Family on Mission - Part 1
Adrian Thornton

The focus for Citylife Church in 2026 is Family on Mission.
Not just family. And not just mission. But both, together.

Church is family. That’s not just warm language—it’s deeply biblical. In Matthew 12, Jesus is told that His mother and brothers are waiting outside. His response is confronting: “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” Then, pointing to His disciples, He says, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

That’s more than a little offensive—especially in cultures where life is built around the household. Even in Western culture, where our lives revolve around the nuclear family, Jesus’ words are deeply confronting. He isn’t dismissing biological family, but He is redefining priority. Obedience to the Father forms a new family, one that is thicker than blood.

That raises an important question: what kind of family is a kingdom family?

It’s not one specific cultural model. We’re not trying to become an “Australian family,” a first-century household, or adopt the customs of one culture over another. Scripture shows us that God doesn’t flatten culture. Instead, He changes the posture and attitudes of hearts.

When Paul writes to households, he doesn’t dismantle their structure; he reshapes their attitude. He calls people to humility, mutual submission, service, and love. A kingdom family isn’t defined by form, but by how we relate to one another in Christ.

But this family has a purpose. It’s a family on mission, expressed personally, locally, and globally.

Mission without family becomes cold and driven. Family without mission becomes comfortable and inward-looking. We don’t want either extreme.

Jesus holds these together beautifully. In John 21, He tells Peter to “tend my sheep”—to care for God’s people. Then in Matthew 9, He tells us to pray for workers to be sent into the harvest. The church is about tending and sending. We gather, and we scatter. We care deeply, and we go boldly.

I’m also aware that the word 'family' can be a painful one. Some carry deep wounds, trauma, or disappointment. Others have had wonderful families and don’t feel the need for church to fill that space. Jesus speaks to both. He heals the brokenhearted, and He re-centres His disciples’ lives around the family of God.

This is a high calling, and it’s challenging for all of us. But God’s vision for family is beautiful. He’s been shaping this in us for years, and I believe He’s inviting us to lean in again.

So as we look ahead, my prayer is simple:
Lord, if You’re leading us here, we’re open. Make us a family on mission.