Kenyan Traditional Family Patterns

Families from time immemorial have formed the core component of any society. From creation, the Lord ordained the family as the center for nurture and instruction. The family was established by God as a necessary structure for human living. During biblical times and especially in ancient Israel, we see how the family formed the glue that kept the community together.

Today, the family remains as important as it was in biblical times. Its mission remains just as critical in these present times, especially as the world changes at a phenomenal rate and people and communities are impacted in tremendous ways.

In thinking about the mission of the family, in particular, the Christian family today, we look to what God has mandated the family members to do and accomplish in his name. Apart from its role of nurture and instruction God calls the family and its members to be his witnesses to a world that does not know him. God calls the Christian family to be his evangelists and ambassadors to His world, to bring his gospel of reconciliation.

However, when we look at the mission of the family in the context of today's world, we find that the family is confronted by many challenges. Secularism, materialism, consumerism, urbanization, crime, and poverty are on the rise in every corner of the world. How can families understand their roles and tasks or remain true to their mission in the light of what confronts them on a daily basis?

There is, however, hope for the family, and in spite of the challenges the family has an exciting role to play today in the extension of the kingdom of God.

In looking at the mission of the family from a Kenyan perspective, we explore all these angles and the societal context in which the modern family exist and also look at the solutions and ways to support the family as it strives to be a beacon of hope and an agent of community transformation. To read more go to: http://community.gospelcom.net/Brix?pageID=6089