{"id":5591,"date":"2023-04-03T22:41:36","date_gmt":"2023-04-03T22:41:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/?p=5591"},"modified":"2023-04-03T22:41:36","modified_gmt":"2023-04-03T22:41:36","slug":"building-homes-with-the-means-of-grace-the-vitality-of-family-integrated-worship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/building-homes-with-the-means-of-grace-the-vitality-of-family-integrated-worship\/","title":{"rendered":"Building Homes with the Means of Grace: The Vitality of Family Integrated Worship"},"content":{"rendered":"

Click HERE for sermon audio<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Introduction<\/b><\/p>\n

When we say that we want to work toward building a Christendom 2.0, as many say, what we mean is that we want to work toward the discipleship of peoples and nations such that every area of life, every sphere of society, and every jurisdiction of authority is submitted to and conformed to the obedience of Jesus Christ. This includes the civil government, church government, family government, and every area of enterprise and endeavor that men participate in.<\/span><\/p>\n

The past two years at this conference we have focused upon elements of the civil government. But there is a more fundamental sphere of life that must first be thoroughly reformed and mastered before we can expect a Christian civil government. That of course is the family. The first test of whether a man may be a governor, so to speak, in the household of God, the Church, which is a collection of households, is whether he can first manage his own household well. If a man can\u2019t manage his own household, how would he be able to manage the household of God? And by implication, if a man can\u2019t do that, how would he also be able to manage civil government, typically an even larger collection of households?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Sadly, we don\u2019t know if many men can manage their homes well, because, well, they don\u2019t really manage them at all. Instead of managing them, they send their household away all day everyday. A man sends his children to be managed by the government schools and as many extra-curricular activities as possible, and he sends his wife to be managed by another man in the workplace. And whether you want to argue that the dispersion of the family came first or the dispersion of the church came first, it remains that this problem also exists in many churches. I don\u2019t wish to shame them, because they are my brothers and sisters as part of Christ\u2019s bride. I wish to build them up because I love them.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Problem of Separation<\/b><\/p>\n

Like the modern family, the modern church has dispersed its members and attenders far and wide. Nursery, children\u2019s church, youth groups, college groups, young adults, senior citizens groups, you name it. The church is divided up into specialized segments, so much so that a number of these groups are missing from corporate worship, and some of these groups have their own corporate worship services – the contemporary service and the traditional service for example. On this point, many churches have conformed to the pattern of the rest of the world by dividing the family into its individual parts. The family shows up to church, and then they scatter to all go to their own personalized classes and rooms. In this way, many churches do not treat the family as a family, but as individuals.<\/span><\/p>\n

This will not work in trying to build a long term Christian society, for there is a lack of continuity in religious practice, and shared religion is the strongest bond of a people. The most common act of segregation in churches is the removal of children from the worship of God in corporate worship or the divine service. What is needed is a return to the historic practice of the church, which follows the biblical pattern for worship. Today, this is called \u201cFamily Integrated Worship.\u201d This is a fairly modern term, because the removal of children from worship is a fairly modern problem. There is a palpable vitality to family integrated worship that we need and miss when we remove the young life from worship. And there is a vitality of life that our young children need and miss when they are removed from the divine service. Most importantly, we all miss out on God\u2019s pattern for public worship. And when God shows us how something is to be done, there are always more benefits than we may realize. So what is the biblical pattern for worship in regard to this issue?<\/span><\/p>\n

The Biblical Case For<\/b><\/p>\n

First, consider the pattern when Moses wrote down the law and instructed it to be read, he instructed that it be read in the assembly of all the people. Not just the priests, or the men, or the adults, but everyone, young and old alike. Deuteronomy 31:11-13:<\/span><\/p>\n

when all Israel comes\u00a0to appear before the\u00a0Lord<\/span>\u00a0your God at the place that he will choose,\u00a0you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing.<\/span>\u00a012\u00a0<\/sup>Assemble the people, men, women, and little ones, and the sojourner within your towns, that they may hear and learn to fear the\u00a0Lord<\/span>\u00a0your God, and be careful to do all the words of this law,<\/span>\u00a013\u00a0<\/sup>and that their children,\u00a0who have not known it,\u00a0may hear and learn to fear the\u00a0Lord<\/span>\u00a0your God,\u00a0as long as you live in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

