Family or Ministry? Honestly, my answer is both. It’s hard to have a ministry w/out a family and it’s hard for your family to really be separated from your ministry. However, if it comes down to the hard question of which one will you choose over the other… my answer 10 times out of 10 will be my family. Growing up, I was instilled with almost a mafia-type appreciation for my family. (The word ‘respect’ was mentioned pretty often) We’ve all heard the phrase Blood is thicker than water, and I learned at an early age that this was truth. We may not always get along the best, but I know that when I really need them, my family is always there for me and will go to great lengths to help me out. So, I put family first – and for a variety of reasons:
1. You lose your family, you will most likely lose your ministry anyway. The other way doesn’t necessarily always play out – if you lose your ministry, your family is still there. So it goes to show that the most effort should probably be put in your family as it is a driving force behind your ministry in the first place.
2. God instituted the family first. Before the church, God instituted the family. Our families deserve a much higher priority than we often give them. My first priority as a dad is to make sure that I am discipling my children. If I can’t disciple my own children, how can I expect to disciple anyone else?!
3. By placing family first we model an example. When we make our family a priority, it shows other people that they need to do the same. Often times people put jobs or hobbies above the ones closest to them.
4. When all else fades, family remains. You are stuck with your family whether you like them or not. 
And when careers come and go, homes fade, cars rust, and technology goes obsolete – what you have left is your investment in your family.
One day we will all hit that golden age when we retire. All of the ‘fame’ we have hoped to generate with our names will be forgotten by then. It’s a hard reality to understand that we are all replaceable. However, in the end, I am the only one that can be my sons dad. There are simply some relationships in my family that are not replaceable. So I want to be the best that I can be.