Greetings Brothers and Sisters in Christ!
Did you miss us? We haven’t sent you a newsletter in a while, but that doesn’t mean we have been slacking. Our summer has been full, and we’re ready to communicate a lot of what God has been doing with us – we trust you’ve been growing in His ways, and experiencing His grace, also. This newsletter will be longer than usual, so we’ll skip any fluff. We’ll try to get back on a regular schedule now.
Retreats, past and future
We still have a ‘buzz’ from our first National Biblical Families Teaching Conference and Fellowship Retreat, in North Carolina, in early July. We had both great teaching from our 4 speakers, and a wonderful time of fellowship. But I’ll let others tell you about it:
For me the best part was fellowshipping with people that lived their beliefs as Christians. Even though we all had different church backgrounds and histories, we came together as Christ wanted us to do; We are the Church. I made lifelong friends. I learned that I wasn't alone in what I believed and I truly was not a throw away woman destined to live alone under a church system that refused to recognize what God had intended. I will come to ALL retreats, God willing. It was sweet worship. And of course the teaching and the instructors were Awesome!!! -Dede
For me it was nice being in a place and with very interesting people who don't treat me as a pariah. I was glad that my family was also very happy with the weekend. We do plan to come again, other family members seem to have made friends, so we hope to hear from people. Can't wait to see people again. –George
I hope we have a retreat every week, we got to know wonderful people there, and it left a big feeling that we are not alone, and we have a big family. –Glenda
My family and I had a nice break in the mountains to hear how God has worked in others’ lives to build his kingdom of love through family-plural or not. We enjoyed meeting many people from various parts of the US and felt like an instant community, since we were part of the family of God seeking his will. I hope I can go again to see old friends and meet new ones too. It was a blessing! -Curtis Miller
There are very few things we experience in this life that are better than fellowship with like-minded believers. At the Conference, we almost overdosed on that fellowship! The July Conference was the first Biblical Families event that my lady and I have attended. We did not know what to expect, and both of us were wondering if we might not have made a mistake to attend. Then we stepped off of the plane in Asheville and soon met some wonderful people who, unlike far too many "Sunday-only Christians," really take our Lord's two greatest commandments seriously: Matthew 22:37-39 NKJV Jesus said to him, 'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.' (38) This is the first and great commandment. (39) And the second is like it: 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' The teaching was excellent, and the setting was beautiful. The times of worship were – well, almost like having a little bit of Heaven on Earth. But what made the Conference worth attending was the fellowship, the new friends we made, and finding that we are not the only people in the world who have discovered Scriptural truth about families. We who were at the Conference are a group of Believers who love the Lord above all else and study His Word for ourselves. That makes us different than the vast majority of other Believers who settle for being fed from a baby bottle on Sunday morning, instead of digging into the meat of God's Word like the Bereans were commended for doing in Acts 17:10-12. My lovely Navajo Princess and I love our new-found family, and look forward to the next retreat that we can attend. If you have never been to one, you are missing one of God's amazing blessings. –Marvin George (PolyDoc)
So, if you missed this retreat, we’re sorry for you! But you can get a little taste of the teaching at least, (you’ll have to attend for the fellowship) with 2 videos of Dr Bill Luck’s sessions, and his matching PowerPoints. We’ll be posting more video over the coming weeks.
But you don’t have to wait long for your next retreat opportunities:
Ladies Retreat!, Branson, MO, Sep 30-Oct 2 I am excited to announce that Biblical Families is going to have an all ladies retreat! Many ladies have asked for this so we are making it happen. It will be held in Branson, MO, and if you are interested in meeting face to face some of the wonderful ladies at Biblical Families and hearing what God is doing in their lives, you need to be at this retreat. I believe it is going to be a wonderful time of setting free some of the fears we hang on to as wives and women of God in this society. Come and be encouraged by others! Single ladies are very welcome. If you would like more information about the Women’s Retreat please email me at julie@biblicalfamilies.org Hope to see you there! - Julie, BF Women’s Ministry (Guys, plan on watching the kids this weekend!)
