Youth, Discipleship, and the Centrality of the Home

Several articles in the April 6 issue of the Southern Baptist Texan impacted my affections as I read them.  They exhibit a major passion of mine: the centrality of the family in discipling children.

Tammie Reed Ledbetter addresses the research related to youth who prefer expository preaching. Even though this article is not directly related to the centrality of the home, it does relate to the importance of good doctrine and the sufficiency of Scripture in discipling young people.

One Texas church is turning toward a more family-integrated approach.  This article relates the major success of that church.

The newsjournal also included a post  from Eric Bridges, an IMB correspondent, who discussed the rise of formerly evangelical young people who now claim to have no religious affliation.  He examines the idea that this tragedy lies at the feet of parental failure to disciple their children.

I am greatly affected by these articles because they go the heart of my calling toward biblical manhood.  They strike the alarming chord reminding me of my call to prepare to disciple my children in the fear and admonition of the Lord.  It is not the youth pastor’s job to teach my kids.  That lies at my feet.  May we all tremble at the responsibility and weight the Lord calls on Fathers, and may we awaken to God’s intended purpose for the family.

Working with you for the Family and for our children,

Vince R.

Embryonic Stem-Cell Research History: Just in Case You Missed it…Like I did.

I haven’t been living under a rock or anything, but on many issues, my cultural engagement is pretty weak.  Embryonic Stem-Cell Research has been thrown around near my ears, but only over the past year or so have I given myself to trying to stay informed.  Here’s an article summarizing the history and controversy of Embryonic Stem-Cell Research since the first invitro fertilization baby was born in 1981.  It is very helpful for people like me who need a little bit of help understanding the basic facts of the issue.  This is a much needed review in light of President Barack Obama’s woeful decision on Monday March 9, 2009 to repeal President George W. Bush’s 2001 ban on federal funding for embryonic stem-cell research.

Here is an exhortation for the Church:

We are called to stay informed.  We are the people who know the dignity of human life from conception until natural death.  We are the people whose love for the glory of God in all things must stay engaged in this issue in which the glory of God in the Imago Dei is being destroyed and dishonored.  We are the people who are called to love our neighbor by warning them of lies and deceit while working to think through the same concerns that even the lost world cares for.  We must work to provide biblical and honest answers while not straying or compromising from the integrity and truth of God in his word.   This is a time for God’s people and his scientists to rise up and provide, for the glory of God, an honest alternative.  Pray for the scientists, pray for those whose hurts and afflictions have called for these questions, pray for the families who just wanted to have children but did not think through the reprecutions of this issue, and most of all, pray for the lives that will be intentionally destroyed in the name of human progress and human glory.

I’m still praying for you Mr. President.  God have mercy on you.

Working with you for life,

Vince R.

The Root of Roe v. Wade: The Contraception Mentality

Here is a powerful examination of the current “contraception mentality.”

Check out this compelling excerpt:

“We submit, therefore, that children are now being aborted in the flesh, because they have already been, in large measure, aborted from the mind.”

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Thank you to Bro. Hank for bringing this the current issue of Touchstone Magazine to my attention.  Go visit his biblicaly charged engagment with the Pro-life movement over at Lawn Gospel.

Working with you for Life,

Vince R.

God Should Have Aborted Me!

“Your origin and your birth are of the land of the Caananites; your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite.  And as for your birth, on the day you were born your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to cleanse you, nor rubbed with salt, nor wrapped in swaddling cloths.  No eye pitied you, to do any of these things to you out of compassion for you, but you were cast out on the open field, for you were abhorred, on the day that you were born.  And when I passed by you and saw you wallowing in your blood, I said to you in your blood, ‘Live!’ I said to you in your blood, ‘Live!’  I made you flourish like a plant of the field.  And you grew up and became tall and arrived at full adornment.  Your breasts were formed, and your hair had grown; yet you were naked and bare.  When I passed by you again and saw you, behold, you were at the age for love, and I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness; I made my vow to you and entered in a covenant with you, declares the Lord God, and you became mine.” Ezekiel 16:1-8

Here we see a wretched baby.  A pagan child thrown out and cast asunder as some rejected creature.  It was an unknown and unwanted child of God.  Note some truths of this baby:

1.) Its Origin

This child was born of two pagan and godless parents,  “an Amorite” for a father, and ”a Hittite” for a mother.  “Your orgin and your birth are of the land of Canaan.”

It was a baby born of the enemies of God’s people  It was a baby born of the pagans who worshipped and sacrificed before idols, pouring the blood of infants on their altars.   A wretched and grotesque picture to behold!  The origin was deplorable.  Who would want this baby?!

2.)  Its Condition

When it was born, its cord was still hanging from its middle. “…your cord was not cut.”  This paints the picture of a quick and inconsiderate parent.  Not even the umbilical cord was worth cutting.  It stuck out and hung there like some symbol of a sluggard too lazy to clean itself.  It was a sad picture, and a grotesque reminder of depravity and rejection.

When it was born, the baby was dirty. “…nor were you washed with water to cleanse you…”  It was a filthy child.  Combined with the dirt and sludge of the streets.  Blood dripping from its tiny digits.  Who would want this baby?

When it was born, it was not purified.  “…nor rubbed with salt…”  Salt purified.  It was in impure entity.  Some defiled child lying helpless in black sin.  No one dared look at this unwanted creature.

When it was born, it was naked and unkept.  “..nor wrapped in swaddling cloths.”  It was some naked and uncovered hairless animal.  No one even covered it!  Despite its ugliness, it was too ugly to cover.

3.)  Its Rejection

Who dared look at this creature? “No eye pitied you, to do any of these things to you out of compassion for you…” No eye dared look with compassion.  This seemed some pitiful sight to behold, yet no eye even dared to behold it!  No eye considered its origin.  No eye considered its filth.  No eye considered its impurity. No eye considered its nakedness.

