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The Biblical Family

The defining issue of our day is the battle for the family. Upon the biblical family model rests the future of Western Civilization. The family is the backbone of the Church, the fundamental vehicle for evangelization, and the training ground for the next generation. Contained in this section are articles which address some of the more interesting and controversial elements of the battle for the family and the future of the Christian home.

The Last Almost of a Raceby Wesley Strackbein, April 23, 2012
The men and women of the Great Depression who yet remain with us are truly “the last almost of a race.” If we are to be faithful Christians, it is critical that we let the aged know that — though they may have lost most of their old comrades and their life-long sweethearts — we care greatly about their past and appreciate the battles they fought before we were born. Read More
Keep Your Heart with All Diligenceby Wesley Strackbein, January 11, 2012
The reigns of David and Solomon — unrivaled by any other earthly kings — have much to teach us on the implications of leading with integrity. In this article, Wesley Strackbein surveys the remarkable testimony of this father and son relationship, offering six key lessons from their lives on why we must keep our hearts pure before the Lord. Read More

Father and Daughter Retreat — Limited Space Available!
The reports are coming in, and they are not good. The average father in America spends less than ten minutes a day with his daughter. He knows little about her life or her heart. He can quote detailed sports statistics and daily gas prices, but he has little or nothing to say of eternal value to his little girl when the two of them are alone — which is almost never. Is it any wonder that the average daughter is emotionally and spiritually disconnected from her father? She invests her own time in the pursuit of fantasy, peers, boys — anything that will fill the gaping hole created by the absence of godly, fatherly manhood in her life. Read More
A Report from Doug Phillips
My deepest personal thanks to each of you for coming to The Baby Conference. It was one of the most important and controversial stands we have ever taken. As expected, the response of the conference has included both deep gratitude from defenders of life, and vituperative condemnations and hatred coming from adversaries of Vision Forum Ministries. Read More

Providing for a Large Familyby William Einwechter, June 30, 2010
“How can we afford to raise a large family in these days of high prices and high taxes?” In this hopeful article, Mr. Einwechter explains that scarcity has always been a problem in a world of limited resources, but that God has promised to meet the needs of His people. Offering practical advice on family stewardship, he maintains this: that true financial security is found in making the work of God’s kingdom our priority. Read More
The Patriarchy Paradigmby William Einwechter, June 23, 2010
Introduction In his April 9, 2010 blog entry, “The ‘Patriarchy’ Problem”, P. Andrew Sandlin argues that patriarchy and egalitarianism are equally wrong, false doctrine, and enemies of biblical truth. Now this is not the first time that Andrew has set... Read More

The Baby Conference — Schedule Announced!
On July 8-10, The Baby Conference: An Historic Family Summit on the Triumph of Life Over the Culture of Death will answer hundreds of critical questions, such as, “Is it good stewardship for the poor to use birth control?” This conference has one of the most inspiring and ambitious lineups in the history of any Vision Forum event, so make sure you sign up today and prepare for one of the most encouraging, equipping, and foundational events you have ever attended. Read More
Men and Women and the Creation Order, Part 3by William Einwechter, January 15, 2010
Does the creation order for men and women only apply to the spheres of family and church, or does it apply to all of life — including the civil realm? This article is part 3 of a 3-part series entitled “Men and Women and the Creation Order” by Pastor William Einwechter, wherein he concludes by showing how creation order for men and women applies in marriage, in the church, the state, and the whole of society. Read More

How to End the Year 2009by Douglas Phillips, Esq., December 21, 2009
Life moves fast. If we don’t take the time to chronicle the providences of God, we forget them. If we don’t take the time to say thank you to those who have invested in our lives, we actually cultivate a spirit of ingratitude in our own hearts. If we don’t stop and make sure that we have a spirit of forgiveness toward others, we grow bitter, we lose the capacity to move victoriously into the future, and our prayers are hindered. Read More
Men and Women and the Creation Order, Part 2by William Einwechter, August 20, 2009
Does the creation order for men and women only apply to the spheres of family and church, or does it apply to all of life — including the civil realm? This article is part 2 of a 3-part series entitled “Men and Women and the Creation Order” by Pastor William Einwechter, wherein he continues his analysis by breaking down the Genesis account of the creation of man and woman, as well as the results of the curse on men and women’s roles. Read More

Men and Women and the Creation Order, Part 1by William Einwechter, April 13, 2009
Does the creation order for men and women only apply to the spheres of family and church, or does it apply to all of life — including the civil realm? This article is part 1 of a 3-part series entitled “Men and Women and the Creation Order” that Pastor William Einwechter has penned to address this critical question. In part 1, he introduces his subject in view of the recent candidacy of Gov. Sarah Palin for the Vice Presidency and then defines the “Creation Order” Read More
What I Teach My Children About Charles Darwinby Douglas Phillips, Esq., February 12, 2009
Today is the bicentennial of Charles Darwin’s birth. What shall we tell our children about this great man? In this article, Doug Phillips offers several summary thoughts: Darwin was bitter, was sloppy as a scientist, trained his children to hate the God of the Bible, and more. Read More

The Coming of Mahershalalhashbazby Douglas Phillips, Esq., November 17, 2008
What’s in a name? Maybe more than you realize. You begin and end your life with it. It is the one moniker that you carry with you all the time, wherever you go. It never leaves you. This article — excerpted from Doug Phillips’ new book, The Little Boy Down the Road — offers humorous anecdotes from the Phillips’ family as they have sought to give their children “Epistemologically Self-Conscious” baby names. Read More
Are Babies a “Drag” on the Economy?by Douglas Phillips, Esq., August 14, 2008
Are babies a “drag” on the economy? Those antagonistic to the fruit of the womb would have us believe so. In fact, the vitriol, hatred, and mockery on the Internet that is communicated from the Press, radical leftists, homosexual advocacy groups, and even mean-spirited feminists who profess to be Christians, against precious and prolific families like the Duggars has reached an all time high. Read More

