Essay 2: Forms and models of family life in the scripture There is a significant amount of information about family life

found in the scriptures. From reading the article, Nurturing Pentecostal Families, it is noted that God emphasizes family concepts for his holy people. From the beginning God made us to be in fellowship with each other, loving and selfless towards the other person. This was made example in the Holy Trinity, all figures of the Godhead are distinct but yet one; which move together as a single unit. God made us in his image meaning that we are social creatures, and can only be truly human when we are married to our counterpart. Most people see marriage as a contract, however it was not intended to be that way, but a covenant. Man and woman are equal to God and neither one is trying to control, manipulate, or have power over the other. Instead they work together encouraging, and empowering each other living as an example of God. When things become tough and look bleak married couples dont throw in the towel and give up, they stick it out, work together, and make it through. When we look at the scriptures it is interesting that God speaks of creating man a certain way. Let us make man in Our image, Its plural, God creates man to be relational. God created them male and female. To me this is fascinating! When I really think about this concept I cannot be truly who I was made to be without my wife. She brings out things in me that I would not have known, nor experienced unless I was married to her. And this was Gods plan. To fully allow this I must love my wife, not think im greater or the head of the family, but to respect her and her do the same and empower each other. Christ said that he could do nothing on his own initiative, but only what he saw the father doing. He did not live a separate life away from the Fathers will. Likewise My wife and I must live in agreement with one another, harmonizing with the other person, not by going our own seperate ways like so many married couples do. Families are designed to be lived out in an element of Love, and grace not by law. Those of which live out family life in a contract leads to an atmosphere of law and discredit to Christianity. While on the other hand a family who lives life based on covenant leads to an atmosphere of grace and forgiveness. Families must maintain unconditional love, yet have structure, order, resposibility, and patterns. Members lives in a loving family are enhanced and have their needs met, there is no fear of neglect. As families learn to live and harmonize with each other they learn to empower each other. This is the process of helping another person recognize his or her potential and then reach that potential through ones encouragement or guidance. It involves coming alongside a person to affirm his or her gifts and building their confidence to become all that they can be. Empowerment never involves coercion, control, or force. Empowerment is found in an element of love. Without this I dont think a person will truly be able to empower the other. You can say you love someone, but what is it that you love about them? What is it you expect in return. Are you there truly to do all the things that you say you will? Sadly today in most relationship few people are empowering each other. Most people must learn to gain power in any way possible, through manipulation, coercion, fear, whatever way they can do to get it. This is not right nor is it what God intended. At the youth program I work for called Youth Villages many of the kids live in this latter mindset. They must get power any way possible. They use fear, coercion,

manipulation, lieing, whatever they can to survive in life. As counselors we do our best to build a positive connection with our clients. We show them that they can trust us, probably some of the first people that they ever can learn to trust. Also we enhance their peer relationships, social skills, positive thinking or anything else that will help them to succeed. In a sense we are a family, exibiting love to them that is unconditional, not contingent on their performance.