The same goes for older women teach the younger women …I love your articles! I’m 70 years old and wish I had a pastor in all my years of being Christian that teaches as you. You are indeed God’s mouth piece!!!
I’m right behind you in age. I feel the exact same way…. In all my years…looking back the church has failed in so many ways. The church looks like the world. Very few shepherds with great conviction…weak in the knees. The pew sitters know nothing of discernment because they have never been taught the whole council of God by a shepherd willing to step on toes as he teaches the difficult Words.
Indifferentists. (Description in a book by David De Bruyn)
I’m thankful for Virgil also… An approved workman who is not ashamed, rightly diving the Word. 2 Timothy 2.
I’m a little over a quarter of a century past 50. I’ve offered myself as a friend and mentor and only a few younger men have taken me up on it.
On a different tack, I wonder if the increasing number of young Christian men who are exploring Eastern Orthodox beliefs is a reflection of inadequate spiritual mentoring, spiritual fathering. They seem to sense a shallowness in how our beliefs are currently lived out.
Yes and Amen! These are the clarifying words of first principles that need to be on repeat and at the top of white boards. Simple, ordinary, but powerful means of biblically growing people over platforms. Back to the basics of discipling men and women for the glory of Christ and His kingdom. Thank you for your fiery burden Virgil. Faithful Stones Church is praying for you and your family brother.
When young men are treated like a project instead of a person, or if they’re sensing that the older man is acting out of duty rather than desire, then ‘fathering’ loses any effectiveness.
Young men are needing to feel valued for who they are before they are open to the Paul - Timothy relationship.
Truly enjoyed reading this, it brought me to tears and I do not cry easily. However this article hit hard for many reasons. I think one of the reasons is because as women we must step up to disciple the younger generation as well. Titus 2:3-5. Thanks for writing this.
You are wise beyond your years, Virgil. It is way beyond time for MEN to get way involved in raising young men. And not just in religion. Most single Moms just do not know how to raise their boys to become GOOD MEN.
I’m in AA and since 2009 whenever I’ve needed a sponsor, I ask them about “porn” if they’ve been into it it’s disqualifying. It’s so ignoble. I just can’t respect a man who does that. Or did.
No it’s appreciated. Catholic from Canada myself. The loathsome feeling of looking at “porn “ one handing it bug eyed over a laptop is a unique degradation even more pitiful and unmanly then theft and muder somehow. I was truly traumatized. About 5 years since any exposure myself. Good stuff
There are no perfect men . I agree that porn is bad and bad for you and your relationships. If someone is still engaged in viewing porn I would not want him to be a spiritual mentor . But to have done it and repented and changed shouldn’t be a disqualifying thing. If you read the Bible, people who were murderers, adulterers, prostitutes, engaged in incest, and cheated others financially all were transformed by God into useful instruments of His grace—many being, humanly speaking, the ancestors of Jesus. But perhaps you don’t want my opinion or my advice , since I’ve only been “clean” from porn for 25 years.
The same goes for older women teach the younger women …I love your articles! I’m 70 years old and wish I had a pastor in all my years of being Christian that teaches as you. You are indeed God’s mouth piece!!!
Thanks for the kind words. I may need to do an article and address the ladies next. Thanks for the idea.
I’m right behind you in age. I feel the exact same way…. In all my years…looking back the church has failed in so many ways. The church looks like the world. Very few shepherds with great conviction…weak in the knees. The pew sitters know nothing of discernment because they have never been taught the whole council of God by a shepherd willing to step on toes as he teaches the difficult Words.
Indifferentists. (Description in a book by David De Bruyn)
I’m thankful for Virgil also… An approved workman who is not ashamed, rightly diving the Word. 2 Timothy 2.
I’m a little over a quarter of a century past 50. I’ve offered myself as a friend and mentor and only a few younger men have taken me up on it.
On a different tack, I wonder if the increasing number of young Christian men who are exploring Eastern Orthodox beliefs is a reflection of inadequate spiritual mentoring, spiritual fathering. They seem to sense a shallowness in how our beliefs are currently lived out.
Amen! Amen!Amen!
I have sent this out Bro!!!
Yes and Amen! These are the clarifying words of first principles that need to be on repeat and at the top of white boards. Simple, ordinary, but powerful means of biblically growing people over platforms. Back to the basics of discipling men and women for the glory of Christ and His kingdom. Thank you for your fiery burden Virgil. Faithful Stones Church is praying for you and your family brother.
When young men are treated like a project instead of a person, or if they’re sensing that the older man is acting out of duty rather than desire, then ‘fathering’ loses any effectiveness.
Young men are needing to feel valued for who they are before they are open to the Paul - Timothy relationship.
Truly enjoyed reading this, it brought me to tears and I do not cry easily. However this article hit hard for many reasons. I think one of the reasons is because as women we must step up to disciple the younger generation as well. Titus 2:3-5. Thanks for writing this.
You are wise beyond your years, Virgil. It is way beyond time for MEN to get way involved in raising young men. And not just in religion. Most single Moms just do not know how to raise their boys to become GOOD MEN.
I’m in AA and since 2009 whenever I’ve needed a sponsor, I ask them about “porn” if they’ve been into it it’s disqualifying. It’s so ignoble. I just can’t respect a man who does that. Or did.
No it’s appreciated. Catholic from Canada myself. The loathsome feeling of looking at “porn “ one handing it bug eyed over a laptop is a unique degradation even more pitiful and unmanly then theft and muder somehow. I was truly traumatized. About 5 years since any exposure myself. Good stuff
There are no perfect men . I agree that porn is bad and bad for you and your relationships. If someone is still engaged in viewing porn I would not want him to be a spiritual mentor . But to have done it and repented and changed shouldn’t be a disqualifying thing. If you read the Bible, people who were murderers, adulterers, prostitutes, engaged in incest, and cheated others financially all were transformed by God into useful instruments of His grace—many being, humanly speaking, the ancestors of Jesus. But perhaps you don’t want my opinion or my advice , since I’ve only been “clean” from porn for 25 years.