New Year’s Weekend Family Retreat, Florida, Dec 29th-Jan 1st This will be our next major retreat, in a WARM location for those of you who’ll need a break from the cold (OK, that’s probably hard to imagine right now). But mark this on your calendar right now. We’ll be making the details available over the next few months. Let us know that you are interested in attending and get on the list for details, by dropping us an email at retreats@biblicalfamilies.org.
Also, for Floridians, we are having a one-day get-together on Saturday, Sept 3rd, in the Orlando area. If you’d like to receive the details for this get-together, just email me at nathan@biblicalfamilies.org.
Fulfilling the Great Commission!
We have exciting news for you, regarding one of our own. We can’t say it often enough, but we don’t want to be ‘plural marriage Christians’ – we are first and foremost followers of our Lord, and we take His commands to us seriously, not the least of which is the Great Commission (“go and make disciples of all nations”, Matt 28:19). Ray ‘Doc’ Burkhart has always had this burden on his heart, and we are very pleased to announce that Doc has taken a position with an international ministry, and will be moving to Seoul, South Korea in about 3 weeks to manage and develop Christian broadcasting opportunities throughout Asia! This is a one-year term, possibly renewed beyond that. As is typical, Doc has been asked to raise some of the support from his network at home – and that would be us. Please, won’t you pray about helping out? Either with regular monthly giving, or a onetime gift? You may use this paypal link to give just for this purpose. Or you may write Doc at doc@biblicalfamilies.org to make your own arrangements with him, and congratulate him, and let him know you’ll be praying for him. The amount Doc needs to raise is $750/month for the first year. We hope to hear from Doc regularly still, while he’s overseas – thanks to the Internet, Korea’s really not much further than Missouri!, though we will certainly miss him at retreats. Here’s a little more from Doc himself:
For those that don't know, I was trained and educated to serve as a missionary. I served a term on the mission field in Jamaica early in my ministry career, and have been on about a half dozen short-term missions assignments in various locations in Africa and Central America. Because of family obligations in my early ministry years, I had to put off my goal of serving on the mission field full-time until later. Through the years, even while I was serving as a church planter, a pastor, and a broadcaster, it was always my heart's desire to serve on the mission field full-time. Even as this opportunity presents itself, I see the Lord preparing me with knowledge and experience through the years to help meet the demands of this position.
-Blessings, Doc
Love, Life, and Liberty: Three Seeds of Faith and Freedom for Evangelical Patriarchs
Jesus Christ our Lord led a life that modeled love in every way. His love for the Father and for mankind proved itself through his submission to the Father’s will to die on the cross in the place of mankind. Furthermore, his willingness to take upon himself our sins to pay and appease the wrath of God (see 1 John 2:2) displayed his love to mankind as well as loyalty to the Father. The mission of the Lord was to set free the people who were held captive to sin and slavery. In fact, the Lord stated it this way: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:18-19).
Sin enslaves people whereas love liberates people. A world stricken with sin is also a world where people are held captive to ignorance and deception. Individual lives are ruined, families are destroyed, social progress is stalled, and peace at all levels is disrupted due to the ravages of sin that enslaves people. Augustine, the great theologian of the 300’s, once said: “Love God and live as you please.” When we are freed from the clutches of sin we can experience love and rightly love God and neighbor. When we are set free from the captivity of false ideas we can experience new life. When we are set free from the chains of sin that darken our mental acuity and coherency of thought we can find liberty of thought and practice while still honoring the Lord.
Of course some astute reader with a healthy dose of cognizance with an inkling of practicality wisely asks: what does a loving life dedicated to liberty look like for the Evangelical Patriarch? Or as one ole country fella might say: “can ya break that down so me and my y’ungins can understand what’cha mean by all that? Can I get’r dun in three steps?”
The answer is yes, First let me define what an Evangelical Patriarch is. Sometimes there is confusion from the beginning over terms and definitions. The word “Evangelical” means to believe the Bible is the ultimate source for faith and practice. It also has the meaning of being dedicated to the gospel through the means of evangelism or discipleship. The term “Patriarch” means a “head” or a “father and founder of a family.” It can also refer to the government by and of a father. Therefore, an Evangelical Patriarch is a man who is (1) dedicated to the Bible as the highest authority, (2) dedicated to the great commission gospel, and (3) devoted to proper familial order where men establish, lead, govern, and rule in physical and/or spiritual families. An Evangelical Patriarch is someone who has been set free from the power of sin by the means of the gospel and is now eager to establish and guide a family or families through the love of the Lord based upon the revelation of the Word applied through the gospel.
