A megachurch in Grapevine, Texas had none other than Dr. Phil McGraw speak on prayer, family and finances.
Ed Young’s Fellowship Church had a special guest, Dr. Phil, discuss the importance of prayer and family in today’s modern society. In a world so keen on allowing the government to be the provider for their families, McGraw says this is not what parents are called to do.
“You don’t want to co-parent your children with the government,” McGraw says. “Anytime the government says, ‘knock, knock knock: I’m your government and I’m here to help you’ [you need to] run.”
McGraw also believes it is critical for married couples and families to attend church together. Citing the fact that church attendance is below 50% right now, he sees the vital need for families to place God first.
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“The church brings something to the family unit that causes cohesion,” McGraw says. “That causes values to be thought of and talked about and prayerfully considered. If there’s regularity to it, then there’s a constant reminder of those things.”
McGraw emphasizes how one key he implemented while raising his sons was to have them see him pray often.
“It was important to me as a father to model to those children that they see their father in a prayerful relationship with the heavenly Father,” McGraw says.
McGraw also touched on the subject of envy and how important it is for people to see themselves in the same lens our heavenly Father sees us through.
“If you see yourself as second-class, that’s not how God sees you,” McGraw says. “There’s been a high price paid for you.”
McGraw shared his personal testimony of coming to Christ on TBN. His father was an alcoholic and worked in the oil business. At 13, McGraw decided to turn over his life to Christ.
“That’s when I met the Lord and accepted Jesus Christ as my personal savior. I remember it like it was yesterday because that was a big step for me at 13 years old because I didn’t have a lot of leadership at that point,” McGraw says.
This decision would change the entire trajectory of McGraw’s life.
“It was a serious decision for me because I was very analytical,” McGraw says. “That was a big step of faith for me. I didn’t do it just because that’s what you do at that age. I had to really think this through.”
During this time when families, marriages and faith couldn’t be further away from the cultural norm, it’s people like Dr. Phil who are making a difference. Instead of using influence to turn people away from God, this is the moment to use whatever influence we have to call people toward Jesus.
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Abby Trivett is a marketing copywriter and coordinator for Charisma Media.