GFC

There is always something catchy about three letters :o)
There’s the BBC of course, BFG in Roald Dahl books or KFC – not the fast food outlet but Kingdom Faith Church in Horsham :o)

Here’s another GFC: God, Family, Church.
This is God’s ranking of importance; God first, then family and then church. Any other order and our lives become imbalanced, if this happens we run the risk of burn out or growing ‘cold’. Paul used the GFC order in advising Timothy what to look for in potential church leaders, but it is equally applicable for all of us:
We must be “well-thought-of, committed to his wife [or husband], cool and collected, accessible, and hospitable. He must know what he's talking about, not be over fond of wine, not pushy but gentle, not thin-skinned, not money-hungry. He must handle his own affairs well, attentive to his own children and having their respect. For if someone is unable to handle his own affairs, how can he take care of God's church? ... Outsiders must think well of him, or else the Devil will figure out a way to lure him into his trap.” (1 Tim 3:2-7 MSG)

GFC may seem obvious and clear cut but the day to day running of our hectic lives make things a little less clear.
For example, if you put God first in your life, praying loads and studying His Word regularly, and spend every Sunday with the family, taking the kids here or there instead of church you are becoming imbalanced because God wants you rooted in a church; how can you be rooted to something you are not attached to?! In reality you have placed family over God by ignoring this! And when we put anything in front of God we grow ‘cold.
But even if you put God first never missing a Sunday meeting and are also at some church event almost every night of the week, chances are you are also ignoring God’s voice which is saying that you are abandoning the family He has entrusted to you. This is so much harder to spot because the imbalance is born out of a passion of following Christ, but slowly you become swept away by church rather than Christ and his gentle whispers of guidance become a distraction to serving in the church. Yes we should serve in the church but not at the expense of our families, but also our families should never be used as an excuse for laziness/apathy in the church; God always intended for the two to blend together beautifully – causing you great joy.

How the GFC structure looks in each of our lives will be entirely different; you life may look nothing like mine, and vice versa even though we may both be applying the GFC principle. Put God first in all things, faithfully care, nurture and love the family He has placed around you [this is your primary calling] and rejoice in serving the church in any way God has gifted you.
Paul’s GFC helps us to burn brightly [for Christ] rather than burning out.

-Andrew Carey