building a dynasty

My great grandfather was a minister. John G Train.

By all accounts he was a fine, godly, prayerful man, who preached a powerful sermon. I've a little book he wrote, and in it he warmly but urgently expounds the summons of Jesus.

He had quite a large family (I mean in terms of the number of children he had). And I don't for a moment doubt that the man prayed long and hard for that family down the years. For his children, and his children's children - and for who knows how many generations down the line.

Certainly down the generations his family has remained quite remarkably close. So with my brother across from Zimbabwe for a couple of weeks, there was a chance to meet up with some at least of that family.

Something a bit above 30 pitched up today. Old and young alike. From far afield. From England, from Wales, from east, from west. One had not long since flown in from South America. A bit of a miniature gathering of the clan.

This man, my great-grand-father, built a sort of dynasty of faith. And it's that sort of thing that is needed again today. Not just individuals coming to faith. Not just whole families growing to know the Lord.

But a long and lasting dynasty of faith being built down through succeeding generations of a family's life.