Raymond Leacock—London, UK

Many of us are familiar with the family of Timothy and the households of Lydia and the Philippian jailer (2 Tim 1:5; Acts 16:15, 34). One common factor in these accounts is that they all came to believe with their respective families. Likewise, we hear many testimonies of brothers and sisters coming to Christ because one family member took the initial step of faith, eventually leading the entire household to the path of salvation. In some cases, the first believer is not the family head or in a position of authority; it may be a son or daughter, who, despite great difficulty, preached to the rest of the family.

Preaching to one's family is never easy. The Lord Jesus Christ testifies:

         "Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to 'set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law'; and a 'man's enemies will be those of his own household.' He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it." (Mt 10:34–39)

The Lord Jesus emphasizes that He brings not peace but a sword—one that has the potential to cut and cause division, even within families. Division and conflict are indeed recurrent themes in testimonies of bringing family members to Christ; some of us may even be experiencing them now. When a family is not united in pursuing worthiness in the eyes of the Lord Jesus Christ, and there remains a need to defend the faith within the family, divisions will persist. My experience was no different.

THE SWORD OF CONFLICTING PREFERENCES

My parents moved to the UK from the Caribbean in the 1960s, and held to the principles of the Anglican Church, which are rooted in the beliefs of the Church of England. Although the sword of the Spirit—the word of God (Eph 6:17)—was present in my upbringing, the truth of salvation was not. When I started attending a Pentecostal church at the age of ten in 1983, my father objected. He questioned why my footsteps had turned away from the church he knew, and his objections intensified when I started attending the True Jesus Church in 1987. In that first month, my Dad would go on the offensive, questioning me every Sabbath: "Where are you going? Why are you going to that church?"

Regrettably, I found myself responding confrontationally, which only deepened his prejudices against the True Jesus Church. Our conversations and conflicting preferences became like the clashing of swords. I also fought an inner battle as I struggled to balance my faith with my relationship with my parents. I wrestled with the question: how do I honor my parents while defying their will? I wondered how I could remain on peaceful terms with them when we disagreed about faith, and how long this conflict would last.

TO FULLY EMBRACE THE WORD OF GOD, WORD OF TRUTH

Attending the True Jesus Church, I found that the more I listened to and studied God's word in services and religious education, the stronger my connection with God became. I felt more worthy of Him. I learned to embrace the word of God and abandon the incorrect beliefs I previously held. Yet, this was not enough. By the grace of God, I received His Holy Spirit before I was baptized, and I could truly see the goodness of God upon me. Receiving the Holy Spirit was a significant milestone, connecting me to the one true God for my salvation. However, I still faced another battle: gaining my parents' permission to receive water baptism.

Baptism was another source of conflict between us. My parents' Anglican beliefs of christening and confirmation contradicted the teachings of the Holy Scriptures, so it took me three attempts to gain consent from my father. But not only did he accept, he also attended my baptism.

OPPORTUNITIES TO TESTIFY OF THE ONE FAITH

Discovering the truth of salvation within the True Jesus Church and receiving God's Spirit and baptism were great blessings. However, there remained a deep desire for my family to also receive salvation through the True Jesus Church. I was determined to seize the moment to prevent them from missing out on this blessing.

When I mustered the courage to invite my father to church services, he would reply, "See how I go." This meant his attendance would depend on what his other options were on the Sabbath. Nevertheless, I would go ahead and wait in the chapel, hoping he would turn up. Over time, I came to realize that even if my father did attend, he would face two obstacles: the sword of truth and the wall of prejudice he had built concerning the church. Because of the demographics of the local membership, my father thought the True Jesus Church was only for the Chinese, unaware that the gospel had already reached people of many nations and backgrounds across the world.

Only God Himself could touch my father's heart, opening his eyes to see and learn new things. His willingness to attend church gradually grew, step by step. These are a few significant stages in my father's journey to baptism.

Preparing and Planting

During my teenage years, my father would regularly cut my hair on Sundays, saving me a trip to the barbershop. These haircuts were the perfect opportunity for me to share with him the teachings of the True Jesus Church and its Articles of Faith. Sometimes, our conversations seemed to leave him with a clearer understanding of the church. However, he would conclude the conversation with a quip: "You should not look down on another church." Our discussions became a battleground, but they also served as a training ground. I learned persistence and determination in guiding my father to pursue the same goal: to love the Lord Jesus Christ, to become worthy of Him, and to find life through Him.

