For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church? I Timothy 3:5 NLT

I am writing this LeadTip while on vacation and celebrating 39 years of marriage. We are rejoicing in the goodness of God in our lives. He has blessed us in many ways, but His greatest gift is our salvation and relationship with Jesus.

Our life of faith has greatly affected our marriage, our three grown children, and our growing legacy of grandchildren growing up in healthy churches. Our faith in Christ and His ways is what we draw strength from, gather wisdom from, and how we endure hardship, challenges and disappointment. Christ is the immovable rock on which we can build our lives.

◦ When we think about leadership we must begin with leadership at home.

If married, your marriage must come first. It must be a priority. The Bible tells us if you cannot manage your own home how can you manage the House of God. We are talking about godly Christian leadership versus worldly leadership. The devil is after your marriage, your children, your testimony and your legacy. You must fight for and invest in your marriage! You must keep it top of mind, front and center.

✓ Marriage takes work and needs to be the first ministry that you lead.

How much effort are you putting in your relationship with your spouse? Are you keeping the flames of friendship and passion burning? Where is your marriage in your list of priorities? Embers can be fanned into a great flame when stroked and fed. Do you have date nights, time alone, alone vacations with your spouse? Do you celebrate milestones, say I love you often, enjoy intimacy, look nice for your spouse?

✓ My wife Lori and me have given marital advice to many couples over the years, but the greatest positive results come from spiritual health.

The Song of Solomon gives us a picture of love and passion between a groom and His bride. Yes, it is also a picture of the church and Jesus, but needless to say, it gives us great incite as to the importance of keeping a marital relationship spiritually healthy.

Over our 39 years of marriage, the glue that has bound us together is Jesus being the center of our home. We can never grow apart as a couple if Jesus is first place in each of our lives. This includes our involvement in church, our conversations, the music we enjoy, our devotions, raising our kids using Biblical principles, doing life with faith filled friends, repenting from sin and applying grace and forgiveness,

and living with an eternal mindset.

✓ Christian leaders are those who work hard at leading well at home as well as in the church.

You become a better spouse by attending church faithfully, and you also become a better leader.

The Institute For Family Studies points out that new research from Harvard professor Tyler VanderWeele found that women who regularly attended church were 47 percent less likely to divorce than women who did not regularly attend church. He also noted that other research has come to a similar conclusion, generally finding that regular church attendance is associated with a reduction in divorce of more than 30 percent.

Your home life and the condition of your marriage will certainly affect your ability to lead other people, whether leading in church or in the secular world. Church not only keeps you in faith and conviction, but it surrounds you with the resources you need to have a healthy marriage.

As you become a better husband or wife you become a better leader.

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