Journal: Eikon
Volume: EIKON 05:2 (Fall 2023)
Article: Godly Home Leaders
Author: J. O. Oesterling

Eikon 5.2 (Fall 2023) p. 78

Godly Home Leaders

J.O. Oesterling

J.O. Oesterling lives in Louisville, Kentucky, where he serves as Associate Pastor of Member Care for Kenwood Baptist Church. He is a certified biblical counselor through ACBC.

How are you doing as a man? A father? A husband? A friend? What is the state of your family (and if unmarried, then other relationships)? Does your family zealously love Jesus Christ? How do you know? To answer questions like these, we must establish that faithfulness is the goal, not certain results. We cannot be the Holy Spirit in our family’s life. We cannot ensure certain outcomes when it comes to people. Faithfulness, therefore, is the aim. In preparation for this essay, I sat down and thought about all the Godly Home Leaders (GHLs) I have observed over the years. And I started cataloging things they did that I admired. What made them compelling? And as I did this, I noted that they all did similar things. But I also noted that they all did similar things because of certain beliefs, certain convictions. In what follows, I share five convictions of GHLs, and the fruit that characterizes their lives and families as a result.

Eikon 5.2 (Fall 2023) p. 79

First Conviction: The Bible Is True And Precious.

“The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul” (Ps. 19:7).

GHLs are life-long learners. These men read the Bible regularly. They know the Word. They are convinced that “a Bible not understood is a Bible that does no good.”1 They are “into” theology for practical reasons. It is their life. As Thomas Watson explains, “They meditate, delight in, hide it in their hearts, defend it, prefer it, talk about it and conform to it,” because, “A pious soul meditates on the truth and holiness of the Word. He not only has a few transient thoughts, but leaves his mind steeping in the Scripture. By meditation, he sucks from this sweet flower and ruminates on holy truths in his mind.”2 GHLs are Ezra 7:10 men, “. . . the good hand of his God was on him. For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.” They are Psalm 119 men. As David says, “My soul is consumed with longing for your rules at all times” (v. 20). Or as he adds in verse 97: “Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all day.” This all-consuming passion and love for God’s Word characterizes a GH...