By Matthew F. Leighty
Executive Director
In a church leadership seminar I attended a while back, we explored our family trees and discovered our lineage’s profound impact on us. It made me reflect on how my parents’ steadfast faith, passed down to my sister and me, now guides my wife, Kelli, and me as we instill the same values in our children. A pivotal moment was when my father accepted the call to enter the ministry and become a pastor, which led our family to serve the Lord nationwide. This legacy of service continues with my sister teaching in a Lutheran school and my work with Worship Anew, where we are united in spreading Christ’s love.
Jesus’ words in Mark 16:15-16 (NKJV), “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature,” resonate deeply within our family. We’ve designed our home with a spacious dinner table, the heart of our household, where memories are made, and faith is cultivated. We have an active family, so I cherish it when we can come together for dinner and discuss our day, culminating with giving thanks to God and reciting the Lord’s Prayer.
Ensuring our children have faith in our triune God is the most important thing we can do as parents. Our commitment to Christ is the cornerstone of our family life, a story we share in our Faith Story video (please see the link below). We understand that some families may have members who strayed from the faith. In these moments, we encourage seeking guidance from your local pastor or church worker and finding solace in God’s promise never to forsake those who confess Christ as their Savior.
As we look to share more about our Faith Story videos in the coming months, we invite you to view the one completed by my family. These narratives can be a powerful means to pass on one’s faith to future generations. Whether around the dinner table or through shared stories, let us commit to nurturing belief across generations and fulfilling the Great Commission, starting with our families.
The July issue of Worship Anew delves into the sharing of the faith. Our research with Barna Group has shed light on these pivotal relationships in faith formation, highlighting the influential roles of parents, grandparents, pastors, and chaplains. I encourage you to reflect on who has shaped your faith journey and consider whom you might mentor. As we sow seeds of faith, we pray for the Holy Spirit to work in the hearts of all who hear.
Worship Anew offers a wealth of resources to support individuals and families in their faith journey—from our weekly worship services that bring the Word of God into homes across the nation and worldwide via the American Forces Network Television to our Hope-Full Living devotions that offer daily reflections and prayers. Our ministry is dedicated to nurturing an abundant life in Christ. Our website, WorshipAnew.org, serves as a hub for these resources, providing easy access to our extensive library of resources that share the love of Christ.
As I reflect on this theme, I’m reminded of the words from the Apostle Paul in Philippians 1:6 (ESV), “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” This verse assures us that our journey in faith is an ongoing process, one that God Himself is nurturing and perfecting in us. Let this be an encouragement to all of us as we continue to share our faith and witness the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives and the lives of those around us.