(C) 2010 Operation Nehemiah. All Rights Reserved.
Websters: The Levites Home Family Academy
Strengthening the Families
Strengthening the family unit in the South Sudan
The vast majority of families in the South Sudan have been devastated by the impact of 23 years of civil war. Those in the Islamic government from the north have succeeded in their plan to destroy the fundamental fabric of the South Sudan’s Christian community. Between 1983-2005, millions were killed and millions more fled the region for refuge in neighboring countries due to the atrocities being perpetrated against them.
The impact of this displacement was far reaching. Most marriages were destroyed, with many women being left as widows or abandoned. The levels of separation, divorce, polygamy, fornication, adultery, and co-habitation are now staggering.
The peace agreement (CPA) signed between the north and the South Sudan to end the war and hostility has provided some hope to restore the fabric of the Chrsistan family in the South Sudan. It has paved the way for many of the families trapped in refugee camps to return to their homeland and rebuild their communities.
However, the men and women who are now returning fled the country when they were very young. Most of them lost their parents in the war and were raised without the stabilizing influence of a father and mother in the home. Although many profess Christianity, there is a severe lack of understanding as to how one applies Biblical teaching to issues of morality and holiness within the home.
It has become apparent that strengthening the family foundation and the Christian faith should be Operation Nehemiah’s chief focus for ministry in Magwi County. Couples who desire to be married under the authority of The Beth Israel on The Nile will need to accept and adhere to the following Biblical guidelines as stated below.
Both parties must profess salvation through the blood of Jesus and be actively pursuing a deeper understanding and application of the word of God.
Both parties must regularly attend a local congregation.
Must demonstrate responsibility within the community by working with their own hands.
Must be known to clearly honor their parents or guardians.
Must demonstrate respect for elders.
Must clearly refrain from fornication, and be free from the bondage of co-habitation, adultery, alcoholism, violence, and polygamy.
Must refrain from secular dating practices.
Must be engaged in godly courtship practices: The young man should seek permission and blessing from the parents of the young woman to spend time with their daughter for the purpose of pursuing marriage.
Premarital counseling should be conducted by a married pastor who understands the significance and meaning of marriage as a covenant with God, rather than contract.
Widows: God’s general design is that most women will marry and receive protection and provision from their husbands. However, when women in the church lose their husbands, the church needs to care for them in the proper way.
So Paul instructed the church about its obligations in that area.
Review 1 Timothy 5:
The church’s obligation to support widows (v. 3)
The church’s obligation to evaluate their needs (vv. 4-8)
The church’s obligation to maintain a high standard for widows who serve in the church (vv. 9-10)
The church’s obligation to instruct young widows to remarry (vv. 11-15)
“The younger widows refuse [to put on the official list]; for when they have begun to grow wanton against Christ, they will marry, having condemnation, because they have cast off their first faith. And, besides, they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle but tattlers also, and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not. I will, therefore, that the younger women marry, bear children, rule the house, give no occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully. For some are already turned aside after Satan. If any man or woman that believeth has widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged, that it may relieve them that are widows indeed.”
Widows in the Biblical Sense and Their Right
Those whose unsaved husbands desert them
Sometimes an unbelieving husband will leave his wife when she becomes a believer. In the early church desertion was a common occurrence. First Corinthians 7:15 says, “If the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not in bondage in such cases.” If an unbeliever ends his marriage with his believing wife, the woman has the privilege and right to remarry–but only a believer (7:39; 9:5).
Those whose husbands engage in an adulterous lifestyle
According to the Lord Jesus, sexual sin is legitimate grounds for divorce (Matt. 5:32; 19:9), especially an ongoing adulterous lifestyle without repentance. In Old Testament times it resulted in the guilty party’s death–and death certainly dissolved a marriage! God’s graciousness doesn’t sentence the innocent party to lifelong celibacy. Where biblical grounds for divorce exist, there is freedom to remarry.
Those whose husbands die
Romans 7:2-3 says that when death dissolves a marriage there is freedom to remarry.
Guidelines for Women seeking assistance from Beth Israel Messianic Congregation On the Nile:
If a woman is not a widow, we then assume that she is either married, separated from her husband, or single.
If she is married, it is the role and responsibility of her husband to provide and protect her. If he is unable to provide for his family the role of the Church is to offer assistance upon the husband’s request on an emergency bases only. He will then be encouraged and assisted to find a job and support his family.
If a woman is separated from her husband, the first step is to reconcile the marriage. Our leadership should be contacted to counsel the couple toward reconciliation. During this process, her primary care and provision should be from her immediate family (i.e. parents, brothers, or other relatives). The church will only help with spiritual growth. Material help will be provided on an emergency basis only when the persons she resides with request the help..
If the woman is single, it is the role of her parents, relatives or other legal guardians to provide for and protect her until marriage, if that is the Lord’s will, or for life, if she remains single. In this case The Church will only provide spiritual assistance.
The leadership of The Beth Israel on The Nile will not engage in any pastoral counseling with a married woman without the presence of her husband. If the husband is unavailable, there must be a minimum of two elders present during counseling sessions.
The primary advisors and mentors for single women and young married women are older, mature married women. The Church will endeavor to encourage godly mentoring among the women of the congregation.
