We know the church is to be missional. The entire purpose and thrust of the church is to make disciples who make disciples. We are to be involved in the work of multiplication; reaching the lost for Christ and discipling and equipping believers to live the missional life so others may come to know Jesus. However, it is prudent for us to also understand the makeup of the church. The church is a large family made up of small family units. These family units may vary. Some are single. Some are widows. Some are single moms or single dads. Some are traditional families with a dad and mom and children. Some are grandparents. No matter what the makeup of a particular family is, all families are called to be missional.

                What is the purpose of your family? What do you live for? What does your family invest in? What is the goal of your family? Every Christian family should live with purpose. Every Christian family should live for the glory of God and the furtherance of His Kingdom. Every Christian family should invest in the mission of God. Every Christian family should have as its goal to have an eternal impact on the world around them. Is your family a missional family?

                An example of a missional family. There are several families in scripture, I am sure, that we could look to as an example of a missional family. However, there is one family that seems to stand out. A man and his wife named, Aquila and Priscilla. We are introduced to this missional family in Acts 18:1-2. “After these things Paul departed from Athens and went to Corinth. And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla (because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome); and he came to them.”^[1] We do not know a lot of details about Aquila and Priscilla. However, Warren Wiersbe writes that, “We do know that this dedicated couple served most faithfully and even risked their lives for Paul (Rom. 16:3–4). They assisted him in Ephesus (Acts 18:18–28) where they even hosted a church in their home (1 Cor. 16:19). Aquila and Priscilla were an important part of Paul’s “team” and he thanked God for them. They are a good example of how “lay ministers” can help to further the work of the Lord. Every pastor and missionary thanks God for people like Aquila and Priscilla, people with hands, hearts, and homes dedicated to the work of the Lord.”^[2]

There are several lessons we can learn from this missional family. The first lesson we learn is that they were always together. There is never a time in scripture where you see one without the other. Aquilla and Priscilla are mentioned six times in the New Testament and each time they are mentioned together. It is as if they are one person. They are always introduced as Aquilla and Priscilla. You never see one without the other. A missional family is one that is together. They worship together. They serve the Lord together. Involvement in a local church and serving the Lord is a family affair. It is discouraging to see families where the husband goes to one church and the wife goes to another. I do not believe such a thing is of God. Families should be in church together and families should serve the Lord together.

Another lesson we learn from this missional family is that missions was a priority. In Acts 18:18 we see Aquila and Priscilla going with Paul on a mission trip to Syria. Though they had their own local church where they were heavily involved, Aquila and Priscilla also took time to go on mission trips. The missional family makes missions a priority. A missional family is one that is the first to sign up when the church announces a mission trip. Exposing themselves to different cultures and sharing the Gospel across the globe is a key characteristic of a missional family.

We also learn from this missional family that they understood the importance of small groups. 1 Corinthians 16:19 says, “The churches of Asia greet you. Aquila and Priscilla greet you heartily in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.”^[3] The early church was accustomed to meeting together in large gatherings and in small groups. They would gather weekly for cooperate worship and throughout the week they would go from house to house worshipping the Lord and studying His Word together. In addition to their involvement in the large gathering of the church and going on mission trips, Aquilla and Priscilla hosted a small group in their home. Though it may take on different forms today, small groups are essential to the life, ministry, and continual growth of the church. A missional family is one who understands that they need more than just the weekly larger gathering at church. They need fellowship and community with other believers. A missional family will involve themselves in small group ministries such as Sunday School and other discipleship classes or home Bible studies. A missional family understands that they cannot grow spiritually without that deep connection with other believers that a small group gathering provides.

