Let's begin with a verse addressing the role of parents in training their children.  Deuteronomy 6:6 “These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”   It is the responsibility of Christian parents to see to it that their children are taught in the ways of the Lord.  The decision to follow Jesus is the child's to make, but Christian parents must ensure that instruction and modeling of the ways of the Lord Jesus Christ occurs in a way that points their children to Jesus.  Sure, the church should provide some level of training and teaching, and there is a place for the option of a Christian school to assist in this education, but at the end of the day, parents are responsible for seeing to it that the child has learned.   

So what is a parent to do?   We should encourage parents to honor God first in their educational choices for their children.   Thank God that our prayer in the mid-1990's for “an educational alternative for our young people” was answered when FJS (Followers of Jesus School) began in 1997.   Until that time, the two educational choices we had at FJMC were either to send the children to public school or to home school.    Now, if the family is not inclined to home school, there is a Christian school educational alternative that is God-directed and discipleship-oriented, contrary to the secularism of the public school.     
   
Let's address the sometime controversy regarding home school and Christian school. These choices should not be one against another; us versus them; comparison extraordinaire; I'm cool you drool. Parents are responsible to choose the educational venue for their children, but certainly the body of Christ should offer advice, counsel, and encouragement as we make that choice for our children.   If you have chosen to home school your children, may God bless you with wisdom, and look for ways to bless the ministry of FJS.  Parents and teachers at FJS, ask God how to bless the ministry of home school families as they, along with you, seek to “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6  The first part of that verse could be stated “provide an atmosphere for life according to their gifts and traits.”  
    
I have been on both sides of the opportunity when it comes to Christian school and home school.   Our family has been blessed by both, and we wish to encourage and build up the families who home school, and the parents and teachers who are involved at FJS.  If you are currently sending your children to public school, I pray that you will find a Christ-centered educational option.   It is ultimately the parents' responsibility to instruct their children in the ways of the Lord; let's encourage each other in the journey!   

It's Father's Day, so here's to Dad!  I'll pen a few lines about my Dad, and then address fatherhood.  Dad got married at 19 years old, which seems way young.  I mean, how could he have “missed out” on life by getting married so young, and then so “unwisely” having a child within a year of marriage?   During his service as a conscientious objector, Dad worked as an orderly at Lake County Hospital for $1.25/hour, which was minimum wage.   In the early years, Dad had to work long hours and was not home much for five, sometimes six days a week.   Early on, he built a house to sell, working on it in the evenings and Saturdays, and sometimes getting home during these times after 11:00 p.m., only to head out again for his regular construction job at 6:30 a.m.   When you add to this the responsibilities of young children to care for and a wife to love, I thank God that Dad remained committed to his family.   

By the time I was at an age that I can remember, Dad's work schedule had decreased to the point that he was gone approximately 12 hours a day, from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.   I will always be grateful for the opportunities I had to work with Dad as a carpenter over the summers of my high school years, and some time after high school, leaving early in the morning, working alongside him all day and traveling home together with him and my brothers.   Dad's gifts to me include imparting a sense of responsibility to view work as a privilege, not a burden.   I thank God for the gift of a father who seeks the face of His Creator, even in His imperfections.  Dad's growing up years had been difficult, and he wanted his sons to have it better.  Certainly his fathering was not perfect, but there is much about his fathering that deserves a lot of praise.          

If your father is still alive, make an effort today to contact him either by letter, telephone call, or email.   Perhaps you have been bitter at him for something he did or did not do.   Forgive him for that real or perceived offense.  Perhaps you have a long list of things to thank him for.   Don't put it off until tomorrow.  A  committed father is an endangered species; all Dads need encouragement.

For you fathers, pray about your role as a father.  Yes, our Heavenly Father does hold you responsible for a task that is bigger than you, but He also gives you the grace to complete that task.   Remember Ephesians 6:4.  Fathers are given four instructions: 1. Do not provoke your children to anger; 2. Bring your children up; 3. Discipline them in the Lord; 4. Instruct them in the Lord.   You do need the help of the body of Christ, but do not forget that nobody can ever replace you—you are the irreplaceable father of your child.    

