In this episode of Thru the Fire, Dr. Marie Seltz and Dr. Greg Seltz examine why it seems families and family values, traditional and otherwise, are under attack in our culture. The Family has been devalued. They discuss the history of the degradation of families in America, some of the reasons for it, and what they witnessed serving in urban missions in some of the country’s roughest neighborhoods. But, more significantly, they consider how we can reverse this destructive cultural and societal trend and how to bring back families as God intended them to exist.

Why have families come under attack in our culture, causing dysfunction and separation? 

What has led to the loss of traditional families?

• Extended families no longer live together under the same roof, and that has caused problems 
• Generations are not passing down traditions, morays, manners, and morals down to younger generations 
• Kids don’t hear the family’s stories through the generations -so families don’t mean as much to most kids. 
• The Women’s Movement changed families, though those changes often ran afoul of God’s teaching 
• Women were no longer reliant upon the husband’s income, and their freedom of movement has led to children being under the constant pressure of displacement 
• The parental focus changed from children to individual values of adult fulfillment.  
• Children will have to adapt instead of adult parents having to adapt to the needs of the children. 

Love points away from the individual (selflessness), sin points towards the individual (selfishness)

Personal experience:  

The Seltzes explain what they saw happening in society while serving in urban missions around the country: How Societal and cultural freedom separated families and led to a disrespect of the family 

• A family name and a family’s reputation used to keep children inline 
• The government started instituting policies that were/are anti-family 
• Broken families brought about by separation and divorce forced fathers from the home  
• Through divorce, the courts lowered the expectations of fathers to the barest minimum. 

Technology is another significant factor that has altered to the family experience in the home: 

Technology and the easy access to it has further divided families. We don’t sit in the same rooms together, watching one TV show or gathering around the table for meals. 

What the Bible Says About Families 

• Bible and what it says about family identity-“honor thy father and mother.” 
• Families were created by God to help us share and practice His love for us.
• Stable societies are built upon the Family, the Church, and the Government.  
• In our culture, two essential foundations of civil society are missing in many people’s lives: Solid families and the Church. 

What can we do? 

• Family needs to come first again, then the church, then the government. 
• Building Stronger Families can help us share our love and find our identity.  
• Families find solutions and manage crisis
• Society and the Church need to find ways to love, support and strengthen families.
• The church needs to model what the family should look like and welcome broken families into the church family.