Second, an Evangelical Patriarch is one who values a mind that has been set free, liberated, from the stain of sin that sadistically saps the saint’s strength for creativity. He sees people trapped in satanic ideology and this burdens his heart. The mind is a precious gift of the Lord and so many today waste it. Many today do not value education, value the in depth study of the word, and even more are unwilling to be taught. But the Evangelical Patriarch is a man who values the skill of thinking. Albert Einstein once said: “Thinking is hard work; that’s why so few do it.” An Evangelical Patriarch is a man who realizes that knowledge is power and power can liberate people from fears and false ideas. A man of God is one who lives like Christ Jesus who “increased in wisdom and in stature” as he “grew in favor with God and man” (Luke 2:52). An Evangelical Patriarch sees all of life as a means to share love so others can be set free in liberty to live for the Lord. Thus, an Evangelical Patriarch is one who contemplates how he can aid his family and other families through the gospel. He learns as much as he can so he can create and conjure up ideas and solutions to the problems that he and his family faces.
And third, an Evangelical Patriarch is a man who values the role of the Spirit that gives wisdom and guidance to all matters of life. Jesus Christ said to his disciples, “I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and harmless as doves” (Matt. 10:16). An Evangelical Patriarch is a man who seeks wisdom as he knows that “one who finds wisdom” gains something “better than silver” and “gold” (Prov. 3:14). He understands that “wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you desire cannot compare with her” (Prov. 8:11). An Evangelical Patriarch is a man who values the wisdom of God and the wisdom of others. He is not an anarchist who flies solo but one who values God’s people that surround him in the common journey of life.
The man who lives by the law of love with an effort to liberate people will be the man who finds true life. Does that describe you?
Dr. K.R.Allen
Did you miss us? We haven’t sent you a newsletter in a while, but that doesn’t mean we have been slacking. Our summer has been full, and we’re ready to communicate a lot of what God has been doing with us – we trust you’ve been growing in His ways, and experiencing His grace, also. This newsletter will be longer than usual, so we’ll skip any fluff. We’ll try to get back on a regular schedule now.
Retreats, past and future
We still have a ‘buzz’ from our first National Biblical Families Teaching Conference and Fellowship Retreat, in North Carolina, in early July. We had both great teaching from our 4 speakers, and a wonderful time of fellowship. But I’ll let others tell you about it:
For me the best part was fellowshipping with people that lived their beliefs as Christians. Even though we all had different church backgrounds and histories, we came together as Christ wanted us to do; We are the Church. I made lifelong friends. I learned that I wasn't alone in what I believed and I truly was not a throw away woman destined to live alone under a church system that refused to recognize what God had intended. I will come to ALL retreats, God willing. It was sweet worship. And of course the teaching and the instructors were Awesome!!! -Dede
For me it was nice being in a place and with very interesting people who don't treat me as a pariah. I was glad that my family was also very happy with the weekend. We do plan to come again, other family members seem to have made friends, so we hope to hear from people. Can't wait to see people again. –George
I hope we have a retreat every week, we got to know wonderful people there, and it left a big feeling that we are not alone, and we have a big family. –Glenda
My family and I had a nice break in the mountains to hear how God has worked in others’ lives to build his kingdom of love through family-plural or not. We enjoyed meeting many people from various parts of the US and felt like an instant community, since we were part of the family of God seeking his will. I hope I can go again to see old friends and meet new ones too. It was a blessing! -Curtis Miller
There are very few things we experience in this life that are better than fellowship with like-minded believers. At the Conference, we almost overdosed on that fellowship! The July Conference was the first Biblical Families event that my lady and I have attended. We did not know what to expect, and both of us were wondering if we might not have made a mistake to attend. Then we stepped off of the plane in Asheville and soon met some wonderful people who, unlike far too many "Sunday-only Christians," really take our Lord's two greatest commandments seriously: Matthew 22:37-39 NKJV Jesus said to him, 'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.' (38) This is the first and great commandment. (39) And the second is like it: 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' The teaching was excellent, and the setting was beautiful. The times of worship were – well, almost like having a little bit of Heaven on Earth. But what made the Conference worth attending was the fellowship, the new friends we made, and finding that we are not the only people in the world who have discovered Scriptural truth about families. We who were at the Conference are a group of Believers who love the Lord above all else and study His Word for ourselves. That makes us different than the vast majority of other Believers who settle for being fed from a baby bottle on Sunday morning, instead of digging into the meat of God's Word like the Bereans were commended for doing in Acts 17:10-12. My lovely Navajo Princess and I love our new-found family, and look forward to the next retreat that we can attend. If you have never been to one, you are missing one of God's amazing blessings. –Marvin George (PolyDoc)
So, if you missed this retreat, we’re sorry for you! But you can get a little taste of the teaching at least, (you’ll have to attend for the fellowship) with 2 videos of Dr Bill Luck’s sessions, and his matching PowerPoints. We’ll be posting more video over the coming weeks.
