Intentional Culture: Shaping Our Families for Eternity
Summary
Creating a culture within our homes and lives is a deliberate act that shapes not only our present but also our future. Culture is not just something that happens to us; it is something we can actively create and influence. This is evident in the story of Joseph, who, despite being born into a toxic family culture, rose to a position of influence in Egypt. Joseph understood the importance of maintaining a distinct cultural identity for his family, even in a foreign land. He instructed his family to identify as shepherds, a profession despised by Egyptians, to ensure they would not assimilate into Egyptian culture and forget their ultimate destination—the Promised Land.
The culture we cultivate in our homes can determine the trajectory of our families. It is crucial to be intentional about the values and practices we instill in our households. This involves setting a clear destination for our lives and aligning our culture with that goal. For Christians, the ultimate destination is not earthly success or comfort but eternity with Christ. Therefore, our culture should reflect this eternal perspective, prioritizing spiritual growth and a relationship with God over worldly achievements.
As fathers and leaders of our homes, we have a responsibility to shape the culture that will guide our families toward this eternal destination. This involves making intentional choices about the environment we create, the values we uphold, and the practices we encourage. It means being proactive in establishing a culture that aligns with our faith and leads our families toward a deeper relationship with God.
Key Takeaways:
- Intentional Culture Creation: Culture is not accidental; it is something we can shape. By being intentional about the culture we create in our homes, we can influence the direction of our families' lives. This involves setting clear values and practices that align with our desired destination. [07:24]
- The Power of Identity: Joseph's insistence on his family maintaining their identity as shepherds, despite it being despised by Egyptians, highlights the importance of a strong identity. As Christians, our identity should be rooted in our faith and our relationship with Christ, not in societal norms or expectations. [21:49]
- Eternal Perspective: Our ultimate destination is not found in earthly success but in eternity with Christ. By keeping this eternal perspective, we can ensure that the culture we create in our homes reflects our faith and leads our families toward spiritual growth. [25:25]
- Leadership in the Home: As fathers and leaders, we have a responsibility to shape the culture of our homes. This involves making intentional choices about the environment we create and the values we uphold, ensuring that our families are guided toward a deeper relationship with God. [38:31]
- The Role of Faith in Culture: Our faith should be the foundation of the culture we create in our homes. By prioritizing spiritual practices and values, we can ensure that our families are rooted in their faith and prepared for their ultimate destination. [43:30]
Youtube Chapters:
[0:00] - Welcome
[02:20] - Pastor Appreciation
[03:17] - Cultural Differences
[04:29] - Home Culture
[05:43] - Family Dynamics
[07:24] - Shaping Culture
[08:32] - Culture and Destiny
[09:42] - Joseph's Story
[10:43] - Toxic Family Culture
[11:55] - Joseph's Rise
[12:56] - Egypt's Preparation
[13:58] - Shepherds in Egypt
[15:32] - Cultural Identity
[18:02] - Desired Destination
[19:33] - Joseph's Legacy
[20:43] - Maintaining Identity
[21:49] - Christian Identity
[23:16] - Eternal Perspective
[25:25] - Family's Final Destination
[26:25] - Culture's Longevity
[27:30] - Moses and Pharaoh
[29:04] - Cultural Assimilation
[30:04] - Importance of Culture
[31:25] - Practical Culture Tips
[32:28] - Creating a Reading Culture
[33:24] - Investing in Faith
[34:22] - Valuing the Word of God
[35:15] - Joseph's Vision
[36:23] - Final Destination
[37:15] - Culture and Destiny
[38:31] - Leadership in the Home
[39:58] - Prayer for Fathers
[41:24] - Commitment to Culture
[42:08] - Anointing for Leadership
[43:30] - Prayer for Wisdom
[44:25] - Closing Worship
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Genesis 46:31-34
- Genesis 50:24-25
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Observation Questions:
1. What specific instructions did Joseph give to his family regarding their occupation when they arrived in Egypt? Why was this significant? [13:58]
2. How did Joseph's position in Egypt influence his family's ability to maintain their cultural identity? [18:02]
3. What was the cultural perception of shepherds in Egypt, and how did this affect Joseph's family's settlement in Goshen? [15:32]
4. How did Joseph's foresight about the future impact his instructions to his family regarding their cultural identity and destination? [19:33]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. Why did Joseph emphasize the importance of maintaining a distinct cultural identity for his family in Egypt? How does this relate to the concept of cultural assimilation? [20:43]
2. In what ways does Joseph's story illustrate the power of intentional culture creation within a family? How might this apply to modern families today? [07:24]
3. How does Joseph's insistence on his family identifying as shepherds reflect the importance of having a clear destination or goal? [21:49]
4. What lessons can be drawn from Joseph's approach to leadership in his family and his focus on their ultimate destination? [38:31]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on the culture within your own home. What intentional steps can you take to ensure it aligns with your desired spiritual destination? [07:24]
2. Joseph prioritized his family's identity as shepherds to avoid assimilation. How can you ensure that your identity as a Christian remains distinct in a society with differing values? [21:49]
3. Consider the values and practices you are currently cultivating in your household. Are they leading your family toward an eternal perspective, or are they more focused on worldly achievements? [25:25]
4. As a leader in your home, what specific changes can you make to foster a culture that prioritizes spiritual growth and a relationship with God? [38:31]
5. Joseph's story highlights the importance of having a clear destination. What is your ultimate goal for your family, and how does your current culture support or hinder that goal? [19:33]
6. How can you create an environment in your home that encourages spiritual practices, such as regular Bible reading and prayer, to strengthen your family's faith foundation? [33:24]
7. Reflect on the role of faith in your family's culture. What steps can you take to ensure that faith remains the foundation of your household's values and practices? [43:30]
Devotional
Day 1: Intentional Culture Creation
Creating a culture within our homes is a deliberate act that requires intentionality and foresight. It is not something that happens by chance but is shaped by the values and practices we choose to instill. By setting a clear destination for our lives, we can align our home culture with that goal. For Christians, this means prioritizing spiritual growth and a relationship with God over worldly achievements. The story of Joseph illustrates this principle, as he ensured his family maintained their distinct cultural identity even in a foreign land. By doing so, he protected them from assimilating into a culture that did not align with their ultimate destination—the Promised Land. [07:24]
"Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 1:13, ESV)
Reflection: What specific values and practices can you intentionally cultivate in your home to align with your spiritual goals?
