What does it mean for image bearers to have image bearers?

Brian Borgman explores the concept of the dominion mandate for the church, emphasizing that it is fulfilled as we carry out the Great Commission. As image bearers of God, we reflect His glory throughout the world. This is achieved through disciples making disciples, filling the earth with those redeemed and reflecting God's glory. The primary focus of the church is this spiritual multiplication, which aligns with our calling as believers.

On another level, the church must affirm that children are a gift from the Lord. This belief has significant implications, such as opposing abortion and promoting a culture of life. The church should encourage adoption, foster care, and support young parents, addressing the trend of some young couples choosing not to have children. Borgman suggests that premarital counseling should include discussions about the importance of having children and challenging selfish attitudes that may hinder this blessing.

Psalm 127:3 (NKJV): "Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward."

I think that there's in a sense sort of two levels that we need to think about. One is the dominion mandate for the church, without excluding the idea of actual procreation, which I'll address in a second, that dominion mandate is supremely fulfilled as we are fulfilling the Great Commission. So the whole idea of image bearers bearing image bearers, What are image bearers doing? They're reflecting the glory of God throughout the world. That was the idea.

In terms of us as disciples making disciples, what are we doing? In a sense, We're doing our best to fill the earth with those that are now redeemed, reflecting God's glory. So the church is always about that first. But at another level, the Church actually has to take a very, very positive stand in reaffirming, constantly teaching, children are a gift from the Lord. Children are a gift from the Lord.

And that has massive implications for the Church. It means that we strongly stand against the murder of unborn babies. You can't actually complain about the declining birth rate and not see abortion as a vital part of what's going on. So, you know, when you're killing babies by the millions, of course your birth rate is going to go down. So the church has to be strong.

The church has to be aggressively opposing abortion and promoting life. So children are a gift from God. We hate abortion, but then we do other things to promote a culture of life, which may be encouraging God's people to adopt, enter into foster care, taking care of those that may end up being, you know, just trophies of God's grace in our families. And then we teach young parents, and this is sort of a, this is a trend that I think is very unfortunate, and that is there's a lot of selfishness among young couples, even Christians, who don't plan to have children. And I think that in premarital counseling, So this is really practical, right?

In premarital counseling, you talk to the prospective couple about having children. And there have been a few times over the years when I've done that, and they've said, well, we're not planning on having children. And then that's when you