Touch Of Brown

Christ Centered Marriage, Family, Ministry and Business

LEAD YOUR WIFE SPIRITUALLY

This is a blog reaching out to my brothers that are serving as the spiritual leaders for their marriage, family and ministry. I commend you and am praying for you my brothers. I want to jump right into this blog by introducing a couple of books to you. The first book is Stepping Up A Call To Courageous Manhood by Dennis Rainey.   This book speaks on what it takes to be a man broken down and explained in 5 steps. Boyhood, Adolescence, Manhhood, Mentor and Patriarch. The next book is A Guide To Biblical Manhood by Randy Stinson & Dan Dumas. These are two books that I would definitely recommend for the man that wants to grow in their spiritual walk.

I love the Guide to Biblical Manhood. My wife Hassina actually got this book for me as a gift. Thank you my love. I would love to take a piece from this book to share with you in this blog.

A significant, but often under-emphasized area where you are called to lead in your marriage is as a spiritual leader.  You are to disciple your wife and serve in her sanctification. This is true of all believers according to Hebrews 10:24 that says "let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works," but it's especially true of husbands who bear the responsibility to lead in a marriage. Your marriage should be a significant source of your wife's sanctification. Consider Paul's words to the Ephesians in Ephesians 5:25-28

Clearly, you're not Christ. There is a sanctifying work that only Jesus can do, but as you model your love on the sanctifying relationship of Christ in the church, you do have a role in your wife's sanctification. Even if your wife is more spiritually engaged and mature than you are, you still have a responsibility to lead. Your leadership is not directly tied to your biblical knowledge or spiritual engagement, but to the fact that God has given you responsibility as the head of your marriage.  Read Ephesians 5:23-24   If you are not doing anything to lead in this area, you need a plan and a trajectory toward leading. That starts with growing in your own sanctification. Seek the face of God each day before seeing the face of man. Rise early and call out to God for your own growth and then for wisdom in how to sere your wife in her growth. It's important to stay focused on your personal sanctification as a reminder that even though you're the leader, you aren't the standard for spiritual maturity.  You are called to help your wife conform to God, not to you.

So how can you lead your wife spiritually?  You don't have to set up a pulpit in your bedroom or schedule intensive discipleship classed before bedtime. Instead, make it a natural part of your life together.

Show leadership in getting your family actively engaged in your local church.

Recommend books that you can read and discuss with your wife.

Lead in finding conferences to attend, messages to watch online, and other means to grow in the Word together and to spur each other on in the faith.

If you have children, take the lead in creating opportunities to worship together as a family in your home. This can be as simple as extended family dinner time to include Bible reading and prayer or can be expanded to be a mini-church service in your home.

Finally, pray with your wife. It's tragic how many husbands never do. (I am even guilty of this). The simplest and most regular way to lead your wife spiritually is to pray with her every day. Pray with her to help her bring her burdens to the Lord through your intercession on her behalf.

I pray this helped you my brothers. An excerpt from A guide to Biblical Manhood. I pray you apply this to your life. To all my spiritual leaders. Grace and Peace.

Dwayne