I WAS 22 YEARS OLD WHEN I TOOK
MY FIRST FULL-TIME MINISTRY JOB.
I WAS A YOUTH OUTREACH DIRECTOR
AT THIS PHENOMENAL CHURCH IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
I WAS YOUNG AND CUTTING MY TEETH IN MINISTRY
AND I LOVED EVERY SECOND OF IT.
I WAS A SMALL GROUP LEADER FOR FRESHMAN BOYS.
I WOULD GO TO HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL GAMES
EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT,
STAYED UP LATE AT LOCAL RESTAURANTS
WITH THE WHOLE NINE YARDS WHEN IT CAME TO STUDENTS.
I WAS 24/7 INTO MINISTRY
AND DOING LIFE WITH THEM ALL DAY LONG.
FAST FORWARD TWO YEARS
AND I GOT MARRIED TO MY AMAZING WIFE KRYSTAL,
AND ALMOST IMMEDIATELY I KNEW MY PRIORITIES HAD TO SHIFT.
I COULDN'T STAY OUT LATE AND EAT PIZZA AND DRINK SODA
LIKE I USED TO WITH TEENAGERS.
I COULDN'T ATTEND EVERY SINGLE
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL GAME, EITHER.
MY WIFE HAD TO BECOME MY VERY FIRST PRIORITY.
VERY EARLY ON, THOUGH, MY WIFE FELT
THAT OUR FAMILY WOULD DO THIS TYPE OF STUFF TOGETHER.
I REMEMBER HER TELLING ME
THAT I SHOULDN'T BE THE ONLY ONE DOING MINISTRY IN OUR HOME.
SO, AFTER A FEW MONTHS OF BEING MARRIED,
MY WIFE DECIDED TO JOIN ME
IN THE SAME MINISTRY THAT I WAS IN
AND SERVE TOGETHER ALONGSIDE ME.
WE MADE THIS DECISION SO THAT WE COULD BE
WITH EACH OTHER MORE AND HELP SERVE THE CHURCH.
BUT WHAT STARTED OUT AS JUST A MINISTRY OPPORTUNITY
TO SERVE THE CHURCH,
TURNED INTO ONE OF THE BEST DECISIONS
WE HAVE EVER MADE IN OUR MARRIAGE.
YOU SEE, THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT SERVING ALONGSIDE EACH OTHER
AND FURTHERING THE KINGDOM OF GOD
THAT MADE US SEE LIFE BEYOND JUST... JUST OUR MARRIAGE.
IT HELPED US TO SEE WHAT GOD CAN DO
IN AND THROUGH OUR LIVES
WHEN WE GIVE OUR LIVES AWAY FOR HIS SAKE.
FROM THAT SEASON ON WE MADE THE SAME VOW THAT JOSHUA DID
BEFORE THE ISRAELITES WHEN HE SAID,
"BUT IF SERVING THE LORD SEEMS UNDESIRABLE TO YOU,
"THEN CHOOSE FOR YOURSELVES THIS DAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE,
"WHETHER THE GODS YOUR ANCESTORS SERVED BEYOND THE EUPHRATES,
"OR THE GODS OF THE AMORITES, IN WHOSE LAND YOU ARE LIVING.
"BUT AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSEHOLD, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD."
HERE JOSHUA LAYS BEFORE THE ISRAELITES
A CHOICE ON WHO THEY WILL SERVE.
AND HE FINISHES THE SENTENCE
BY SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF HIS ENTIRE HOUSEHOLD.
JOSHUA UNDERSTOOD THAT AS THE HEAD OF HIS HOME,
HE SET THE PRECEDENCE FOR WHO THE FAMILY WOULD FOLLOW.
THE LESSON WE LEARN FROM JOSHUA THAT APPLIES TO US ALL
IS THAT AS FAMILY WE SHOULD SEEK TO SERVE GOD TOGETHER.
AND BY DOING SO, WE EXPERIENCE THE DIVINE INTERVENTION
OF GOD'S GUIDANCE AND PROVISION.
BECAUSE OF THIS PRECEDENCE THAT WE'VE ADOPTED FROM JOSHUA,
WE HAVE VOWED TO ALWAYS SERVE THE LORD
AND HIS CHURCH AS A FAMILY.
WHETHER THAT'S MISSION TRIPS,
SERVING OPPORTUNITIES AT THE CHURCH,
OR WHEREVER THE LORD LEADS US,
WE ARE GOING TO DO IT TOGETHER AS A FAMILY.
WHY?
BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT A FAMILY THAT SERVES TOGETHER,
FLOURISHES TOGETHER.
SO LET ME LEAVE YOU WITH THIS QUESTION:
HOW MIGHT YOUR HOUSEHOLD LOOK DIFFERENT IF TODAY
YOU VOWED THAT AS FOR YOU AND YOUR HOUSE,
YOU WILL SERVE THE LORD?