Drugs have become such a prevalent part of our society that we talk with our kids about them at a young age.  There are books all over the place about how to deal with dating and sex with children and teens, but what about homosexuality?

Elephants grow.  I know, it is obvious but sometimes I think we ignore a lot of issues and hope they won’t impact our lives or our students life.  Homosexuality was a fringe issue that, for the most part, could be ignored a decade or two ago.  Today it is a major issue in our schools connected to bullying, “safe zones,”  and teaching on tolerance.  It was a baby elephant not that long ago, but elephants grow and this is now a large animal that must be dealt with in our ministries and in our families.

The “tolerance” indoctrination started with my daughter when she was in kindergarten.  She was told everyone’s opinion is of equal value.  The homosexual indoctrination started when she was in second grade when she was told to do a family tree.  Part of the curriculum was that all family situations are of equal value:  two mommies are the same as two daddies or a mom and dad.

Pastors and leaders we need to talk about the elephant in the room in our ministries.  It isn’t going to go away and our students will fall for the deception because the deception started when they were very young.

Parents, grandparents, uncles, and aunts, we must talk with our children when they are young, we must pay attention, we must teach them both Biblical arguments and non-Biblical arguments.  We must both immunize them from the false arguments they will receive in school and equip them to make good arguments so they can impact culture.

How do we do it?  As a parent I am always asking my daughter if they are talking about certain topics.  I may say, “Catrina, are you guys talking about homosexuality in school?”  It may sound weird, but I don’t care it’s my job as a dad.  As a youth pastor I teach on passages like Romans 1, Lev. 22, 1 Cor. 6:9-10, etc…  I bring it up with compassion and love, but I do not shy away from truth because “love rejoices in truth” (1 Cor. 13).

The elephant is growing, it’s time to deal with it!

I’m on vacation.  It’s been great, really great.  Before I left Colorado (where I live) for Minnesota (my state of origin) I wasn’t sure if I would know how to vacation.  I have never been good at taking time off, but I have realized that I am better when I do.  As it turns out, it isn’t just pastors in the 21st century that have a hard time taking care of themselves, there were some Biblical characters as well.

Moses reached a point where the word suicidal may best describe his frame of mind.  Now Moses didn’t have a youth group or a large church on his shoulders, he had a nation.  While it may seem that, that kind of a burden is much greater than what we face, it is also true that God gave Moses some unique opportunities to commune directly with Him that the rest of us don’t have…at least I don’t.

For our purposes it doesn’t matter why Moses reached the end of his rope (so to speak).  What matters is this, he got there (Numbers 11:14-15).  God gave Moses gifts in ministry and Moses used these gifts and as he did the weight on his shoulders became unbearable.  It got so bad that Moses asked God to take his life.  I have never been that far down the burnout road, but I have wanted to quit my job and even leave the ministry all together at times.  A few times I have slipped into depression and acted in ways that had the potential to harm my marriage and my ministry.

What is the answer?  Some times it is getting a good team around you.  This was the answer for Moses (Numbers 11:16ff).  Sometimes the answer is some sort of vacation or sabbatical.  This was often the answer for Jesus.  When he got tired and worn out he would often go off and be by himself with the Father, spend time in prayer, and fast.  For some there needs to be accountability for rest.  People who are successful are often driven and don’t need to be reminded to work, but they do need to be reminded to rest.

Whatever the answer is for you, you must find it and embrace it.  Find people to hold you accountable to the answer.  If you don’t, in the end you will do harm to yourself and your ministry.

It is difficult to create momentum in ministry.  In this video John Byrne talks about what he is doing to create and maintain momentum.

You may think your daughter won’t get one or o your son would not encourage their girlfriend to get an abortion, but it might be a good Idea to talk to them about it.  In every abortion there is one dead and one wounded.  Unfortunately those wounds are not simply physical.  Teens who have abortions are more likely to attempt suicide, struggle with depression, risk difficult pregnancies in the future, suffer from post dramatic stress disorder and so on (for more info click this).

It’s time we take this issue on with clarity, grace, and intentionality.  Take time to talk about this issue in your family and in your ministry.