Family-Integrated Church

United Families Dividing Churches

By Doug Brown Tue, 03/27/2012 - 12:00am

Reprinted with permission from Faith Pulpit (Jan-Mar, 2012)

The Family Integrated Church Movement (FICM) is having a growing impact within fundamental Baptist churches. Since the mid-1990s an increasing number of families within fundamental churches have gravitated toward the family-integrated approach. In addition, families entrenched in the movement have been drawn to fundamental churches because of their emphasis on Biblical preaching and conservatism. At first glance the influence of the FICM might seem entirely beneficial for traditional churches, but unfortunately not all of the impact has been positive. The FICM mindset can divide churches. 

Understanding the FICM

The FICM is comprised of evangelical churches, pastors, and laymen who share a distinct philosophical approach toward the family and church. Advocates of family-integrated churches (FIC) believe that families should always worship and fellowship together in age-integrated (i.e., multigenerational) services and activities. Conversely they insist that virtually all age-segregated ministries and activities at church, such as Sunday School or youth ministries, are unequivocally unbiblical. Also, they often speak of the father as the conduit of spirtual growth in the family.

The FICM is not a denomination but rather a loose association of churches and organizations represented by a variety of denominational perspectives. Some key leaders are the following:read more

Why Churches Should Have “Kid Times”

By SharperIron Mon, 10/08/2007 - 1:00am

by Aaron Blumer

As a pastor, I’ve been surprised by how often I encounter Christian parents who are disappointed that our church provides “kid times.” Regularly, our church gathers children, separates them from their families, and focuses on their needs. Many see this practice as unbiblical and bad for the family. Are they right?

children_cross.jpgFull Disclosure

I’m prejudiced against this way of thinking. My parents successfully reared all four children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord with the aid of churches that provided kid times, as did their parents before them. Both my mother and my grandmother turned to Christ and believed the gospel during Sunday school.

The idea that ministries like Sunday school, children’s church, and youth groups are recent inventions spawned by the godless thinking of anti-Christian philosophers finds a strongly skeptical audience in some of us. And the idea that these kid times are causing more young people to leave the faith is contrary to everything we’ve personally observed.

But the charge that these methods are unbiblical is the most serious one. Is there any basis in Scripture for separating children from their parents and siblings and teaching them? Should these kid times be a feature of our local church ministries?

Scripture provides at least four reasons for including kid times in the ministry of a local church.

1. Christians need the ministry of believers who are not members of their families.

If God had intended the family to be sufficient for worship and growth in the faith, He would not have invented the church. And in the church, individuals minister to one another across family lines.read more

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Randy Stinson Announces Family-Centered Vision for SBTS

By Greg Linscott Fri, 10/13/2006 - 12:58pm

Details Here

  • 382 reads

"Responding to Critiques of the Family Integrated Church"

By Greg Linscott Fri, 10/06/2006 - 8:13am

Michael Gobart with a resource guide on how to respond to critiques of the Family Integrated Church Movement.
Interestingly enough, 10 of his points are targeted at SI’s coverage of the 2006 FBFI resolution and accompanying article by David Smith for Frontline Magazine. Only one point (#11) deals directly with an original SI publication (Fleener).

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"...(T)he Fundamentalists at SharperIron.org have targeted proponents of unity between church and home for public censure."

By Greg Linscott Thu, 10/05/2006 - 10:08pm

Doug Phillips and Wesley Strackbein of Vision Forum share their grievances with SI and their planned responses

  • 220 reads

An Editorial Response to Vision Forum

By Greg Linscott Thu, 10/05/2006 - 4:06pm

ADDED 12:35 AM Friday, October 6, 2006

Some words of explanation/clarification:

  • We had made several attempts to contact and converse with VF leadership, as well as with Scott Brown of the National Center for Family Integrated Churches, following the original publication of the articles in 2005. An invitation to provide clarification of their position on the SI platform was offered to VF/NCFIC multiple times. The invitation still stands.
  • We have republished the “Family Squabble” article (though they have not specifically requested that we do so) in the interests of furthering charitable dialogue and clarification of the issues that unite and divide.
  • The most recent “personal contact” made with Jason before the recent publication of multiple articles on October 4, 2006, consisted of a fax of Einwechter’s article on the same day it was published online.
  • Jason is continuing to attempt personal conversation and dialogue between the VF leadership and the SI team.

––––

A little over a year ago, SI published a series of articles by Joe Fleener and Aaron Blumer detailing some concerns with the Family Integrated Church Movement. Joe Fleener specifically named Vision Forum Ministries in his three part series.

This week, Vision Forum began to issue a response to these articles. We have included the text to the main response on the SI blog.

However, it seems to have been implied that VF considers the publication of these articles at SI as “blogosphere gossip.” Prefacing Michael Gobart’s article is this statement:read more

  • 549 reads