Yesterday, I attended an annual training session for kids ministry at a local church. As always, I try to enter these sorts of things with an open mind as it’s always fascinating to observe the interpretation of what it means to participate in ministry. The ages ministered to range from infant to elementary. The focus was on the usual things that you’d expect from a Christian organization which is good and well. The structure and style was animated by the spirit of the mother.
Growing up in small Alabama towns, I was fortunate enough to have attended some very decent schools. The principal, vice principal, and the like were consistently strong, just, and kind men who embodied the spirit of the father. I’m sure that’s not the case for many people; however, that was my experience. My mother, who raised two children, brought me to Cub Scouts when I was that age and into the Boy Scouts as I grew. Again, the majority of leadership consisted of good, strong, just, and kind men who embodied the spirt of the father. Again, I know the Boy Scouts has their share of problems, but my experience was that of growth, discipline, development, learning, competence, morality, and all elements that create the type of men that society needs.
As I watched and learned throughout the training, the absence of spirit of the father weighed heavy on my heart. You don’t have to search far to find the endless statistics that illustrate the importance of a father in the home, yet we minister to children in a manner where the father is absent in the house of God.
I’ve asked around to see what others close to me think and this seems to be the more common sentiment. Something like “we’ll leave that to the women.” Now, we should all be well aware of the masculinity crisis that is plaguing societies on a global scale. Most people aren’t aware, but they should be. I get it, good masculine leaders are fewer and fewer with each generation as all that is man is bred out of boys. But it’s not JUST that. Nobody even notices that a critical element of development in children is missing: the father. Society is so acclimated to a lack of male leadership that no one bats an eye.
Until the spirit of the father is restored in men, civilization will continue to decline. We should study this carefully, as the future of humanity depends on it. Do not do nothing.