But, as some object, \u201cthe children can\u2019t understand what is being said!\u201d First, they can understand much more than we think they can and give them credit for. Second, they certainly won\u2019t understand if they are not subjected to it. Third, it is about much more than just intellectual understanding, which we will come back to later. Fourth, there is plenty that adults do not understand in God\u2019s Word. Should we send out everyone who doesn\u2019t understand everything in the Bible?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Next, in Joshua 8, there is a service and a reading of the law before the whole assembly. Joshua 8:34-35:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/sup>And afterward\u00a0he read all the words of the law,\u00a0the blessing and the curse, according to all that is written in the Book of the Law.<\/span>\u00a035\u00a0<\/sup>There was not a word of all that Moses commanded that Joshua did not read before all the assembly of Israel,\u00a0and the women, and the little ones, and\u00a0the sojourners who lived[c<\/a>]<\/sup>\u00a0among them.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Again, the law is read with all the assembly, including little ones. And we are talking Old Covenant law here. This is the stuff that many of us have a hard time with, the stuff at the point where many of us may drop out in our yearly Bible reading plans. God wants everyone to hear all of that! Noah\u2019s Ark picture books aren’t going to cut it.<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2 Chronicles 20, King Jehoshaphat, a good king, goes before the Lord, in prayer, seeking the Lord for help against their enemies, and he gathers the assembly together for worship and prayer and it says in 2 Chronicles 20:13, \u201cMeanwhile all Judah stood before the LORD, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.\u201d Again, all the assembly together in worship. And notice as well that there is a distinction between \u201clittle ones\u201d and \u201cchildren.\u201d We\u2019re talking infants and babies here. We\u2019ll see that elsewhere too. Joel 2:15-16:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Blow the trumpet in Zion;<\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>consecrate a fast;<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\ncall a solemn assembly;<\/span><\/em>
\n16\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>gather the people.<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\nConsecrate the congregation;<\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>assemble the elders;<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\ngather the children,<\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>even nursing infants.<\/span><\/span><\/em>
\nLet the bridegroom leave his room,<\/span><\/em>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>and the bride her chamber.<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Some people, with good intentions, say they have all the children in worship, but they have a nursery for the infants. God says, gather the nursing infants.<\/span><\/p>\n

Psalm 22:27, \u201cAll the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Psalm 148 is a Psalm that just goes through commanding everyone and everything in creation to worship God. Verse 11-12 says, \u201cKings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth! Young men and maidens together, old men and children! Let them praise the name of the LORD\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

This pattern is upheld in the New Testament, as Paul\u2019s letters were read in the assembly of the congregations. In Ephesians 6 and in Colossians 3 Paul directly addresses children, giving them specific instructions to obey their parents. He does this in the midst of directly addressing husbands and wives, fathers, slaves, and masters. He assumes all these different people and ages are together; he addresses them as such. Paul doesn\u2019t say, \u201cFathers, when you pick your children up from children\u2019s church tell them what I said.\u201d No, he directly addresses the children, assuming they are there, and they are taught to listen and learn, because the pattern of the assembled church is for young and old to gather together. In other words, the expectation is that families are not split up in the church. Fathers are bringing their whole families into the presence of the Lord in worship.<\/span><\/p>\n

