After three years of planning, the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) un-veiled seven “pillars” leaders believe will strengthen American families.
A Kingdom Family Rally held June 16, on the eve of the SBC annual meeting in Phoenix, took a time slot normally given to the SBC Pastors Conference. The rally attracted more than 4,000 participants, about half of whom remained through the nearly two-and-a-half-hour program.
An opening video portrayed the decline of the American family and described the SBC’s attempt to reverse the trend.
In 2000, SBC Executive Committee President Morris Chapman called for formation of a council on family life to develop a comprehensive strategy to “call families back to God.”
Tom Elliff, pastor of First Southern Baptist Church of Del City, Okla., was named chairman. The council studied statistics related to American family life, brainstormed with people like James Dobson of Focus on the Family and Dennis Rainey of Family Life Today and searched the Bible for texts relating to family issues. Building on principles Elliff has used in his pre-marital and family counseling, the council developed a statement of Christian family principles called “The Seven Pillars of a Kingdom Family.”
Contemporary Christian artist Steve Green and his wife, Marijean, billed as hosts of the event, sang “Household of Faith” and talked about how they have helped care for Green’s father, a former missionary who suffers from Parkinson’s disease.
Elliff and his wife, Jeannie, reviewed statistics describing sharp increases since 1960 in the rates of divorce, cohabitation and children born out of wedlock as evidence of a need for change in American families.
In a video presentation, James Dobson said he never had known a denomination devoting itself so energetically and creatively to family issues as the SBC.
The “anti-family” trend that began in the 1960s has peaked, Dobson reported, noting a shift toward conservative, pro-moral, pro-family values. As evidence, he reported that favorable attitudes toward abortion are declining among young people, and the acceptance of sexual abstinence is growing.
Rainey told the Baptists he is “bullish on the SBC” and the Kingdom Families initiative. It is the most important battle the SBC has fought since the struggle for the inerrancy of Scripture, he said. The SBC won that battle, he said, and cannot afford to lose the battle for the family.
“No nation, state or church can survive the breakdown of the family,” he warned.
The Bible begins with the marriage of Adam and Eve and ends with the marriage of Christ and the church, he said.
Marriage and family were designed by God to reflect His image to a fallen earth, Rainey said, so it’s no wonder Satan has worked so hard to break into Christian homes, resulting in a divorce rate for Christians that is no different from non-Christians.
Rainey said his organization’s research shows that less than 3 percent of Christian couples in churches pray together.
“I believe we could slash the divorce rate if we could just get husbands and wives to pray together every day,” he said.
A parade of presidents from various SBC entities spoke briefly as each of the “seven pillars” rose symbolically from the stage floor. “Mystery guests” gave testimonies relating to each pillar’s emphasis:
- Honor God’s authority.
- Respect human life.
- Exercise moral purity.
- Serve the church.
- Use time wisely.
- Practice biblical stewardship.
- Share the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Participants in the rally were given a card and encouraged to sign a covenant declaring they will encourage their families to “build their lives upon these seven pillars of the Kingdom family.” (Tony Cartledge)
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