Family
Churches Must Confront the Battle Over Family Before It’s Too Late
Faith Facts
- The biblical definition of family is under unprecedented cultural attack as secular ideology seeks to redefine marriage and parenthood
- Many churches have remained silent on surrogacy and the commodification of children despite clear scriptural guidance on God’s design for families
- The current debate reveals America has lost consensus on what constitutes a family, requiring bold pastoral leadership and biblical clarity
The battle lines are drawn, and many Christian leaders are only now realizing the scope of the conflict. The current cultural upheaval over marriage, surrogacy, and the treatment of children as commodities has revealed a crisis that churches can no longer ignore: America no longer agrees on what a family actually is.
For generations, the biblical model of family—one man, one woman, united in covenant marriage, raising children as a sacred trust from God—was understood as the foundation of civilization itself. But that consensus has shattered. In its place, secular ideology now promotes the notion that families can be defined by individual desire rather than divine design.
This represents more than a political disagreement. It strikes at the heart of God’s created order and His intention for human flourishing. When Scripture speaks of family, it does so with clarity and purpose—establishing roles, responsibilities, and relationships that reflect the very nature of the Trinity.
The silence from many pulpits on these issues has been deafening. While cultural elites push for acceptance of surrogacy arrangements that treat children as products to be purchased, and while marriage is redefined to accommodate any configuration of consenting adults, too many pastors have chosen comfort over courage.
Yet the stakes could not be higher for the next generation. Children need mothers and fathers. They need the stability that comes from a home built on covenant commitment rather than contractual convenience. They need to see modeled before them the sacrificial love that mirrors Christ’s love for His church.
The church’s reluctance to address these issues directly has allowed secular thinking to fill the void. When Christians fail to articulate why God’s design for family matters, society defaults to arrangements based solely on adult desires rather than children’s needs or biblical truth.
This is a defining moment. Churches must reclaim the conversation about family by teaching clearly what Scripture says—not with hatred or condemnation, but with conviction rooted in love for both truth and people. The gospel offers hope and restoration even for those whose families have been shattered by sin and brokenness.
But that restoration begins with affirming what God has already made clear: families are not social constructs to be endlessly reimagined. They are divine institutions designed by a loving Creator who knows what His children need to thrive.
American families are in crisis precisely because we have abandoned this foundation. The remedy is not compromise or silence—it is a return to biblical truth spoken boldly and lived faithfully by God’s people.
Let us know what you think, please share your thoughts in the comments below.
Faith Facts
- Clyde and Gwen Antwine celebrated 70 years of marriage rooted in Christian service and missionary work across Europe and the United States.
- The couple met at a youth camp in Texas and built their relationship on shared faith, mission trips, and a commitment to mentoring young Christians.
- They helped establish a healthy church in Zurich, Switzerland, and continued to serve faithfully at Memorial Road Church of Christ in Oklahoma.
The Antwines first met as teenagers at a two-week encampment at Abilene Christian University. Clyde was 15 years old and sold his FFA prize-winning steer for $40 to attend. That is where he first saw Gwen, then 14, and asked to take her picture.
He carried that photograph in his wallet for five years before they reunited at Abilene Christian during his sophomore year. They married six months later.
“The last day of camp, I worked up the courage to ask her if I could take her picture, and she posed. And I put that picture in my wallet. I didn’t even know her name. I just knew she was pretty.”
After Clyde graduated, the couple boarded a boat for Europe in 1959. They served seven years in Zurich, helping to strengthen a young congregation of the Church of Christ. Their work laid a foundation that still bears fruit today.
Later the Antwines served in the German cities of Augsburg and Munich. After nearly two decades overseas, they returned to the United States. Clyde became missionary in residence at Oklahoma Christian University while Gwen served as office manager for The Christian Chronicle.
“Gwen would get you laughing and see the positive side when things got tough, and Clyde, in his quiet voice, would somehow say the exact words you needed to hear to keep you spiritually grounded.”
Their legacy continues through the many students they mentored for mission work. The Antwines never sought recognition. Their only goal was to prepare others for Kingdom service.
Today, Clyde still carries that original photograph of Gwen from their teenage years. Their story stands as a clear testimony of enduring love, steadfast faith, and lifelong commitment to the Lord’s work.
Let us know what you think, please share your thoughts in the comments below.
Faith Facts
- Ashley Flynn’s family states she “wanted her life to point people to Jesus.”
- She is remembered as a mother of two who “loved Jesus with her whole heart.”
- The case centers on the tragic loss of a Christian wife and mother whose testimony continues to inspire faith.
The family of the late Ashley Flynn is remembering the slain mother of two as someone who “loved Jesus with her whole heart” after her husband Caleb was found guilty of murdering her as the defendant’s family maintains his innocence.
Let us know what you think, please share your thoughts in the comments below.
Faith Facts
- Christians across Puerto Rico are gathering for six days of prayer for families, churches and the island’s future.
- The island is a U.S. territory located in the Caribbean.
- The multi-day prayer initiative reflects a commitment to faith, family and national values.
Christians across Puerto Rico are gathering this week for six days of prayer for families, churches and the future of the island, a U.S. territory in the Caribbean.
Believers are uniting in churches and communities to seek God’s guidance and blessing over their households and the territory’s future.
Participants are lifting up concerns ranging from family stability and spiritual renewal to economic growth and cultural preservation.
Let us know what you think, please share your thoughts in the comments below.
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