Not only is this the biblical pattern of worship, but we also learn from the Bible that worship is formative. This is to say that we become like what we worship. Psalm 115 talks about the foolishness of those who make idols to worship them. They have mouths but do not speak, ears but do not hear, eyes but do not see, noses but do not smell, hands but do not feel, feet but do not walk. And then verse 8 says, \u201cThose who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them.\u201d Worship is formative. You become like what you worship. We see this same principle, but the other way in 2 Corinthians 3:18, \u201cAnd we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Worships forms us either for better or for worse. Worship is more than an intellectual exercise. Worship is much more than just sitting and listening to a lecture in a classroom. There is singing. There is standing and sitting. There is corporate response. There is eating and drinking of bread and wine. Sometimes there is water and so much of it, that people get completely wet! There is confession. There is prayer. There is preaching and listening. All of the senses are utilized in worship. But more than the body and senses, there is the spirit, and the Spirit of God, who is present with us and working through the Word to change us, convict us, comfort us, exhort us, encourage us, and help us. Even when our children, or the mentally handicapped, or us adults, do not understand everything intellectually, there is learning and forming going on in so many other ways. It is good for the youngest of children to the oldest of seniors.<\/span><\/p>\n

One of the most prominent ways that children learn is by imitation. How will they learn how to worship God when we take them out of the worship of God in their most formative years? Should they not be where they can watch their parents, their older brothers and sisters, and the adults, and so learn how we worship God together?<\/span><\/p>\n

The Bible also tells us another important way that God made us to learn, and learn the faith. And that is through generational discipleship. It is Fathers teaching their children. And as Titus 2 lays out, it is older men in the church teaching younger men and older women in the church teaching younger women how to be a woman of God. It is the whole book of Proverbs that a son is called to listen to his father and mother\u2019s instruction. It is the young student listening diligently to the wisdom of the older. It is young men in their strength listening to the gray head of wisdom. This is the biblical model of how we learn, and how we learn wisdom, by the older wise instructing the younger.<\/span><\/p>\n

Thus, the existence of things like children\u2019s church and youth groups falsely assumes that youth learn best when things are catered around their lives, interests, and \u201clevel\u201d surrounded by their peers, taught by the college aged \u201cyouth pastor,\u201d for which there is no office in the Bible. We section our children off into these groups and section the seniors off into their groups, when what we should be doing is bringing them together in one assembly. This is how the faith is passed down.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Means of Grace Problem<\/b><\/p>\n

One of the other problems, that we see mainly in baptistic circles, is that we fail to see worship as a means of grace. Worship is not just a mere intellectual exercise, it is not to be mere outward form and ceremony. All the elements of worship are that which feed our faith. They are graces that God has given us to keep us believing. The Holy Spirit is active in worship through the elements of worship. The Word, song, and sacraments are effectually applied to our lives by the Holy Spirit of God to effect change in our lives. Christ is present to our faith in the Supper. Christ is present with us when we gather together in His name. There are real spiritual things happening in worship. The angels peer into it and they marvel at the preaching of the gospel.<\/span><\/p>\n

There is so much more that could be said, but if we understood worship as a means of grace, how could we even think about removing our children from it? These things are not just for adults, but for all who believe. If someone says to me, \u201cyour church doesn\u2019t have a children\u2019s ministry or a youth ministry.\u201d I say, \u201cYes we do, it\u2019s the Word and Sacrament.\u201d That’s children\u2019s ministry. That’s youth ministry. That\u2019s adult ministry. That is God\u2019s ordained means of ministry to His Church. I don\u2019t want the children going off and eating Teddy Grahams and apple juice. I want them participating in the body and blood of our Lord in the bread and wine.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Implications<\/b><\/p>\n

One implication of all this is that modern attractions like contemporary worship or seeker sensitive models simply will not work. Worship must be biblical in its elements and traditional in its practice. By tradition, I mean timeless biblical practices that will be continued for generations and generations. Prayer, preaching, corporate singing, and the ordinances should be something that every generation can participate in together. Seeker sensitive models exclude the young and the old – it\u2019s too loud and dark. Good tradition is good for all, the young and the old. Have a good biblical liturgy that can be maintained and passed down for generations. Such continuity in the liturgy are the things that help our children learn and understand, and likewise helps the aged as their minds fail them. In this way tradition is a way to honor our father and our mother.<\/span><\/p>\n

