Unless the LORD Builds the House

Message Notes

Psalm 127

3/4 of those raised in the church are no longer in the church after their freshman year of college.
With 16 million Southern Baptists, we will decrease to 4 million in 1 generation.
In order just to maintain status quo, each Southern Baptist must reach 3 people for Christ.
It currently takes 43 Southern Baptists to reach 1 person for Christ.
Over the last 4 decades, we have increased our programs for younger generations and seen a decline in baptisms.
We have expected the church to do what God expects the family to do.
We have replaced parents with programs and we are losing our children one generation at a time.

PSALM 127 [A Song of Ascents]

Psalm 127:1-2
What happens in your house is just as important as what happens in God’s house.
The most critical spiritual environment is the one in which you live.
God’s ideal is when a family of God partners with the people of God for the discipleship of every generation.
If we neglect the biblical blueprint, why should we expect a godly home?
Christian homes are in danger when we succumb to worthless pursuits and frivolous concerns.
We are to be ever diligent and yet never anxious.
Sleep evades those whose lives are frantic and whose souls are burdened.
Building by the LORD and believing in the LORD allows parents to rest in God’s plan.

Psalm 127:3-5
Children are a blessing and not a burden.
Family and Church – work together to sharpen the two sides of the arrow.
A trained warrior understands that a sharpened arrow can go where he cannot.
A quiver full of sharpened arrows is extremely helpful but a bag full of dull sticks is extremely cumbersome.
Every arrow needs to be sharpened, aimed, and released.