountability Resources
    • University Bus Ministry
      • Adopt-A-Student Ministry
    • Worship Ministry
      • Family Worship
      • Weekend Song List
    • Sunday Support
    • Evangelism
      • Evangelism Videos
    • King Alfred Academy
  • Sermons
    • Latest Sermon
    • View All by Date
    • View by Series
    • View by Preachers
    • View by Topics
    • View by Scriptures
    • Subscribe to Our Podcast
  • Blogs
    • The Pastor’s Blog
    • Trinity Ministry Blog
  • Give
Trinity Bible Chapel