Miami Kingdom Family conference draws multi-lingual crowd

MIAMI (FBW)-In an experimental multi-lingual, inter-generational event, Miami Baptists gathered for the first-ever Family Life Encounter March 5-6. The prototype of a Kingdom Family conference, held at First Baptist Church, Perrine, was designed to encourage hundreds of participants to "come home to the heart of God."

The massive undertaking resulted in a yearlong effort by the Miami Baptist Association, Florida Baptist Convention, LifeWay Christian Resources and North American Mission Board. The event is a part of "For You Miami," the NAMB Strategic Focus Cities emphasis.

From the first greeting of the Opening Celebration, the unique challenges of a multi-lingual event were apparent. Every promotional brochure, program schedule, conference teaching plan, and handout was available in English, Haitian-Creole and Spanish. The spoken word was instantly translated into three languages which participants could access through headsets. A conference track was offered also in Portuguese.

Emanuel Roque, associate pastor of Miami's Iglesia Bautista Resurreccion, gave instructions to the crowd and prayed in English and Spanish, and Scott Nelson, director of Haitian Creole ministry, Miami Baptist Association, translated into Haitian Creole.

"Do you believe that God hears us?" Roque asked the crowd to thunderous applause.

Worship leader Jeff Marinos of The Altar Church, Miami Lakes, directed hymns and praise songs in three languages, with representatives of eight churches providing instrumental accompaniment and praise team vocals.Worshippers sang "How Great Thou Art" with soloists in three languages, the congregation answering with the chorus in Spanish, Haitian Creole and English: "Cuan grande es El; Que Tu es grand; How great Thou art!"

Conferees scattered over the entire campus of First, Perrine. A playground of inflatable recreational activities filled one parking lot while food lines operated by the Florida Baptist Convention Disaster Relief units claimed another parking area. The Disaster Relief crews used the event as a crew training opportunity. Registration desks were located in the church courtyard. A four-car tram snaked through the property, delivering participants to the activity areas.

A team of 27 break-out conference leaders taught three of the seven pillars of a Kingdom Family-"Honoring God's Authority," Exercising Moral Purity" and "Using Time Wisely." The inter-generational aspect of the conferences was unique to the Family Life Encounter. One teenage girl was heard to exclaim to her leader, "Are we really in class with them?" while giving her father a playful jab to the arm. Conference writers designed activities to engage children, youth and adults together in learning activities.

Speaker Forrest Pollock expanded the Kingdom Family theme in sermons on marriage and parenting. Pollock, pastor of Bell Shoals Baptist Church, Brandon, and his wife, Dawn, were counseled and married by Tom Eliff, author of the Kingdom Family books and resources. Eliff, whom Pollock called "a mentor of mine," wrote Unbreakable: the Seven Pillars of a Kingdom Family and Come Home to the Heart of God. The Pollocks are parents to six children, ages four to 11.

Citing the average length of marriages-nine years, Pollock noted "before the warranties run out on their washers and dryers, couples are calling it quits." He challenged pastors and church leaders to teach and counsel God's plan for holy marriage, and listed five questions to ask to know if a couple is "fit to be tied" in marriage.

• Are we both born again and attend the same church? Claiming "you can't have a Christian marriage without Christians," Pollock cautioned singles against marrying a non-Christian, calling it "flirting with disaster."

• Do we have parental encouragement to marry?

In pre-marital counseling at Bell Shoals Baptist Church, where Pollock has served 18 months, both sets of parents are invited to the last session. "If any one parent says no, I will not marry them. Who am I to override a parent's wisdom about a child?" he asked.

• Do we have scriptural freedom to marry? Citing examples of legal activities, he reminded the congregation that many legal freedoms are not in accordance with God's Word.

• Can the man financially support the family? Deuteronomy 4:5 sets a precedent for the husband supporting the family. "We do not ask for W-2's in counseling engaged couples, but we do ask for frank talk on finances," Pollock said.

• Is it God's time for us to marry? "How do you know?" he asked. "When you look more like Jesus with your partner than you do without."

In subsequent sermons, Pollock encouraged parents to establish a "family altar to alter your family." He said an effective family time of devotion would require commitment and consistency and should be creative and concise. Citing Deut. 6:4-5, he urged parents to instruct their children to revere, reflect and remember the Lord.

Emanuel Roque, the Family Life Encounter planning team leader, termed the conference "a catalytic event for equipping churches." He credited the Miami Baptist Association, Florida Baptist Convention and LifeWay in the cooperative effort.

"Our different Baptist entities are our strength in planning," Roque said. "God has given us the pieces of the puzzle to fit together. Also, if we choose to include everyone, God will meet us in a special way."

Florida Baptist Convention Educational Division director Jim Chavis echoed Roque's commendations for the planning process and the entities involved: "This meeting's success is the result of four-way planning. Everyone is involved because we believe that family issues are cross-cultural."

Miami will host another Family Life Encounter Oct. 8-9. For more information, contact For You Miami, 305-412-7230.