My wife and I came home from a nice evening date and we were met with a surprise. It is rare these days to have all of my adult children home. We currently have two children serving in the IDF. Most of the time they are on opposite schedules and are never home at the same time. Our other two children are in university. They have busy schedules and lives. Having all of them at home at once, laying around our living room talking, is a welcome sight. It is a blessing.
Several months ago my wife and I came home from a date to find everyone home—just like the good old days. We greeted them, but we sensed a heaviness in the room. My daughter said, “How are we going to raise our children in this culture?” My son chimed in and said, “We’re scared!”
They had just watched a viral YouTube video by the Family Policy Institute of Washington entitled, “College Kids Say the Darndest Things: On Identity.”
The white male interviewer asks a variety of questions based upon his desire to “self-identify” as a woman, a child, as ethnically Chinese, etc., and was met without challenge and only acceptance and encouragement.
Our culture has created a world without absolutes or definitions. Thus, if we want to raise children with a sense of absolutes and definitions, we will meet resistance from the majority of culture that we are part of. It is going to be increasingly difficult.
Admittedly, as a father and grandfather, I am concerned as well. It is frightening to see our culture continue to shift, especially under the influence of today’s millennial thinkers, as they are handed the ability to define our culture and our future.
A chilling example of this is observed by watching the Liberal Redneck’s commentary on transgender bathrooms. He concludes his rebuke of those opposed to the idea of people choosing the bathroom they self-identify with, in the following manner: “Ya’all aren’t going to change, I realize that now, but that’s okay because the rest of us are insuring that the next generation, ya know—y’ur kids, grow up in a world that is a little more open minded, and that is happening whether you like it or not—bye.”
Tell it to the Next Generation
We are coming up on the First Fruits of Zion national conference—this year it’s titled, “New Wineskins.” We have two tracks taking place: One for adults, “Tell it to the Next Generation” and one for youth, “Unlocking the Parables.”
During our time of teaching we will present ten key areas how we, as parents and Messianic communities, can invest in our homes and into our children to resist post-modern influences. These ten areas will help strengthen your home and enable you, God willing, to better transmit your faith and values to the next generation.
The “Unlocking the Parables” youth track for ages 15-20 pioneers into the field of serious Bible teaching with a focus on the parables of Yeshua. Our objective is to engage young minds with the timeless teachings of our Master, Yeshua of Nazareth, and let him do the work.
That night, my wife and I came home to discover our adult children perplexed over the cultural shifts, identifying the problems, discussing the issues, and exploring ways to help each other and to help their children (my grandchildren) weather the storms ahead. My wife and I went to bed that night remarking to one another, “We must have done some things right!”
First Fruits of Zion is standing with you in faith. The next step for us involves focusing our teachings to meet the new generation and address some of the cultural influences that they face.
We look forward to seeing you at this year’s conference. There are still a view places open. Conference details and registration are available here.
Source: First Fruits of Zion