What happened to it? “…but you were cast out on the open field…”  It was thrown like some shiny and grotesque rubber humanoid, cast away in a death field.  Thrown from memory, the baby was left in the open where no eye dared look.

How was it considered? “…for your were abhorred, on that day your were born…”  This creature was not just too ugly to consider.  It was not some indifference to which it was to be held.  It was with a real feeling, with a real emotion and consideration.  What it was it? Of what was its consideration?  Abhorrence.  A biting hatred that cast it out in darkness.

4.)  Its Resurrection

But, Lo!  Who is that who approaches this baby, this pitiless fossil?  “And when I passed by you and saw you wallowing in your blood.” Who is this “I”?  When asked to recount this story, Ezekiel is told: “say, Thus says the Lord God…” This “I” is the Lord of heaven and earth.  It is the holy one of Isreal who approaches.  He sees the creature there.  He passes by and looks.  When no one else dared approach, when all others abhorred and rejected this things in the field, the Lord comes nigh and sees.

But, behold! Does the Soveriegn One simply walk on by?  Does he just see and reject and abhor as all the others did?  Does he do what he should? Does he kill it and throw it to sheol where it belongs, this pagan baby?  Look! He bestirs his holy powers and opens his mighty mouth and gives one word, “Live!”  Where was this creature when this word poured forth? “I said to you in your blood, ‘Live!’”  While this bloody reject lies wallowing in filth, the Lord says one word, and what he says, he accomplishes.

5.)  Its New Life

What becomes of this creature?  What does the Lord do for it? ”I made you flourish like a plant of the field.”  It flourishes with life and beauty.  It comes forth through the dirt and grime, giving evidence of newness.  It lives! Not only that, it flourishes.

“Your breasts were formed and your hair had grown.” Suddenly, it is no longer an “it.”  It is a “she.”  She is a beautiful young woman with life and vigor.  She grows into elegance and femininity.

Yet, what remains of her.  She is now grown, but she is naked.  She is still open and uncovered.  “yet you were naked and bare.”

6.) Her Covering

When she is older and comes “at the the age of love,” the Lord passes by and covers her.  “I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness.”  She is vital.  She is ready for loving and holy covenental union.  The Lord covers her.  No one can look upon her now.  Why?

7.)  Her Union

Why must she be covered? “I made my vow to you and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Lord GOD, and you became mine.”

Now we see.  She belong to him. No else may gaze upon her as some rejected whore.  She belongs to her husband.  They are joined and glory and joy ensues!  “…a covenant…

This, my friends, is the picture of salvation.  You were rejected and unwanted.  You were dead. You were dirty.  Yet the Lord walks by and sees you wallowing in your blood, and he says to in your blood, “Live!”

And thus it was.  Why?  That you may be his.

Friends,  what does this imply? How does this apply?

He had every right to choose to kill…but he didn’t.  He chose life.

What right have we to do murder to our own, when the only one who really has that right chose life?

Choosing life, it seems, is choosing godliness.

Working with you to cherish and choose life,

Vince R.

Fathers Count and Family Matters

“He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children, that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments.” Psalm 78:4-7

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ’Honor your father and mother’ (this is the first commandment with a promise), ‘that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.’ Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:1-4

It is of most profound interest that the Lord calls Fathers to account about the teaching of their children. Mothers, of course, do this as well, but the Scriptures constantly give a heavy specific command to Fathers to be the primary teacher and instructor of the home.  This is of great importance when one considers recent statistics.

Even in the secular world, where such patriarchy is sneered at and despised, one finds it interesting that even they, with their post modern worldview, can not escape the eternal reality of a Father’s impact in the lives of his children.

In my education class this year, we are reading a book called, “The Act of Teaching.” In the second chapter, I found a shocking reminder of this inescapable truth.  The authors write:

“This brings us to the importance of having a father in the home.  ‘Children who grow up with fathers do far better…in every way we can measure than children who do not.  This holds true [regardless of race, class and income].  The simple truth is that fathers are irreplaceable in shaping the character of their children. (Blankenhom in Alexander; 2005).

Here are some supportive, sobering statistics.  Children in fatherless homes account for 71 percent of dropouts, 85 percent of kids with behavioral disorders, 63 percent of teen suicides, 70 percent of juveniles in detention centers, 85 percent of youths in prison, 75 percent of those in chemical abuse treatment centers, 80 percent of rapists, and 90 percent of homeless and runaways.  Whithead, a counselor at a juvenile detention center, challenges that ‘if you find a gang member who comes from a complete nuclear family, I’d like to meet him…I don’t think he exists’ (ibid.).  Cole adds, “Maturity does not come with age, but with the responsibility of one’s actions.  The lack of effective, functioning fathers is the root cause of America’s social, economic and spiritual crisis’ (ibid).” (The Act of Teaching, p. 30, 2008.)

This is absolutely fascinating to me.  Here we have a secularized textbook on education that cites studies and statistics that support an eternal truth of Fatherhood, namely, that fathers contribute to the stability of civilization.  I cannot help but re-type that last sentence:

“The lack of effective, functioning fathers is the root cause of America’s social, economic and spiritual crisis.”

I recall a prophetically articulated comment from my pastor at home: ‘The hope for America does not rest in any election.  The hope of America rests in the hands of fathers who hold fast to the gospel.’

It seems, indeed, that fathers are irreplaceable, and the family truly matters.  Asaph in Psalm 82:3 prays, “Give justice to the weak and the fatherless, maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute,” and I hope we will join with him.

Working with you to wave high the banner of God’s first institution and to stand firmly upon its truth,

Vince R.