The Rise and Fall and Rise of Motherhood in America
Only women can be mothers. Have we forgotten this fundamental? Only a woman can carry in her body an eternal being which bears the very image of God. Only she is the recipient of the miracle of life. Only a woman can conceive and nurture this life using her own flesh and blood, and then deliver a living soul into the world. God has bestowed upon her alone a genuine miracle — the creation of life, and the fusing of an eternal soul with mortal flesh. This fact alone establishes the glory of motherhood. Read More
A Letter to a Grieving Fatherby Marcus Serven, November 14, 2007
John Calvin is best known as a distinguished theologian and leading Protestant Reformer. However, it must be remembered that he functioned first and foremost as a pastor to the congregation of believers at Geneva. This consolatory letter, written by Calvin to Monsieur de Richebourg on the death of his son, reveals a heart that is warm and tender towards those who suffer through the trials of life rather than one which is cold and hard. It is the heart of a true shepherd and pastor to his people. Read More

Calvin and Knox on the Doctrine of Male Headship
The Reformers of the sixteenth century did not acquiesce to the radical egalitarianism that has become the rage in Evangelical circles in our day, but rather affirmed the doctrine of male headship and female submission as taught in the Scriptures. While male headship is not a popular doctrine in the twenty-first century, it is one that has been affirmed by orthodox commentators for millennia. John Calvin and John Knox are two torch-bearers of this position from the Protestant Reformation. Read More
John Calvin on Women Rejoicing in Their Role as Homemakers
Reformer John Calvin affirmed the role of women as homemakers and urged ladies to rejoice in this station, “[L]et women learn to rejoice when they do their duty, and though the world despise it, let this comfort sweeten all respect they might have that way, and say, ‘God seeth me here, and his Angels, who are sufficient witnesses of my doings, although the world do not allow of them.’” Read More

Ask Now of the Days That Are Pastby Wesley Strackbein, August 1, 2007
As Moses prepared to go the way of the earth, he gave the children of Israel a history of God’s workings through their family heritage and charged them to “remember the days of old.” Do you understand your personal family history — both the good and the bad? This article offers probing lessons from Moses’ final discourses to the children of Israel on why it is important for God’s people to understand and explain to their children their family’s background so that they might have hope and overcome. Read More
The Debate over ‘Same-Sex Marriage’by William Einwechter, June 21, 2006
Today our nation is locked in a debate over whether or not we ought to permit “same-sex marriages,” or some sort of “civil union” between homosexuals. This article seeks to survey the debate and explore two reasons why Christians have not been very successful in the debate. Read More

The Tenets of Biblical Patriarchy
From time to time, God in His providence, allows not only for the testing of his saints, but for divisions, schisms and heresies to arise, that from such, His Church will grown in maturity and purity of faith, doctrine and practice. It is in the context of such “testing times” that God’s people are often reminded to “open the lost book of the law,” and return to the ancient paths — the eternal, unchanging truths found within the pages of Holy Scripture. Read More
The Feminization of the Familyby William Einwechter, December 8, 2005
Feminism is a radical movement that goes to the very root of the relationship between men and women. In this powerful article, William Einwechter explains six ways in which feminization has destabilized the biblical family. Read More

Living in Sodom: A Case Study, Part IIIby Scott Brown, May 13, 2005
Even though the feminist agenda cheerily shouts, “You can have it all,” and “You’ve come a long way, baby,” daughters have a natural bent toward hopelessness. Everywhere they turn, they are confronted with their inadequacy. Whether it is Barbie or Brittany, Hillary, or Hearst Magazine’s Powerwoman President, daughters can easily fall prey to comparisons that would lead them astray — to desires that would undo them. Read More
Living in Sodom: A Case Study, Part IIby Scott Brown, May 6, 2005
Lot did what is unthinkable to our ears, but his behavior reminds us that there are times in history when fathers disconnect with their daughters. When we look at history, we see a spectrum of behavior regarding daughters. Some periods are worse than others. Lot’s was despicable, but there is a gradation of behavior that expresses the same root problem. While Lot may be on the far end of the scale in the daughter-protection department, we ought not think we are exempt from the root sin that resulted in his abdication. While his actions were extreme, there are many other ways that fathers tend to disconnect protection of their daughters. Read More

Thoughts Regarding the Father-Daughter Relationshipby Katherine Bradrick, April 9, 2004
The following remarkable letter was written by Miss Katherine Bradrick in preparation for the Vision Forum Ministries 2004 Father and Daughter retreat. Katherine provides both practical examples of the importance of the father-daughter relationship and demonstrates the wonderful relationship she has with her beloved papa. Read More
On the Ten Year Anniversary of H.R.6by Douglas Phillips, Esq., March 19, 2004
Last month was the ten year anniversary of one of the most historic events in the history of the modern home school movement. In February of 1994, home educators from all fifty states descended on Washington D.C. in person. Meanwhile those who could not come by car or plane sent hundreds of thousands of phone calls to register their opposition to a bill which could have shut down home education. Read More

The Feminism of the Mothers is the Destruction of the Daughtersby Sarah Zes, January 14, 2004
Our obedience or disobedience to the high calling Jesus Christ has given us as women will affect future generations and even the future of this nation. Read More