part0012

In the Bible, there is clear evidence for what some call “generational blessings” and “generational curses” – that is, traits, tendencies, or conditions of an individual or family that are passed down from one generation to the next. These inherited traits can be either positive or negative.

On one occasion, God revealed Himself to Moses by proclaiming that He was “The Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin. A God who by no means will clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation” (Exodus 34:6-7, NIV). This passage indicates that, in some way, the “iniquity of the fathers” could be “visited” on future generations.

After King David committed adultery with Bathsheba and sent her husband Uriah to be killed, the Lord spoke to David through Nathan the prophet: ‘Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’ This is what the Lord says: ‘Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity on you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will sleep with your wives in broad daylight. You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel’ (2 Samuel 12:10-12, NIV). David committed adultery and murder, and because of this, his household was plagued with sexual assault and violence.

“The parents eat sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge” (Ezekiel 18:2, NIV). In other words, because of the parents’ behaviors, their children are born with certain predispositions and predilections. Recent research from the science of epigenetics seems to confirm this ancient experience. Epigenetics is the study of heritable phenotype changes that do not involve alterations in the DNA sequence. For example, one “study shows that when mice are taught to fear an odor, both their offspring and the next generation are born fearing it.” 2 Though the newly born mice have not directly experienced the trauma of the prior generation, they respond as if they have. For a positive example, consider how David showed favor to the lame man named Mephibosheth for the sake of Jonathan (Mephibosheth’s father) who was David’s close friend. David gave Mephibosheth all the land of Saul and had him eat at the king’s table continually. In this case, Mephibosheth reaped the rewards of prior generations. Even more poignant is the example of Timothy, of whom the Apostle Paul said, “I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also” (2 Timothy 1:5, NIV). Sincere faith was passed down through at least three generations.

Often, one will notice inter-generational patterns of behavior within families. Perhaps there are patterns of alcoholism or divorce. Maybe there are patterns of generosity or high educational achievement. It is incredibly important to become aware of the patterns and tendencies that are present within one’s family so that one can better understand the family’s strengths, weaknesses, and ministry needs for both the present and the future.

We as human beings are all members of one human family – descendants of Adam and Eve. “From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands” (Acts 17:26, NIV). Because we all came from “one man” – or “one blood” as some translations read – we are all intrinsically and inextricably connected with one another as “one life.”

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me” (John 17:20-23, NIV).

Likewise, within a nuclear family, the family members are of “one blood” or “one life.” Relational sharing within a family brings about an exchange of life that results in a “shared” or “collective soul” within the family. The condition of each family member will affect the conditions of every other family member. What affects one will affect all.

This way of thinking provides even more credence to the notion of the interconnectedness of families and family members. Because families are “one life” in this sense, it is incredibly important to understand the various strengths and weaknesses within the family – both for present and for future generations.

A genogram is a “graphic representation” of a family tree that displays detailed data on relationships among individuals. It goes beyond a traditional family tree by allowing the user to analyze hereditary patterns and psychological factors that punctuate relationships … Genograms contain a wealth of information on the families represented. First, they contain basic data found in family trees such as the name, gender, date of birth, and date of death of each individual. Additional data may include education, occupation, major life events, chronic illnesses, social behaviors, nature of family relationships, emotional relationships, and social relationships. Some genograms also include information on disorders running in the family such as alcoholism, depression, diseases, alliances, and living situations. Genograms can vary significantly because there is no limitation as to what type of data can be included.” 3 Spiritual issues should also be identified and included. A family may also choose to track community service, activism, business ownership, inventions, etc.

The purpose of the Family Genogram is to help families identify generational patterns of thought, condition, and behavior (whether positive or negative). The visual representation helps provide a window into hereditary tendencies within a family. The Family Genogram will empower families with the information necessary to properly address and break generational curses, as well as bolster and affirm generational blessings.

Find a genogram template to help in developing your Family Genogram. There are many genogram-related resources online. One such template can be found at www.genopro.com. There is also an abundance of helpful information from the Emotionally Healthy Spirituality program and resources.

Not all families currently have a culture of healthy disclosure of sensitive information. Many times, issues within the family (or the family history) may be “swept under the rug” and essentially ignored in an effort to “move on” or “save face.” This mindset may manifest with special rigor in typically “shame-based” cultures. The efficacy of the Family Genogram is directly dependent on the willingness of individual family members to disclose personal struggles, experiences, and issues that may be sensitive in nature. Fear, guilt, and shame may attempt to block the vulnerability necessary to gain a full picture of the “soul” of the family.

Therefore, you must encourage your family to develop healthy, positive relationships with one another – and to create metaphorical “safe places” where family members can feel free to share transparently without judgment. This may take time, patience, and personal ministry. In this process, you should emphasize the truth of the family’s “collective soul” and the importance of revealing generational issues for the sake of the next generation.

The wellness of the next generation may depend in large part on the degree of transparency from the previous generation – transparency that empowers the next generation with the knowledge necessary to break unhealthy patterns and affirm healthy patterns. The current generation must be encouraged to see the value of succession within the family, and they must do all that is necessary to help the next generation be as successful as possible.

Breaking generational curses and building generational blessings are primarily spiritual tasks. Once they are properly handled in the Spirit, they can be established and walked out practically. To effectively conduct this spiritual work, your family may need support from apostolic and prophetic ministry gifts.