A Christ-centered home is more than a place where a Bible-believing family lives. It is a place of security, prosperity, and provision—not because the parents and kids who live there are hardworking, although that might be true. A Christ-centered home holds these attributes within its walls because of the One who builds it.
What does this mean?
Christ Builds Homes of Security, Prosperity, and Provision
Psalm 127:1 says this…
- “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.”
We might build a house, but it is the Lord who builds a home.
Before a home can be built, a builder must be chosen—and this is a critical decision. We want to know the builder is…
- Trustworthy
- Strong and wise
- Seeing all stages of building from beginning to end, even when we don’t
As married couples, parents, and grandparents, we want to succeed in our family life. This is done through a Christ-centered home.
We want to know our homes are a place of security, that every family member can prosper in what they do for His kingdom, and we will have what we need when we need it.
In order to move from a house to a home, Christ must be the Builder.
When a house is built with the right foundation by the Builder Himself, there will be joy and victory within the walls.
Why is this true? Because this is God’s design for family.
Family Is the Fabric of Society
God deeply desires healthy families because healthy families create healthy societies.
A Christ-centered home is meant to reflect God’s design for marriage and family. His design for the family is to contrast what is seen in the world—animosity, confusion, disunity, and brokenness.
A home where Jesus is the foundation is full of love, joy, peace, unity, and prosperity. Does this mean there aren’t moment is tension and disagreements? Of course not. But instead, a Christ-centered home knows how to take those moments and see them as opportunities to grow closer to Him and with each other, strengthening the bond and health of the family.
So then, what are practical ways to create a Christ-centered home?
5 Ways to Build a Christ-centered Home
To build a Christ-centered home, you must know a force in the world fights against you–this is spiritual warfare. Wherever kids, marriage, and family are, there is a battle. The enemy wants to tear apart societies. One of his tactics is to tear apart the family.
So then, understand that the enemy is not your spouse, kids, or even your in-laws, parents, or childhood. The enemy is the one who wants to steal and tear apart what God builds and means for good.
Ways to build…
- Create walls of protection.
Create walls of protection around your kids and marriage. This means to protect your children from outside influences that open doors to the enemy. In the early years of childhood, you must guard their hearts. This means monitoring what they consume—what they see and hear. As they grow up, they will have an awareness of what is pure and holy and what is not.
The heart must be guarded in marriage as well—place boundaries in your life. Get together with your spouse and discuss what this looks like. Again, what you see and hear influences the heart. God’s desire for marriage is pure and holy. Walls of protection cultivate a pure and holy marriage.
“…but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, ‘Be holy, for I am holy.’”
—1 Peter 1:15-16
- Be in the word.
Being in the word of God isn’t just for your benefit but also for those who live in your home. Let your spouse and children see you studying God’s word. Encourage them to do the same. Be open to them asking questions that foster a Christ-centered home atmosphere.
Proverbs 4:23 says to keep your heart with vigilance. This is because what you store up in your heart will flow out. Storing up God’s word equips you to speak and apply it when someone in your family needs encouragement, wisdom, and direction.
The word is also described as the sword of the Spirit in Ephesians 6. When the enemy is coming at you in spiritual warfare, the word of God is the only weapon that can take him down.
“’A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.’”
—Luke 6:45
- Pray in every circumstance.
Praying in every circumstance seems simple enough, but how often do you practice this principle in reality? It’s fair to say everyone can benefit from more prayer. When building a Christ-centered home, think about ways to pray with your children and spouse. Ask them to pray with and for you as well.
Prayer is the way you talk to God. When you pray in every circumstance, you set an example for your children to follow. This shows them how to walk out their faith, it’s a model of your relationship with Jesus, and creates opportunities for you to discuss the power of prayer.
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
—1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
- Find unity in Christ when there are disagreements.
Your family will not always agree. You and your spouse will have disputes. Disagreements, when handled biblically, can be healthy and encourage unity. If the goal is to prove who is right and wrong, no unity is found. However, if the goal is to better understand each other and work towards a closer connection, unity is near.
So then, how do you find unity when there are disagreements? As mentioned before, the enemy is not your family but rather the one behind the strife and confusion. He attacks the family by using anger and frustration as a weapon to split what God wants to see united.
God uniquely made you, your spouse, and your children with different viewpoints. Second Timothy tells us to “avoid foolish arguments.” When you are tempted to argue, ask yourself what the result will be. The passage goes on to say you are to correct those who are in opposition to truth but with humility and gentleness. And James reminds us to be quick to listen, slow to speak. Take your thoughts captive and surrender them to Jesus. Keep in mind the goal is not to be right but to better understand each other and work towards unity.
“… pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth…”
—2 Timothy 2:22-25
- Know that faith is caught, not taught.
Faith is a matter of the heart. Do you need to teach your children biblical principles? Yes. Proverbs 22:6 says to “train up a child.” Training involves teaching. It also involves applying. The point here is not to live by the principle of “do what I say.” Instead, be a parent, spouse, or even a brother or sister who lives by faith that can be seen by others.
Making children memorize Bible verses without applying them does nothing. Children want to know Christianity and biblical principles work. You are the one God placed in their lives to reveal this to them.
“For we walk by faith, not by sight.”
—2 Corinthians 5:7
The Takeaway
Matthew 7:24-27 records the words of Jesus, “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.
“But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”
The Bible tells us the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. The fear of the Lord means to stand in awe of who He is. He is the author and protector of our faith.
There are a number of practical tips and tools you will find to create a Christ-centered home. But to the point above, faith is caught, not taught. Without an “awe” for the Lord in your own life, you won’t really have a Christ-centered home at all.
So then, continue to seek Him and ask Him to rule in your heart as you lead your family and build a Christ-centered home.