© 2010 Operation Nehemiah. All rights reserved.
Strengthening the family unit in the South Sudan
The vast majority of families in the South Sudan have been devastated by the impact of 23 years of civil war. Those in the Islamic government from the north have succeeded in their plan to destroy the fundamental fabric of the South Sudan’s Christian community. Between 1983-2005, millions were killed and millions more fled the region for refuge in neighboring countries due to the atrocities being perpetrated against them.
The impact of this displacement was far reaching. Most marriages were destroyed, with many women being left as widows or abandoned. The levels of separation, divorce, polygamy, fornication, adultery, and co-habitation are now staggering.
The peace agreement (CPA) signed between the north and the South Sudan to end the war and hostility has provided some hope to restore the fabric of the Chrsistan family in the South Sudan. It has paved the way for many of the families trapped in refugee camps to return to their homeland and rebuild their communities.
However, the men and women who are now returning fled the country when they were very young. Most of them lost their parents in the war and were raised without the stabilizing influence of a father and mother in the home. Although many profess Christianity, there is a severe lack of understanding as to how one applies Biblical teaching to issues of morality and holiness within the home.
It has become apparent that strengthening the family foundation and the Christian faith should be Operation Nehemiah’s chief focus for ministry in Magwi County. Couples who desire to be married under the authority of The Beth Israel on The Nile will need to accept and adhere to the following Biblical guidelines as stated below.
Both parties must profess salvation through the blood of Jesus and be actively pursuing a deeper understanding and application of the word of God.
Both parties must regularly attend a local congregation.
Must demonstrate responsibility within the community by working with their own hands.
Must be known to clearly honor their parents or guardians.
Must demonstrate respect for elders.
Must clearly refrain from fornication, and be free from the bondage of co-habitation, adultery, alcoholism, violence, and polygamy.
Must refrain from secular dating practices.
Must be engaged in godly courtship practices: The young man should seek permission and blessing from the parents of the young woman to spend time with their daughter for the purpose of pursuing marriage.
Premarital counseling should be conducted by a married pastor who understands the significance and meaning of marriage as a covenant with God, rather than contract.
Widows: God’s general design is that most women will marry and receive protection and provision from their husbands. However, when women in the church lose their husbands, the church needs to care for them in the proper way.
So Paul instructed the church about its obligations in that area.
Review 1 Timothy 5:
The church’s obligation to support widows (v. 3)
The church’s obligation to evaluate their needs (vv. 4-8)
The church’s obligation to maintain a high standard for widows who serve in the church (vv. 9-10)
The church’s obligation to instruct young widows to remarry (vv. 11-15)
“The younger widows refuse [to put on the official list]; for when they have begun to grow wanton against Christ, they will marry, having condemnation, because they have cast off their first faith. And, besides, they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle but tattlers also, and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not. I will, therefore, that the younger women marry, bear children, rule the house, give no occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully. For some are already turned aside after Satan. If any man or woman that believeth has widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged, that it may relieve them that are widows indeed.”
Widows in the Biblical Sense and Their Right
Those whose unsaved husbands desert them
Sometimes an unbelieving husband will leave his wife when she becomes a believer. In the early church desertion was a common occurrence. First Corinthians 7:15 says, “If the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not in bondage in such cases.” If an unbeliever ends his marriage with his believing wife, the woman has the privilege and right to remarry–but only a believer (7:39; 9:5).
Those whose husbands engage in an adulterous lifestyle
According to the Lord Jesus, sexual sin is legitimate grounds for divorce (Matt. 5:32; 19:9), especially an ongoing adulterous lifestyle without repentance. In Old Testament times it resulted in the guilty party’s death–and death certainly dissolved a marriage! God’s graciousness doesn’t sentence the innocent party to lifelong celibacy. Where biblical grounds for divorce exist, there is freedom to remarry.
Those whose husbands die
Romans 7:2-3 says that when death dissolves a marriage there is freedom to remarry.
Guidelines for Women seeking assistance from Beth Israel Messianic Congregation On the Nile:
If a woman is not a widow, we then assume that she is either married, separated from her husband, or single.
If she is married, it is the role and responsibility of her husband to provide and protect her. If he is unable to provide for his family the role of the Church is to offer assistance upon the husband’s request on an emergency bases only. He will then be encouraged and assisted to find a job and support his family.
If a woman is separated from her husband, the first step is to reconcile the marriage. Our leadership should be contacted to counsel the couple toward reconciliation. During this process, her primary care and provision should be from her immediate family (i.e. parents, brothers, or other relatives). The church will only help with spiritual growth. Material help will be provided on an emergency basis only when the persons she resides with request the help..
If the woman is single, it is the role of her parents, relatives or other legal guardians to provide for and protect her until marriage, if that is the Lord’s will, or for life, if she remains single. In this case The Church will only provide spiritual assistance.
The leadership of The Beth Israel on The Nile will not engage in any pastoral counseling with a married woman without the presence of her husband. If the husband is unavailable, there must be a minimum of two elders present during counseling sessions.
The primary advisors and mentors for single women and young married women are older, mature married women. The Church will endeavor to encourage godly mentoring among the women of the congregation.
© 2010 Operation Nehemiah. All rights reserved.