A final lesson we learn from this missional family is that they gave their life for the mission of God. Romans 16:3-4 says, “Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.”^[4] The New American Commentary explains, “Priscilla and Aquila were the first to be greeted.Aquila was a Jewish tentmaker, a native of the Roman province of Pontus. He and his wife Priscilla were driven out of Rome by the edict of Claudius in a.d. 49. Paul met them in Corinth, where he stayed and worked with them (Acts 18:2–3). When he set sail for Ephesus, they went with him (Acts 18:18–19). So close was the friendship that they risked their lives for Paul.”^[5] We do not know the circumstances surrounding the risk they took for Paul. As Wiersbe points out, “Where and when they risked their lives for Paul, we do not know, but we are glad they did it!”^[6] A missional family is one that is willing to take risks. They understand that life is not about them or their own advancements or achievements. The Christian life and the Christian family is all about serving the Lord. It’s about living on mission to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost and dying world. Such a mission comes with great risks. A missional family must be willing to count the cost and take the risk of living on mission.

The life of a missional family. Now that we have seen a good example of a missional family found in scripture, it behooves us to examine more specifically the life of a missional family. What does a missional family look like? What is everyday life like for the missional family?

First of all, the missional family is heavily involved in their local church. It is important to note that you cannot separate the family from the church. If your family is going to be a missional family, they must be heavily involved in the local church. Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”^[7] We cannot encourage one another in good works if we do not meet together. The Bible suggest that we should gather together as a church family more and more as we get closer to the return of Christ. Yet, we live in a world were God’s people meet together less and less. T.D. Lea wrote, “To spur other believers forward in the Christian life, followers of Christ must meet together. Some of the readers of Hebrews were neglecting to meet together for worship, and this limited their ability to give and receive encouragement toward good works. Christians who meet together with the aim of promoting godliness and love for one another can be remarkably successful in their ventures. Regular fellowship with believers is an essential ingredient in Christian growth.”^[8] Is your family heavily involved in the local church? Not just for Sunday morning worship. Is your family involved in Sunday School and evening services and mid-week services? Is your family engaged in the ministry of the church by serving within the church? You cannot be a missional family without being heavily involved in the local church.

The life of a missional family is not only heavily involved in the local church, but they are also living with purpose. The missional family does not live for their own personal gain. The missional family lives for the glory of God and for the advancement of His Kingdom. Paul said in Philippians 1:21, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”^[9] The missional family has a purpose in life. They live for the Lord and not for themselves.

Another thing we need to understand about the life of a missional family is that they are a praying family. You have heard the saying, “the family that prays together stays together.” To be honest, I will be the first to admit that this is a struggle for my family. We go in so many different ways, we are busy, and when we are at home all together we often are tired and weary from the day that gathering to pray as a family may take a backseat. However, a missional family should pray for one another and should also take time to pray together. It may be simply that moment before an evening meal or a more intense time of prayer before every goes to bed. Whatever works for your family situation, it is important that prayer is a priority for your family. Philippians 4:6 says, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”^[10]You cannot live on mission if you’re not praying. A family cannot be a missional family if it does not pray in whatever shape or form that prayer time may take.

The impact of the missional family. What kind of an impact is your family making on the world? What kind of legacy is your family building? The missional family is not one that just keeps to themselves. The missional family is one that is involved and engaged. They purposefully and strategically place themselves in situations and opportunities to have an impact on the world around them. You cannot make an impact if you are not involved and engaged in the community around you. Such engagement may look different for different families. God has a way of putting us in strategic places with various gifts and abilities to have an impact in a way that no one else can. Is your family looking for ways to have an impact on the world around you? God has called all Christian families to be missional. The form in which living missional takes will vary from family to family. However, we should all strive to build Godly homes that are missional. A church filled with missional families is a church that will have the greatest impact on its community.

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^[1] The New King James Version. (1982). (Ac 18:1–2). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

^[2] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 475). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

^[3] The New King James Version. (1982). (1 Co 16:19). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

^[4] The New King James Version. (1982). (Ro 16:3–4). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

^[5] Mounce, R. H. (1995). Romans (Vol. 27, p. 274). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

^[6] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 565). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

^[7] The New King James Version. (1982). (Heb 10:24–25). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

^[8] Lea, T. D. (1999). Hebrews, James (Vol. 10, p. 187). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

^[9] The New King James Version. (1982). (Php 1:21). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

^[10] The New King James Version. (1982). (Php 4:6). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.