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Healthy churches impact cities; but healthy churches need healthy families (w/ Rodney Gage)

podcast Jan 27, 2022

Rodney and his wife lead ReThink Life Church, as well as Family Shift.

One of the biggest reasons people need a shift?

In a word, drift…

Drift works like this…

Rodney and his family took a trip to Cancun a few years ago and went on a snorkeling trip.

“Remember the 15-minute rule,” the guide repeated. “Look back at LEAST every 15 minutes.”

He cautioned the swimmers to check-in regularly.

“If you don’t, you’ll drift. You’ll go out to sea…”

He told them the drift would be subtle and hardly recognizable, until it was too late.

“Keep looking back,” he said.

There’s been a slow, subtle drift in our culture for the past few decades. We now see a heightened awareness of it..

Now, we often think about “lost” people or “unchurched” people as the drifters. But, Rodney encourages pastors to “look back” for themselves. And, in fact, to focus ON THEMSELVES and THEIR FAMILY.

There are a few reasons why…

First, if you, as a pastor aren’t healthy— and if your family isn’t healthy, you can’t lead a church well.

And if the church isn’t healthy, it can’t impact the culture.

So, everything the church does actually begins in the home— of the leaders.

(This is why Paul cautions us that elders in the church must have their family in order before they’re qualified to lead— see 1 Timothy 3:1-12, especially verse 4.)

“Don’t take your personal, home life for granted while you’re out leading the church,” Rodney encourages.

Second, you had your family BEFORE the ministry and you’ll have them AFTER the ministry.

Family will be the ones who come to see you in the cemetery. Don’t ignore the one group who will be with you for the entire run…

Again, if you die on Saturday, the church will go on the very next day…

Furthermore, your best legacy won’t necessarily be who you reach, but who you raise… and it’s not necessary WHAT you leave behind, but WHO you leave behind…

Finish with your family.

What do you do when you see problem areas, those points of drift?

Quite simply, deal with them.

Problems can break you down, or they can be points of breakthrough…

The reason for “looking back” at the boat isn’t to collect shame or condemnation, It’s to stay healthy and to move back in alignment.

Continue adjusting and course-correcting…

Stopping the drift isn’t a one-time thing; it’s an ongoing way of life.

Links for this show

The Gathering = www.CourageousPastors.com/gathering

Schedule a strategy session at www.CourageousPastors.com/strategy

Rethink Life Church = https://www.rethinklife.com

Family Shift www.familyshift.com and https://instagram.com/familyshift