When the Mayflower ship made its famous 1620 voyage to America, many people died on the trip across the ocean and on the arrival in America. Because of the deaths of so many on that ship, many fathers, mothers, and children were forced to join and form new families. Today we call these new family combinations “blended” families. In many ways the church is a blended family also, with the members having special challenges to come together as a true and bonded family.
Tim Martens is the pastor of the Northwest Arkansas and Springfield Missouri congregations. Prior to becoming a pastor, he has had successful careers in business and education as well as being a newspaper columnist.
