5 Questions With Family Studies: Soren and Ever Johnson on Creating Heavenly Homes

I once heard a priest say that marriages and families are transformed, not so much through individual effort but through sustained involvement in a supportive community of believers. And by “believers,” he was not only referring to believers in the faith but more broadly to those who believe in the gifts of marriage and children and want to help others enjoy these gifts. Soren and Ever Johnson are true believers, and they are doing their part to help churches create the supportive communities that today's families so desperately need.

The Johnsons are the proud parents of five children and cofounders of Trinity House Community, a Catholic ministry that inspires families to make home a taste of heaven for the renewal of faith and culture. The ministry provides families with the formation and fellowship they need to be able to thrive and impact their communities by engaging the public with a vision for the Christian home. The Johnsons do this through various outreach efforts, including Trinity House Café + Market, the Heaven in Your Home Workshop for parents, weekly Heaven in Your Home Letters, and parish-based Trinity House Community Groups. I recently had the opportunity to talk with Soren and Ever about their book, Heaven in Your Home Letters and Guide, and about their ministry to churches and families.

Alysse ElHage: Your book is primarily aimed at a Catholic audience, but it has broader applications for any parents of faith who desire a more peaceful home life. Tell us why you wrote it and why you founded the Trinity House Ministry? What did you hope to accomplish?

Soren and Ever Johnson: When we brought our firstborn home, we were overwhelmed from day one! And that was arguably with a lot of resources—we both grew up in loving and faith-filled homes. We both had graduate degrees and could write papers about the Catholic vision for the family. But there we were—arguing, tired, and unsure of our next steps. We wrote Heaven in Your Home for couples like us, who are looking for a basic roadmap that they can adapt. We absolutely love family life. We wrote it to share some of the simple, quiet joys that we experience alongside the inevitable challenges. 

Alysse ElHage: The book presents a framework for what you call a “Trinity House,” which basically has 5 levels. What is a “Trinity House,” and what are the main levels?

Soren and Ever Johnson: Broadly speaking, nearly every Christian can agree that we are made in the “image of God” (Gen. 1:27), and that this image is in turn Trinitarian. We are made in the image of the “Relationship,” the “communion of persons” of the Father and the Son in the Holy Spirit. Wondrously, every family is a little icon of the Trinity, a “communion of persons,” and so we invite parents to view their home as a “Trinity House.” A Trinity House is a home in which the family’s ultimate goal is to continually increase their life of communion so that they become an ever more perfect image of God, and their home becomes a taste of heaven that overflows into their community. With this in mind, we invite families to safeguard and deepen this communion through five levels. Each level has three keys: a key practice, place, and principle. Just for a few examples, Level 2 is Person and Relationships, where we focus on deepening our communion, first as husband and wife, and then with our children (through Date Night, Special Places, Presence). Level 3 is Household Economy, where we talk about caring for our communion as a family (Chore Day, Workspace, Teamwork). Level 5 is Hospitality and Service, where we share our communion with those around us (One Outreach, Neighborhood, Abundance).  

Whether you’re a new parent, empty nester, or grandparent, you play a vital role in your child’s life. Rather than be overwhelmed, just take one small step.    

Alysse ElHage: You talk in the book about “retrofitting” family life. Is it ever too late for a family to create this “Heaven in Your Home,” as you describe it? 

Soren and Ever Johnson: It’s never too late! “The perfect family does not exist,” Pope Francis said. And every family, at any stage, can begin to take intentional steps toward finding heaven in your home. In fact, since the family is a communion of persons, our families are already much closer to holiness, to being like God, than we might think. Whether you’re a new parent, empty nester, or grandparent, you play a vital role in your child’s life. Rather than be overwhelmed, just take one small step.    

Alysse ElHage: That's great advice. And you acknowledge in the book that family life can be messy and that families are dealing with all sorts of backgrounds and issues that can make building a smoother and more peaceful family life very difficult at times. In fact, you have a chapter that describes the family as a “construction site.” How do families embrace the messiness of family life while also continuing to strive toward a happier home? 

Soren and Ever Johnson: We encourage parents to accept that our homes should look like a work in progress. Contrast this with what we often think our families should look like: perfect, beautiful, successful, holy… Then we look around, and depending on the day, we may see only the flaws. Instead of growing frustrated, we need to thank God daily for the construction site of our family. It’s important that we let gratitude—and not unrealistic expectations—drive the bus. We also encourage families to look to Jesus and reflect on his patience and love as he formed his disciples—who like us and our children were often flawed, selfish, and yes, works in progress. 

Alysse ElHage: Tell us about the Trinity House Community Ministry you founded and how more churches can embrace and teach these concepts to families in their communities?

Many churches have vibrant men’s and women’s groups, couple groups, young adult groups, but too often there is nothing for the entire family to enjoy. And families of faith have never been more isolated. Our Trinity House Community Groups are now active at 25 congregations in 9 states. Our subscription model offers any parish the opportunity to host five all-family gatherings in the course of the year. The evenings offer a “date night” plus “family night” feel, with food, fellowship, encouragement and practical strategies for building a faith-filled home. Groups hold “Heaven in Your Home Gatherings,” often on a Saturday evening. To start a Trinity House Community Group in their church, folks can check out our website resource page.