Thoughts on Syria, Acts of Inhumanity, and Leadership of Dads

There is so much that I could write about in this week's blog.  First, there was an article in this morning's issue of ArutzSheva (IsraelNationalNews.com) that states that the United Nations nuclear inspection agency (IAEA) will report that Iran has installed another 350 centrifuges since May, adding to the already 1,000 centrifuges it is purported to have.  You will remember that Iran is hosting the Non-Aligned Movement this week.  Iran's envoy, Ali Asghar Soltanieh, said before the summit began, "Our enrichment activities will never stop and we are justified in carrying them out, and we will continue to do so under IAEA supervision."  Yet the requests for IAEA acquisition to those nuclear sites continually is denied.

Then there is the report that a second US aircraft carrier, the USS John C Stennis, will soon be joining its sister ship, the USS Enterprise, in the Persian Gulf.  Although scheduled for deployment to the Gulf, the USS John C Stennis is leaving four months ahead of schedule.  The reason: to safeguard against any Iranian attempts to blockade the Straits of Hormuz in the Gulf.  Some wonder if there is any connection with the presence of two carrier groups in the Persian Gulf and the continued speculation that Israel will launch an air attack against Iran within the next few weeks.  Stay tuned as this chapter is far from being over.

Just an update on the situation in Syria - it keeps getting worse, but many experts believe that President Assad will prevail in the end.  What had been suspected became realized when on Monday, the Commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, General Salar Abnoush, said, "We are involved in fighting every aspect of a war - military one in Syria, and a cultural one as well."  Also, Mullah Hussein Taeb, the number 2 man in Iran, next to the Ayatollah Ali Khameini, stated in an article in the Daneshjoo News Agency, "Today, Syria is resisting as our front's surrogate, and we all have a responsibility to support it and not to let the line fall."  This, along with the continued support of both Russia and China, leads to the bold and cruel resolve of the Assad regime. 

I am continually being shocked by the lack of any outrage over the inhumanity shown by those in radical Islam to others who do not hold to their beliefs.  Just this past week, seventeen Afghanis, including two women, were murdered and their bodies beheaded.  Their crime - they had been dancing together.  Did you get that - they had merely enjoyed a party where both men and women enjoyed dancing together.  I guess this violated the Sharia Law.  Punishment: death.  And, I have shared with you in previous blogs about the continued persecution of the Christian Coptic community in Egypt.  Several have been crucified by the Muslims because of their Christian beliefs.  I ask myself, "Where is the outrage from within the Muslim community because of these barbaric acts?  By their silence is the greater Muslim community giving assent to such acts?"  If these were Christians acting in such manner upon Hindus, Buddhists, or Muslims, I believe there would be a great outcry from the greater Christian community against such acts and condemning them as being not representative of Christianity.  I know we hear that most Muslims do not support such terroristic acts, but until there is a loud outcry from them, I am not convinced that they do give at least tepid support.

One final thought.  I received from a friend an e-mail with an attached link to a video titled, "Divided."  You can find it on YouTube by typing in "Divided."  It is a rather long video whose premise is that it is time for men to begin discipling their own children.  With that premise, friends, I strongly resonate.  That great passage in Deuteronomy 6 strongly encouraged fathers to teach their children the ways of the Lord - from the time they get up in the morning until they go to bed at night.  And the Apostle Paul, in both his letters to the Ephesians and the Colossians states that fathers are to bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.  It was Marlys and my desire, as parents, that our three children grow up knowing the Lord and following in obedience to His will.  And, as grandparents, our desire is that our grandchildren would be discipled by their parents.  We praise God for what we are seeing. 

But, I have a strong rejection of the practice that the video "Divided" sponsors.  Throughout the video through a host of interviews with former youth pastors, there is the declaration that the local church is not being biblical in providing ministries to youth and to children because such ministries usurp the God-given roles that fathers have.  I know that youth and children's ministries are not mentioned in the New Testament, but then again, neither are small group ministries or worship services with bands and vocalists.  Friends, those are arguments from silence - never a strong foundation for an argument.  I cannot fail to imagine that the young pastor Timothy did not have younger men gravitate to his teachings.  Here is the question that I had after viewing this video: What about children and youth who are growing up in homes where there is no strong biblical foundation?  What about children and youth who are growing up in a home where there is an alcoholic father, or an absentee father, or an abusive father?  It seems to be that the biblical injunction is that we are to make disciples of all nations - including children and young people.  Where there is a godly father, the ministries of the local church are to reinforce what he is already teaching his children.  But let us not condemn children and youth ministries as such.  Let us strife to make those ministries more responsive to making true disciples. 

I have the privilege of ministering in a church where we have an outstanding children and youth ministries - I will not even use the term "program" in referring to them.  Both our children's pastor and her staff of incredible volunteers and our youth pastor and her outstanding staff minister to hundreds of boys and girls and young men and women every week.  Their goal: to make sure each boy and girl has heard the gospel and to help each one grow to become more like Jesus.  I can honestly state that I believe the children's and youth ministries at our church are among the best in the nation.   Warning: church leaders, do not send a search team to our church because both our children's pastor and youth pastor are not available!

Yes, we have a responsibility to help fathers become better equipped to lead spiritually in their homes.  But until that is accomplished, let us not throw out a tool that God has given to help disciple and train the next generation of leaders for our churches.  If you view the video, I would certainly welcome your responses.

One final word: I would strongly encourage you to go and see the movie "2016" which is now playing in theaters across the nation.  It is an eye-opening presentation that must be taken seriously.  It will generate a lot of careful thinking and hopefully a lot of careful praying in the next 70 days. 

Summer is nearly over.  Next week classes begin for those who have not yet started.  Churches will get their fall programs into full gear.  Great time to join a small group, or get involved in a special Bible class and dig more deeply into the Word.  God bless.