If you are not a husband you probably stopped at the title.  If you are a wife at least make sure your husband reads this.  He can call me to complain later.        

Present-day reality is addressed in some way through the Word of God, and specifically through the conviction of the Holy Spirit.  Peter addresses a reality of marriage: “Husbands, likewise, dwell with them (your wife) with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.”   I Peter 3:7.  How many believing men walk around with empty prayer lives, wearing a religious facade at least in part because they have emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually “divorced” their wife for years?   Husbands, consider this.  If you have neglected to honor your wife, and have neglected to “dwell with her with understanding” (which could be restated “get to know her and love her”) God tells us that your prayers have been hindered.   Now we know that not all prayer is intercessory, so this could affect not only tangible answers to intercessory prayer, but even the communing aspects of prayer that we need so much as believers.       

Here is a simple suggestion to you husbands.   Carve out two times a month where you and your wife can have some significant, face-to-face time where you ask her about her life, dreams, struggles, fears, and hopes, and where you make a concerted effort to carefully listen.  I don't refer to mere communication here;  communication is all the rage in marriage books today, but the divorce rate keeps climbing even with communication.   We need to seek for a soul connection, a deeper level of communion that is only possible as the Spirit of God works in our lives,  and through the twin gifts of time and interest, bathed in love. 

Thankfully, conservative Anabaptists have endeavored to obey God's intention for marriage: one man and one woman for life.  That said, just because I have a marriage certificate and have been “faithful” to my wife does not mean that I have entered into spiritual communion with her in a way that exemplifies the spiritual union of Christ and the Church.   Men, we have some work ahead of us, and you and I need to stop being slackers when it comes to pursuing the wife that God has given.   Will your wife have a difficult time submitting to you when she hears this? “Honey, put on your best dress.  I've arranged for a babysitter, and we're going on a date tonight.” Or maybe this...“After the children are in bed tonight I would like you to tell me what's been on your mind this week.”  Try it this week.  You may be surprised.  Sure, this might not be for the faint of heart, but your heart fainted for her before, right?                                 

We recently celebrated singlehood, which is not always thought of as a gift by you who are currently single.   This may sound trite, but be encouraged to live life “to the full” as you fulfill God's purpose.  Follow in the steps of Jesus!         

Now we'll look at families.   Joshua said to the children of Israel “if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve...but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” Jos. 24:15.  The children of Israel responded several times “we will serve the Lord,” but Joshua told them “You cannot serve the Lord.  Now therefore, put away the foreign gods which are among you, and incline your heart to the LORD God of Israel."  

“The Holy Spirit does not convict in the abstract” is a thought from Larry Crabb.   On that note, a father or mother can say “Yeah, my family serves God,” but do you specifically adjust your schedule, priorities, and recreation to be a doer of the Word and not just a hearer?   What idols keep you from leading family worship?  Fathers, which part of your day do you gather your wife and children together to read a portion of God's Word, pray together, and even sing together?  Believe me, this does not happen automatically, and regularly scheduled family worship is not as easy or (mindless?) as reading the news,  completing projects, tracking sports, or sitting on the armchair staring at the ceiling with glazed eyes.   One woman said she will not drink her coffee until she spends time with God.  While this may be her first step on the road to recovery from coffee addiction, it is not a theological end-all; however, perhaps fathers and mothers need to consider variations of this for family worship.  “I will not read the news until we have family worship.” “I will allow the dishes to wait to be washed if we need to meet together now.” (The dishes won't mind.)   “I will get rid of my TV.”  “I will ask a brother to check in with me weekly to ask if I have led my family together in worship.” 

One more note to fathers (or to the single mothers among us.)  It is your responsibility to lead your family in worship; you are not called to be a great singer, speaker, or reader, but you are called to worship God with your family.   Fathers, you may worry that you are not good enough to lead your wife and children in worship.   Maybe your wife is “more spiritual”?   Face that fear and deal with it, man.  The Holy Spirit wants you to seek your Father with your whole heart, and on the way you are called to model to your children the life of a repentant believer.  Your greatest strength may be found in worshiping God with your wife and children; your purpose in life will be made more clear as you accept this God-given task!