Day 2: The Power of Identity
Joseph's insistence on his family maintaining their identity as shepherds, despite it being despised by Egyptians, highlights the importance of a strong identity. In a world that often pressures us to conform to societal norms, maintaining a distinct identity rooted in faith is crucial. As Christians, our identity should be anchored in our relationship with Christ, not in the expectations of society. This strong sense of identity helps us navigate challenges and remain true to our values, ensuring that we do not lose sight of our ultimate destination. [21:49]
"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." (1 Peter 2:9, ESV)
Reflection: In what ways can you reinforce your identity in Christ amidst societal pressures to conform?
Day 3: Eternal Perspective
Our ultimate destination is not found in earthly success but in eternity with Christ. By keeping this eternal perspective, we can ensure that the culture we create in our homes reflects our faith and leads our families toward spiritual growth. This perspective shifts our focus from temporary achievements to lasting spiritual values. It encourages us to prioritize our relationship with God and to instill these values in our families, guiding them toward a deeper understanding of their faith and their eternal purpose. [25:25]
"So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison." (2 Corinthians 4:16-17, ESV)
Reflection: How can you shift your daily focus from temporary achievements to eternal values in your family life?
Day 4: Leadership in the Home
As fathers and leaders, we have a responsibility to shape the culture of our homes. This involves making intentional choices about the environment we create and the values we uphold, ensuring that our families are guided toward a deeper relationship with God. Leadership in the home is not just about authority but about serving and guiding our families with love and wisdom. By setting a godly example and fostering an environment that prioritizes faith, we can lead our families toward their ultimate destination in Christ. [38:31]
"Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." (Ephesians 6:4, ESV)
Reflection: What intentional choices can you make today to lead your family toward a deeper relationship with God?
Day 5: The Role of Faith in Culture
Our faith should be the foundation of the culture we create in our homes. By prioritizing spiritual practices and values, we can ensure that our families are rooted in their faith and prepared for their ultimate destination. This involves integrating faith into daily life, making it a natural part of our home culture. By doing so, we create an environment where spiritual growth is nurtured, and our families are equipped to face the challenges of the world with a strong foundation in Christ. [43:30]
"And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise." (Deuteronomy 6:6-7, ESV)
Reflection: How can you integrate faith more naturally into your daily family life to ensure it becomes the foundation of your home culture?
Quotes
1) "You can determine what your culture is, or you can let culture determine who you are. Let's say that again. You can determine what your culture is, or you can allow culture to determine who you are. And here's why this is so important. Because if you're just allowing culture to happen to you, then culture is going to shape you. And culture is not accidental. The people behind culture, they have an agenda. They're trying to shape the political culture of our country, they're trying to shape the music culture. They're trying to shape the educational culture." [07:24] (42 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2) "Here's where the biggest part of why culture matters is culture determines not only who you're going to be, but where you are going. The culture of our families will determine where our family goes. The culture of our church will determine where our church goes, the culture of our state, the state of Virginia. And right now, we're in college football, and a lot of times, you'll hear coaches talk about their culture, of their program that determines where their program goes." [08:32] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3) "Some of you are in homes where you have a toxic culture. And let me just pause and give you a parentheses here. You do not have to settle for that. You don't have to accept that you can change the culture for your personal culture, your marriage culture, your household culture, your career culture, all of that can be changed, but you have to determine where you want to go." [11:55] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4) "I want to sow seeds into my kids hearts or souls in her mind that their final destination has nothing to do with this planet but has everything to do with heaven. That one day, whether the rapture comes back and I go up to meet Jesus in the air, or I take my last breath in this body and you bury me, that grave is not my final destination. My final destination is that I would end up in heaven, in eternity, with Jesus Christ." [25:25] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5) "If you're not intentional about your culture, your culture fades. And here's what happens in this story. 400 years passes between the time that Joseph says, hey, I want you to live in Goshen. I want you to maintain your identity as a shepherd, and I want you to keep living in tents, because God is going to come. And when he comes, I want you to be ready to go." [26:25] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6) "As a Christian, I don't need to be liked by everyone on this planet. Jesus said, these are the words of Jesus. Jesus says, I want you to love everybody. But when you love everybody, he also said, I want you to know they're going to hate you. I don't get to hate them just because they don't like me. I still am required to love them. But he gave us a fair warning. You're not going to be liked by everybody. They're going to hate you. Those are some strong words. And that's what Jesus said." [29:04] (39 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7) "Are you going to allow culture to determine your destiny? Are you going to pick your destiny, shape your culture to get you and your family in the right place? And that's my question for you, dad, will you stand to your feet? I love everybody that's here. One of my toxic traits is I quickly fall in love with people. The reason I say it's toxic is because I want everybody else to quickly to fall in love with me." [37:15] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8) "I can't protect my kids from everything that happens on this planet. They're going to hear music they shouldn't hear. They're going to see things on Instagram and TikTok and Snapchat that they shouldn't see. It's going to happen. I can't protect them from everything, but I can create a culture in my home that they can come back to. And your school teachers may not like it. I'm sorry that you don't like it, but there's a destination I'm trying to get my kids to." [39:58] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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