Tuesday Thoughts May 13, 2014

Last Sunday in many countries of the world we stopped to celebrate Mother’s Day. I am grateful to God for every mother on the face of the earth. I am thankful for their unconditional love, acceptance and nurturing skills that are absolutely needed in children’s lives of every generation.

In just a few weeks we will turn the tables and celebrate Father’s Day. Again, we will be very grateful for those fathers who help develop young men and women to be good leaders to their families and to be a benefit in today’s society.

In thinking along these lines, what about the role of spiritual fathers & mothers? It’s a concept western churches and church leaders bristle over, but in developing countries across Africa and Latin America, the concept of spiritual fathers and mothers is not heresy. It is a way of spiritual life. There is honor and respect for it and a huge cry for more of it.

America can trace the roots of its problems to a lack of spiritual fathers and mothers. God speaks very loudly in Malachi 4 that one of the major signs of the last days would be a turning of fathers hearts to the children…then the hearts of the children will turn to their fathers.

I loved being a part of a denominational structure for over 23 years. It gave me disciplines for my walk with God that has made me a better husband, father and minister. But I’m wondering if we’ve asked our children to sell out to a company when they were born to be in a family.

Many places I go across Kenya people call me Daddy…Papa and they call Pam, Mama. At first it made me cringe. Then it made me somewhat uncomfortable. Mainly because I know Daddy will end up paying for things.

But over the last year I have found I’ve grown comfortable being a spiritual father to many. Yes, some only call me Daddy when I am handing out money or paying for food at conferences. And to many I will only be a mentor or special advisor. I’m ok with that. I am finding I would rather pour myself into a few and have them not make the same mistakes I have made in ministry than to try to be the most popular minister on the earth. Jesus ministered to thousands, mentored twelve, but poured His whole being into three.

My point is: Has God called you to be a spiritual father and mother? Don’t shrink back from it because the American culture has perverted it into another multi-level marketing scam. Don’t back away simply because it makes you uncomfortable.

When someone is calling you Daddy or Mama, in every other culture of the world it’s a sign of honor and respect. They are calling you that because they recognize and are blessed by the call and anointing upon your life.

To me, this is the major sign of the coming of Jesus: “…and he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the heart of the children to the fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.”

On June 8th, Jerry Noblitt and I will travel to Myanmar for our first Revival Now Pastors Conference in Yangon. If you would like to sow a special seed for this outreach you can do so at http://revivalnow.org/give.