But you don’t have to wait long for your next retreat opportunities:
Ladies Retreat!, Branson, MO, Sep 30-Oct 2 I am excited to announce that Biblical Families is going to have an all ladies retreat! Many ladies have asked for this so we are making it happen. It will be held in Branson, MO, and if you are interested in meeting face to face some of the wonderful ladies at Biblical Families and hearing what God is doing in their lives, you need to be at this retreat. I believe it is going to be a wonderful time of setting free some of the fears we hang on to as wives and women of God in this society. Come and be encouraged by others! Single ladies are very welcome. If you would like more information about the Women’s Retreat please email me at julie@biblicalfamilies.org Hope to see you there! - Julie, BF Women’s Ministry (Guys, plan on watching the kids this weekend!)
New Year’s Weekend Family Retreat, Florida, Dec 29th-Jan 1st This will be our next major retreat, in a WARM location for those of you who’ll need a break from the cold (OK, that’s probably hard to imagine right now). But mark this on your calendar right now. We’ll be making the details available over the next few months. Let us know that you are interested in attending and get on the list for details, by dropping us an email at retreats@biblicalfamilies.org.
Also, for Floridians, we are having a one-day get-together on Saturday, Sept 3rd, in the Orlando area. If you’d like to receive the details for this get-together, just email me at nathan@biblicalfamilies.org.
Fulfilling the Great Commission!
We have exciting news for you, regarding one of our own. We can’t say it often enough, but we don’t want to be ‘plural marriage Christians’ – we are first and foremost followers of our Lord, and we take His commands to us seriously, not the least of which is the Great Commission (“go and make disciples of all nations”, Matt 28:19). Ray ‘Doc’ Burkhart has always had this burden on his heart, and we are very pleased to announce that Doc has taken a position with an international ministry, and will be moving to Seoul, South Korea in about 3 weeks to manage and develop Christian broadcasting opportunities throughout Asia! This is a one-year term, possibly renewed beyond that. As is typical, Doc has been asked to raise some of the support from his network at home – and that would be us. Please, won’t you pray about helping out? Either with regular monthly giving, or a onetime gift? You may use this paypal link to give just for this purpose. Or you may write Doc at doc@biblicalfamilies.org to make your own arrangements with him, and congratulate him, and let him know you’ll be praying for him. The amount Doc needs to raise is $750/month for the first year. We hope to hear from Doc regularly still, while he’s overseas – thanks to the Internet, Korea’s really not much further than Missouri!, though we will certainly miss him at retreats. Here’s a little more from Doc himself:
For those that don't know, I was trained and educated to serve as a missionary. I served a term on the mission field in Jamaica early in my ministry career, and have been on about a half dozen short-term missions assignments in various locations in Africa and Central America. Because of family obligations in my early ministry years, I had to put off my goal of serving on the mission field full-time until later. Through the years, even while I was serving as a church planter, a pastor, and a broadcaster, it was always my heart's desire to serve on the mission field full-time. Even as this opportunity presents itself, I see the Lord preparing me with knowledge and experience through the years to help meet the demands of this position.
