Foundations of the Family Genesis 1-2 Presented by Steve Reeves * June 26, 2006 * Third Annual Truth Lectures

Traditional family being replaced by ‘new system' The number of U.S. families that fit the traditional mold will probably be in the minority in the 21st century, according to a new report on marriage and family.

Traditional family being replaced by ‘new system' The study was conducted by the General Social Survey (GSS) of the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago. Statistics from both government and private sources clearly demonstrate the bad news: the percentage of kids who live with both biological parents, who remain married, has dropped precipitously from 73% in 1972 to 51.7% in The view from another perspective is equally disheartening. Twenty- eight years ago 45% of households consisted of married couples with children. In 1998, that percentage had fallen to 26%.

Traditional family being replaced by ‘new system' The report said "families are smaller and less stable, marriage is less central and cohabitation more common, the value of children and values for children have altered, and within marriages gender roles have become less traditional and more egalitarian." …. University of Chicago sociologist Linda Waite said statistics on unmarried mothers also indicate that the family is going through a dramatic upheaval. In 1970, she said, only 11% of all births were to unmarried mothers. By 1996, however, that percentage had jumped to 32%. "If you add to that women who are divorced or cohabiting with children, marriage is seen today as much less important. And that is probably to the bad," she said.

Traditional family being replaced by ‘new system' Christians view the family as a critical institution ordained by God, and frequently lament the current trends. As it turns out, however, Christians don't always practice what they preach. Four of the five states that lead the nation in divorces are in the Bible Belt. Moreover, a study by the Barna Research Group, which focuses on religious trends in the U.S., found that people who self-identify as evangelical Christians are actually more likely to get divorced than non-Christians. Source: USA Today, 11/24/99; Christianity Today, 1/10/00; barna.org, 12/21/99

Fornication & “Living Together” Between 1990 and 1999, the percentage of illegitimate births grew by 18 percent. The increase since 1960 is 523 percent. More than two-thirds of all black children are now illegitimate, as are 42.1 percent of Hispanics, and 22 percent of whites. When women 18 to 49 were asked whether they would consider raising a child on their own, more than 60 percent answered yes. More than 80 percent of black women will be single heads of households at some point in their lives. (Mona Charen quoting from William Bennett’s The Index of Leading Cultural Indicators)

The Family is Under Attack God is being pushed aside Families must be restored Call families back to the scriptures Family foundations must be laid first Genesis 1-2 is the place to start

Characteristics of God ( Genesis 1 ) God is a God of order (vv.1-3) God has all power (v.3,6,9; etc.) God is a God of wisdom (Psa. 19:1-2) God has a pattern (vv.14-19)

Family Foundations ( Genesis 2 ) God formed man first (vv.7-17) God created a companion (vv.18-22) God made woman from man (v.23) God desires leaving and cleaving (v.23) God desires a “one flesh” union (v.24)

Family Foundations God’s will for marriage and family A lifelong relationship Respect for husband and wife roles Leaving, cleaving and “one flesh” Fulfilling each other’s needs God’s love and wisdom

battle over gay adoption is increasing in intensity. Gay parents under the microscope The core argument put forth by homosexual activists is that science is on their side. They claim that scientific studies demonstrate that kids raised by gay couples suffer no adverse consequences from the experience, and that there is therefore no risk in allowing homosexuals to adopt. But the research says no such thing, according to Dr. Timothy J. Dailey, senior fellow in culture studies at the Family Research Council. Much of it “fails to meet acceptable standards for psychological research; it is compromised by methodological flaws and driven by political agendas instead of an objective search for truth,” he insists.

battle over gay adoption is increasing in intensity. Moreover, there is evidence that kids raised in same-sex households are more likely to drift towards the sexual orientation of their gay parents. Dr. Judith Stacey, a sociologist at the University of Southern California and a supporter of gay adoption, admitted in a 2002 Primetime Thursday (ABC) interview that research had shown that children raised by homosexual couples were more likely to have “either considered or had one same-sex experience” than children raised by heterosexuals.