Forsaking such things for what is cool and relevant guarantees that our children will have different religious practices because coolness and relevancy is ever changing.<\/span><\/p>\n

Applications<\/b><\/p>\n

Allow me to close with some applications to pastors, parents, and congregants. Children make noises, they can be restless, and they take time to train. This is the common complaint of babies and children in worship.<\/span><\/p>\n

First, to pastors. We\u2019ve got to be tougher. How soft are we that we can\u2019t handle babies crying and toddlers fidgeting during our preaching? Learn to preach joyfully through the noise because the cries of infants is the sound of life. It has been said that a church without crying is dying. We should be overjoyed with gratitude and thankfulness to God that He has given our congregation life and blessing from the womb, and understand that it is a privilege to preach to nursing infants and children. Don\u2019t hesitate to directly address children in your sermons. Some preachers of old had rotten tomatoes and dead cats thrown at them while preaching, how blessed are you when children cry at yours.<\/span><\/p>\n

Next, to parents. I know that it can be very hard when you have babies and young children in church. I know that you can feel like everyone is staring at you when your child acts up in church. It\u2019s okay. And it\u2019s okay that it\u2019s hard. It is the responsibility that God has given you, and it is only for a season. Embrace it. You will have to work hard to train your children to sit in worship. It takes work, but that is what you are called to do as a parent. Train them at home in family worship. You might have to take a crying baby out and back in, and out and back again. You might have to take a child out for discipline and back, over and over again. It\u2019s okay. You might be frustrated that you don\u2019t get to hear all of the sermon, or sing every song because you have to deal with your children. That is okay. That is God\u2019s providence for you. Accept it with thankfulness, and trust that what you are able to hear and do will benefit you and nourish your soul. The season of child training is not only for your children, it is also for you. God gives us children to also teach and discipline us as parents. Receive it from God with thanksgiving. In the long run you and your children and your grandchildren will benefit more than you can see or think in the moment. Utilize grandparents, or others without little children in the congregation for help. Don\u2019t give up or despair because it is hard. Talk with your pastors about help and advice, they are supposed to be ones with well managed homes who can help you.<\/span><\/p>\n