Continual Care

In 2005, aged thirty-two, I left London for Leicester and prepared for full-time ministry. Throughout these years, I continued writing letters—including Bible verses—to my parents, to help them grasp why we should believe in the doctrines. My father asked why I kept sending him these letters. I replied that I did not want him to forget the contents, because the message was crucial for him to understand and believe for his salvation.

Taking Root

During this time, my father began attending True Jesus Church services more regularly. Slowly, he came to recognize and tear down the walls of prejudice he had harbored against the church. He realized that there was nothing unusual about the brethren—that their motives were pure. More importantly, he came to understand that the True Jesus Church teaches the truth of salvation and has the presence and love of God.

Flourishing Faith

While I was away undergoing theological training, my father's understanding and appreciation of the truth and love in the church grew. He even understood the need for water baptism. He was baptized in 2012, at the age of seventy-three. Although I was not present at his baptism, I was thankful to God in my heart. My father had learned to pursue this spiritual path with faith, willingly letting go of the teachings of the Anglican Church.

LESSONS ON PREACHING TO FAMILY

         "But when he sees his children,
The work of My hands, in his midst,
They will hallow My name,
And hallow the Holy One of Jacob,
And fear the God of Israel.
These also who erred in spirit will come to understanding,
And those who complained will learn doctrine." (Isa 29:23–24)

There are several lessons to learn when preaching to family members. First and foremost, we must learn to submit to God’s truth ourselves. We speak the truth in love, but it may take longer than anticipated for the other person to be receptive to the doctrines of God. When the apostle Paul preached to Lydia, it was God who opened her heart (Acts 16:14). That was the turning point for Lydia and her family.

         And He said to them, "Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some." So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish. (Jn 21:6)

The second lesson is that every member of the church has a role to play in bringing souls to salvation. The Lord Jesus Christ instructed His disciples on where to cast their nets and how to position them. However, the disciples had to be ready to haul in the teeming net. They each played a role in bringing the fish onto the boat. Likewise, as fishers of men, we can all help to save a soul. There were times when I did not preach the gospel of salvation to my father in person. Yet, my father experienced the love and concern of the resident preachers and brethren. Their willingness to care for my father certainly strengthened his commitment to this true path of salvation.

         "Also the sons of the foreigner
Who join themselves to the LORD, to serve Him,
And to love the name of the LORD, to be His servants—
Everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath,
And holds fast My covenant—
Even them I will bring to My holy mountain,
And make them joyful in My house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices
Will be accepted on My altar;
For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations." (Isa 56:6–7)

Those who willingly come to God, though they were once foreigners to Him, will experience Him guiding them to His holy mountain—His true church. Their walls of prejudice or preconception will gradually break down. As they witness God's abundant providence for His church, through the members, they will experience the joy and satisfaction of being part of this church. Those guiding their family members toward salvation can have faith that this process will gradually open the hearts of their loved ones to accept God's will and let go of what is unacceptable to God.

         "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples." (Jn 15:7–8)

The third lesson for us, when we are facing the sword within our household, is to return to the words of the Lord Jesus Christ. In conflict, we tend to rely on our own arguments. However, this may lead to greater divisions, and we struggle to limit the repercussions of our words. When we return to the words of the Lord Jesus Christ, He sees our desire to continue abiding in Him. The values of the Lord Jesus strengthen us from within. Abiding in His words reminds us to bear fruit according to the truth He has testified to us. It teaches us to bear fruit with patience, especially when we want immediate results.

         Blessed are those who keep justice,
And he who does righteousness at all times! (Ps 106:3)

Finally, we may initially feel uncomfortable preaching to family members, often because we have not seriously thought about what it means to bear fruit for the Lord Jesus Christ. However, through consistent prayer, worship, and service to God, we can cultivate the right mindset, enabling us to discern what is right in the Lord's eyes. The apostle Paul learned to do this during his time in Corinth. He had to discern who was chosen and not chosen by God. Over one and a half years, he witnessed the blessed choice of the Lord (Acts 18:9–11). In the same way, we too must learn to be aligned with the Lord's thoughts and witness them come to pass. When we do, our fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ will remain true. We will then be able to preach with conviction, waiting patiently on God's perfect timing for our loved ones to come to Him. Amen!