Van Staden, J.M. (Jacobus Marthinus)Dreyer, Yolanda2014-09-112014-09-112013-11-01Van Staden, J.M. & Dreyer, Y., 2013, 'Gesinsbediening in ’n postmoderne kerk vanuit Bybelsteologiese perspektiewe', HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies 69(1), Art. #2049, 7 pages. http://dx.DOI.org/ 10.4102/hts.v69i1.2049.0259-9422 (print)2072-8050 (online)10.4102/hts.v69i1.2049http://hdl.handle.net/2263/42004This article represents a reworked version of aspects from the PhD dissertation (University of Pretoria) with Prof. Dr Yolanda Dreyer as supervisor. (http://hdl.handle.net/2263/40208)Hierdie artikel is ’n verwerkte weergawe van aspekte van die PhD-verhandeling van J.M.v.S. (Universiteit van Pretoria), met Y.D. (Universiteit van Pretoria) as promotor. (http://hdl.handle.net/2263/40208)The aim of the article is to reflect on biblical-theological perspectives on family in order to enrich postmodern faith communities. In the post-biblical period the biological family was central to the process of the institutionalisation of the church and the spiritual aspect of family was underplayed. The church father, Augustine, indowed marriage with sacramental status. This emphasised the presence of God in the family, but ‘procreation’ dominated his theology of marriage. The sacramental status of marriage along with the dominance of patriarchy made marriage indisputable. This obstructed any possibility of thinking creatively about marriage in a postmodern context. In his reformation of marriage Martin Luther succeeded in deconstructing the sacramental status of marriage, but did not succeed in overturning patriarchal dominance. The reality of postmodern families differs vastly from that of biblical times and the times of Augustine, Aquinas and Luther. The challenge of the church in a postmodern world is to reflect in a responsible biblical theological way on the relationship between adults and children from the perspective of the kingdom of God. This article aims to contribute in this regard.Afrikaans© 2013. The Authors. Licensee: AOSIS OpenJournals. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License.ChurchFamily ministryFaithBiblical-theological perspectivesArticle