Fathers: I’ve been thinking much about father’s lately. Not particularly other’s fathers or even my own father but rather the role of “father” in the role of a pastor/youth pastor. What has stirred this is the overwhelming evidence and affect on a person by their father. Another unfortunate piece of information is that this effect is negative is most cases.

With the females in my group I can tell that they want to be told they are beautiful, they are worth fighting for and they are valuable to others. John Eldridge speaks of this wonderfully in his book Wild at Heart and a little booklet derived from Wild at Heart…can’t think of the name. But he’s not just talking hypothetical he is for real.

With the males in my group they want to know they are tough, manly, and capable of being a man.

For the past two years or so I have recognized this as one of my main responsibilities as their youth pastor. It’s not what I had in mind when I took this job but it has been one that has been a pleasure to fill. The ability to fill this role comes with a price because when you assume a father-like role all the implications come with it. You can’t be the king to sweep in and take care of the peasants, you can’t be the rich step-father using your emotional “money” to make it all better. Every word, every action towards that student is important and they feel it directly to their heart. So with that in mind you can see the things that might get difficult. What do you do when your students really disappoint you? What do you do when they are being stupid? What do you do when they need to be correct with stronger discipline?

Well the answer is you act with the love of our Father, with grace but often also a stern hand. It’s this paradox that can make it so difficult but really it should be no surprise that we are a father to man because we are about the Lord’s work a ministry of his, his priest. He is our father and others need to see the Father’s love.

Super Power: If I were a prophet of the Lord I think I would want my super power to be super fast running 1 Kings 18:45-46

Question: Did his servant also have super fast running? 1 Kings 19:3