-Blessings, Doc
Love, Life, and Liberty: Three Seeds of Faith and Freedom for Evangelical Patriarchs
Jesus Christ our Lord led a life that modeled love in every way. His love for the Father and for mankind proved itself through his submission to the Father’s will to die on the cross in the place of mankind. Furthermore, his willingness to take upon himself our sins to pay and appease the wrath of God (see 1 John 2:2) displayed his love to mankind as well as loyalty to the Father. The mission of the Lord was to set free the people who were held captive to sin and slavery. In fact, the Lord stated it this way: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:18-19).
Sin enslaves people whereas love liberates people. A world stricken with sin is also a world where people are held captive to ignorance and deception. Individual lives are ruined, families are destroyed, social progress is stalled, and peace at all levels is disrupted due to the ravages of sin that enslaves people. Augustine, the great theologian of the 300’s, once said: “Love God and live as you please.” When we are freed from the clutches of sin we can experience love and rightly love God and neighbor. When we are set free from the captivity of false ideas we can experience new life. When we are set free from the chains of sin that darken our mental acuity and coherency of thought we can find liberty of thought and practice while still honoring the Lord.
Of course some astute reader with a healthy dose of cognizance with an inkling of practicality wisely asks: what does a loving life dedicated to liberty look like for the Evangelical Patriarch? Or as one ole country fella might say: “can ya break that down so me and my y’ungins can understand what’cha mean by all that? Can I get’r dun in three steps?”
The answer is yes, First let me define what an Evangelical Patriarch is. Sometimes there is confusion from the beginning over terms and definitions. The word “Evangelical” means to believe the Bible is the ultimate source for faith and practice. It also has the meaning of being dedicated to the gospel through the means of evangelism or discipleship. The term “Patriarch” means a “head” or a “father and founder of a family.” It can also refer to the government by and of a father. Therefore, an Evangelical Patriarch is a man who is (1) dedicated to the Bible as the highest authority, (2) dedicated to the great commission gospel, and (3) devoted to proper familial order where men establish, lead, govern, and rule in physical and/or spiritual families. An Evangelical Patriarch is someone who has been set free from the power of sin by the means of the gospel and is now eager to establish and guide a family or families through the love of the Lord based upon the revelation of the Word applied through the gospel.
Second, an Evangelical Patriarch is one who values a mind that has been set free, liberated, from the stain of sin that sadistically saps the saint’s strength for creativity. He sees people trapped in satanic ideology and this burdens his heart. The mind is a precious gift of the Lord and so many today waste it. Many today do not value education, value the in depth study of the word, and even more are unwilling to be taught. But the Evangelical Patriarch is a man who values the skill of thinking. Albert Einstein once said: “Thinking is hard work; that’s why so few do it.” An Evangelical Patriarch is a man who realizes that knowledge is power and power can liberate people from fears and false ideas. A man of God is one who lives like Christ Jesus who “increased in wisdom and in stature” as he “grew in favor with God and man” (Luke 2:52). An Evangelical Patriarch sees all of life as a means to share love so others can be set free in liberty to live for the Lord. Thus, an Evangelical Patriarch is one who contemplates how he can aid his family and other families through the gospel. He learns as much as he can so he can create and conjure up ideas and solutions to the problems that he and his family faces.
And third, an Evangelical Patriarch is a man who values the role of the Spirit that gives wisdom and guidance to all matters of life. Jesus Christ said to his disciples, “I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and harmless as doves” (Matt. 10:16). An Evangelical Patriarch is a man who seeks wisdom as he knows that “one who finds wisdom” gains something “better than silver” and “gold” (Prov. 3:14). He understands that “wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you desire cannot compare with her” (Prov. 8:11). An Evangelical Patriarch is a man who values the wisdom of God and the wisdom of others. He is not an anarchist who flies solo but one who values God’s people that surround him in the common journey of life.
The man who lives by the law of love with an effort to liberate people will be the man who finds true life. Does that describe you?
Dr. K.R.Allen