Finally, to the congregants, particularly those without little children in the service. Children are not a nuisance. Don\u2019t be frustrated or annoyed or look down upon those dealing with little ones. Love them. Pray for them. Be a blessing to them. Encourage them. Guard your hearts and minds. There is no need for passive aggressive comments or looks. Be glad for the blessings God has given your congregation. It is for your good as well.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t be like the disciples when they rebuked the people for bringing their little children to Jesus. Instead, remember Jesus, who said, \u201cLet the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.\u201d Remember Jesus, who said, \u201cTruly I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Click HERE for sermon audio   Introduction When we say that we want to work toward building a Christendom 2.0, as many say, what we mean is that we want to work toward the discipleship of peoples and nations such that every area of life, every sphere of society, and every jurisdiction of authority is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":685,"featured_media":5594,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"wds_primary_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[1460,1832,1831,645,1836,678,699,1835,1833,1235,1834,1367],"class_list":{"0":"post-5591","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-uncategorized","8":"tag-building","9":"tag-household","10":"tag-households","11":"tag-in","12":"tag-integrated","13":"tag-jenkins","14":"tag-joshua","15":"tag-of-family","16":"tag-of-god","17":"tag-the","18":"tag-vitality","19":"tag-worship","20":"entry"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2023\/04\/50sfamily.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3643,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/training-our-children-to-worship-god-with-gods-people\/","url_meta":{"origin":5591,"position":0},"title":"Training Our Children to Worship God with God’s People","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"October 22, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"In family-integrated, or as I like to say, age-integrated churches, we believe that it is the normal pattern and precedent of the Bible to include all ages in the corporate worship of God. The New Testament letters assume that all ages, including children, are present in the assembly. The New\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Faith"","block_context":{"text":"Faith","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/faith\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/10\/kids-in-church-300x200-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4054,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/an-open-letter-to-missouri-speaker-of-the-house-elijah-haahr-and-the-missouri-legislature\/","url_meta":{"origin":5591,"position":1},"title":"An Open Letter to Missouri Speaker of the House Elijah Haahr, and the Missouri Legislature","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"March 23, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Dear Mr. Speaker, As a Missouri citizen and a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, I am calling upon you to take immediate emergency action to end abortion in the state of Missouri by referring House Bill 2285 to the Children and Families\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Culture"","block_context":{"text":"Culture","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/culture\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2020\/03\/capitolconvo-kermitmiller-capitolreno-cbt-dec2018.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2020\/03\/capitolconvo-kermitmiller-capitolreno-cbt-dec2018.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2020\/03\/capitolconvo-kermitmiller-capitolreno-cbt-dec2018.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2020\/03\/capitolconvo-kermitmiller-capitolreno-cbt-dec2018.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2020\/03\/capitolconvo-kermitmiller-capitolreno-cbt-dec2018.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4328,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/for-christendom-christocracy-the-separation-of-church-state\/","url_meta":{"origin":5591,"position":2},"title":"For Christendom: Christocracy & the Separation of Church & State","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"January 19, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Let every person\u00a0be subject to the governing authorities. For\u00a0there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.\u00a02\u00a0Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.\u00a03\u00a0For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Culture"","block_context":{"text":"Culture","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/culture\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2021\/01\/For-Christendom.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2021\/01\/For-Christendom.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2021\/01\/For-Christendom.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2021\/01\/For-Christendom.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4901,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/overcoming-the-false-religion-of-statism\/","url_meta":{"origin":5591,"position":3},"title":"Overcoming the False Religion of Statism","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"April 4, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Introduction As the late Dr. Gary North so elegantly wrote, \u201cOur goal as Christians is to make political and cultural losers out of the humanists and satanists.\u201d Now some of you who are Christians might be rubbed the wrong way by that statement. If that is the case, it is\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Government"","block_context":{"text":"Government","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/government\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2022\/04\/035-featured.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4065,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/rivers-of-living-water-john-737-39\/","url_meta":{"origin":5591,"position":4},"title":"Rivers of Living Water; John 7:37-39","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"March 30, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 37\u00a0On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out,\u00a0\u201cIf anyone thirsts, let him\u00a0come to me and drink.\u00a038\u00a0Whoever believes in me,\u00a0as[a]\u00a0the Scripture has said,\u00a0\u2018Out of his heart will flow rivers of\u00a0living water.\u2019\u201d\u00a039\u00a0Now\u00a0this he said about the Spirit,\u00a0whom those who believed in him were\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Commentary"","block_context":{"text":"Commentary","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/commentary\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2020\/03\/cometotheriver.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2020\/03\/cometotheriver.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2020\/03\/cometotheriver.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2020\/03\/cometotheriver.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4357,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/christianity-as-religion\/","url_meta":{"origin":5591,"position":5},"title":"Christianity as Religion","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"February 22, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Christianity is in fact a religion. Indeed it is the one true religion. The effort to trade in the timeless structure and order of the Church for \"it's just a relationship\" goo is part to blame for where we are. You can't build civilizations on goo. You need a firm\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Church History"","block_context":{"text":"Church History","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/church-history\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2021\/02\/churchbuilding.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2021\/02\/churchbuilding.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2021\/02\/churchbuilding.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2021\/02\/churchbuilding.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5591","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/685"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5591"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5591\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5594"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5591"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5591"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5591"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}