There are things you can do to help a young person and a child get a better start in life. Counseling and mentoring -passing on the things you have learned in life. So many of us have sat under the tutelage of a pastor or Sunday school teacher for 40 years plus. Now it is time to take what you have learned and pass it on and live it out through another life. Many of you have experienced loss others have experienced. We have even experienced pain and hurt possibly because of the life choices we have made. We can teach what works in life and what doesn't. With our knowledge from the past, we can help the future. You can open the door..place a phone call. You can lead the new generation to Christ. These are simple acts, but destinies are changed forever - eternity! Invest some of your time and energy into the lives of others and help build another life for Christ. Think of it as building the army for Christ in the future. You are game changers. The ministry we have chosen to make a difference in is Child Evangelism Fellowship . We are reaching the children who do not go to church and have yet to hear the Good News of Jesus's birth, death and resurrection. Today, we need each other more than ever. We have an ideological divided nation ..Why? We as a people are having a real struggle determining truth. Social media and fake news rule the day. Relativism is the new truth. We fact check everything through Google instead of Gods Word. ...we are probably the most dishonest society to date. Integrity and honesty has been put in the crosshairs of the devil himself. Satan has been unleashed on our school campuses and universities of higher learning. Recently, organizations tracked what professors are teaching and exposing to our vulnerable youth at the university level. You may not think it matters, but always remember these professors are teaching the next generation of teachers at the elementary and high schools in your town. (The results and names of the professors and universities can be viewed at www.turningpointusa.com or www.professorwatchlist.com)
Television and movies in many cases present unrealistic views which often promote godless philosophies. The messages your children are getting, are they good or are they bad?! The messages our children are connecting with would make your head spin! Remember, the one on one caring, loving counsel can insulate and incubate Godly character in a child, in the midst of the growing darkness all around them. Your children and grandchildrens hearts, minds and souls are at the forefront of this battle for their very soul. You only have a short time with your children to instill a worldview. According to the research of the George Barna institute a child's worldview is established by age 13. You may ask why this matters? A worldview serves as a persons decision making filter. It helps them make sense of the vast amount of knowledge and experiences they will face in life. It is the starting point to determine truth and clarify what a person believes to be important. Parents and grandparents, it is becoming a necessity to be intentional in training your children a Biblical worldview early in life. I encourage all parents to order the book "Transforming Your Children Into Spiritual Champions" by George Barna. In Matthew 24:37-39, Jesus said in the end... we will see things that were seen in the times of Noah. How do we teach them to be God fearing children in the midst of these storm clouds gathering? We live in a world of accelerating change and a total disregard for the "fear of the Lord". What are you going to do parents? If you do it right while they are still young ..the chances are you will face much less heartache and sorrow as they grow into their teen years. I have had 65 years to watch this and I can personally vouch for this. I have seen the results up close and personal. Parenting is so important but the challenge is that they will be at school, away from home and with their friends more and more as they get older. During the week as teens a child spends just 36 mins. of an average day with family. And even when families get together seven out of ten parents say the time is spent in silence; usually in front of the TV / computer games / social media on their phones. This is according to a study from dailymail.co.uk. Who do want your children to be friends with? Children who have your values or children who don't? Then get to work! Start Good News Clubs in your home and teach your neighborhood kids the gospel. Take your children to a good Bible believing Church and invite their friends. Their choices will be based on their worldview. That is why Beth and I are dedicated to giving the children in our public schools an opportunity to know, love and honor God. We want them to see everything they do in life through the lens of God's word. This will make a difference in the child's life, their families, their schools and their cities, their nation and finally their world. But what about those of you who are empty nesters and retired? What can you do? Meet with a younger person or a child with the goal of giving them the tools for a life of true and lasting sucess. It is time to teach them the values that are missing in today's world. Join a Good News Club team in your community.. Help on a local board..use your gifts to grow a ministry. Give so others can go and reach more children to help them see life through the lens of the Bible. We all need to see that time is short and for you who are retired, maybe it's time to give up just one golf game a week and maybe step away from the T.V. Or rearrange your next cruise. Just maybe it's time not to be winding down, but instead amping up. Children will celebrate a birthday this year and move up a year. Some will soon pass those important foundational years. A special note to Godly men: Never has it been more important for the fathers to take the lead in training their children. Children need God fearing Fathers; focused on their developmental years. Fathers that will make sure their children are in church with the whole family. This shows the child what is truly important. We also need retired men who love the Lord and their spouses to model what a Godly man is. So many children today do not have any role models of God fearing men around them.. We can see the results all around us today. It is estimated that 24.7 million children live absent a father, according the National Center For Fathering. That number does not include the homes with Fathers that are emotionally and physically missing. Now a special note to pastors... Churches and church families need you as their shepherd ...the churches today also need solid Biblical preaching and teaching from the pulpits. But how many of you could carve out 90 to 120 minutes a week to teach or help out at a public school in your community to bring the "Sunday school into our public schools!" Talk about building the kingdom! Evangelize, Disciple and Establish the children and their families in your churches for growth. Pastors... the world is craving leadership and teaching, especially our children. We can no longer expect everyone to just walk through the doors of our churches every time we swing them open... We must take the gospel to them.. God forbid we don't. Pastors, I want to encourage you and the churches in America to reach out to the principals and staffs of our public schools.. There is so much we can do and should do. If you are too BUSY, at the least visit your Sunday school classrooms and Good News Clubs.. Fact is most in your church today came to know Christ before their 15th birthday! Values we need to teach that many children don't even know exist!! Here are just a few... "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding" "Be anxious for nothing but with prayer and supplication let your request be known unto God and the peace of God which passeth all understanding will guard your heart and minds." "Honor your father and mother that your days may be long." " Listen my son, to your fathers instruction and do not forsake your mothers teaching. They are garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck." Proverbs 1:8-9 "Love the Lord thy God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength." Mark 12: 28-30 "The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself, There is no commandment greater than these." Mark 12:31 " Do you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own, you were bought with a price. Therefore honor God with your body." I Corinthians 6:19-20 " If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive you." Matthew 6: 14-15 " Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17 " Be Kind to one another, tender hearted forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you." Ephesians 4:32 " For by grace have you been saved through faith,and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." Ephesians 2:8-9 " For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16 " Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all other things will be added unto you." Matthew 6:33