Family Matters deeply to God, a building block for His Kingdom 

Family is God’s idea, woven into creation itself and central to His purposes for humanity. From the beginning, Scripture presents family as the place where love is learned, identity is formed and faith is passed on. When God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone,” He revealed a deep truth about His heart. We are created for relationship, and family is the first context in which that calling is lived out.

Throughout the Bible, family is never portrayed as perfect, yet it is consistently treated as precious. Psalm 127 tells us, “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labour in vain.” A house here is more than bricks and timber. It speaks of family life, of shared values and spiritual foundations. God presents Himself as the master builder, inviting families to be places where His presence shapes daily life.

Family matters to God because it is a building block of His Kingdom. Long before there were nations or institutions, there were households. God’s covenant with Abraham was not only personal but generational. He promised blessings that would flow through his family to bless the nations. This Kingdom principle still stands. When families are shaped by God’s love, they become small but powerful expressions of His rule and reign on earth.

Jesus understood this deeply. He grew up within a family, learning obedience, responsibility and trust. Luke records that He was obedient to His parents and grew in wisdom and favour with God and people. Those unseen years of family life were not wasted. They were formative, preparing Him for public ministry. God chose to anchor the life of His Son in the ordinary rhythms of family, affirming its value in His redemptive plan.

Family is also the primary environment where faith becomes visible and practical. Deuteronomy encourages God’s people to speak of His commands at home, on the road, when lying down and when rising up. Faith was never meant to be confined to religious moments. It is meant to be woven into everyday conversations, decisions and responses. In this way, families quietly but powerfully advance the Kingdom by modelling what life under God’s rule looks like.

Of course, family life can be painful and complex. Scripture does not hide this reality. From Cain and Abel to Jacob and Esau, the Bible tells honest stories of broken relationships and deep wounds. Yet it also tells stories of restoration. Joseph’s words to his brothers, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good,” remind us that God is able to work redemptively even through fractured family situations. The Kingdom is built not on perfection, but on grace.

In the New Testament, the idea of family expands. Through Christ, we are welcomed into God’s household. Paul writes that we are members of God’s family, no longer strangers but children who belong. This spiritual family does not replace biological families but complements them. Together, they form a network of relationships through which love, care and discipleship flow. The Kingdom grows as households and church families support one another in faith.

Jesus challenged narrow definitions of family when He said, “Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” He was not diminishing family, but elevating it. He showed that families aligned with God’s purposes play a vital role in the advance of His Kingdom. Obedience, love and service are the ties that truly bind.

At Runnymede Christian Fellowship, we believe family matters because it reflects God’s character and advances His Kingdom. Whether families are traditional, blended, single parent or spiritual households formed within the church, each has a role to play. As we nurture faith at home and support one another as a church family, we participate in God’s ongoing work. As Joshua declared, “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” That commitment remains a powerful Kingdom statement today, shaping lives and pointing others to God’s enduring love.