When I was growing up, my dad was one who loved the Lord and had given his life to the Lord. I could always say, “Well, I’m close to my dad. He loves the Lord, and he’s going on in the Lord. So I’m good, right? He’s my dad, and he’s probably as close as you can get.” But actually, that’s not the case. Probably all of you have someone that you’re close to—maybe it’s your parents, your uncle, or your grandparents—where you know that one is for the Lord, that one loves the Lord, and has given their life to the Lord.
Or maybe it’s not in your family, but you just know one of the serving ones. You think, “I’m close to this brother. I’m close to this sister. They love the Lord, and I’m close to them. So I must be okay.” Actually, that’s not okay. We can’t be represented by anyone else. No one else can do anything for us in the matter of our relationship with the Lord. This is something very personal. The Lord needs to draw each of us personally. We can’t rely on anyone else. No one can do it for us. We all need to be drawn by the Lord personally.
There’s a very good illustration of this in Jeremiah 17:8. It says we need deep, hidden roots in the Lord. Jeremiah 17:8 says, “He will be like a tree transplanted beside water, which sends out its roots by a stream, and will not be afraid when heat comes, for its leaves remain flourishing. And it will not be anxious in the year of drought, and will not cease to bear fruit.”
So he will be like a tree transplanted beside water, which sends out its roots by the stream. When you have a tree, first you see what’s above the soil—that’s the visible part. In our Christian life, that’s what others can see. That means others can see your going on. That’s our corporate church life, what others see when we are going on in the Lord. For example, I can see Brother Paul loves the Lord and is pursuing the Lord because I see him in the meetings, I see him enjoying. That’s expression—something visible. But there’s also what’s below the soil. That’s hidden. That’s not something anyone else can see. And that’s what we need individually. That’s between me and the Lord. No one else sees it.
In this illustration from Jeremiah 17, there’s the water, the stream, and the tree by the stream. The verse says, “It will not be afraid when heat comes.” Is it describing a cool, breezy day? No. It’s a scorching, hot day—just like the ones we’ve been having. The verse says it will not be afraid when heat comes. That means suffering and hardships. We all go through hardships. But the tree receives supply and refreshing through its roots. So there need to be deep roots. And the verse goes on, “And it will not be anxious in the year of drought, and will not cease to bear fruit.” Even in a prolonged season of dryness, a tree with deep roots can still flourish and bear fruit. That’s the picture of what our Christian life should be.
How do we have roots in the Lord? It’s simple. It’s you opening and talking to the Lord. Maybe you’re walking, biking, or riding with your parents to school. Surely there are a few minutes where you can just open to the Lord. Tell Him how you’re feeling. Tell Him how your morning has been. Tell Him your hopes for the day. If your parents are driving, it doesn’t have to be audible—it’s between you and the Lord. Throughout the day, maybe you just call on the Lord silently: “Lord Jesus.” Maybe something upset you and you’re not doing too well. Just call on the Lord. No one else has to see. No one else has to hear. Sometimes it can be as short as a sigh: “O Lord.” That’s still a root growing deeper.
If you have time, means, and the heart, even take some time apart to contact the Lord in His Word. Pray over the Word. Spend time with Him. Each time you open to the Lord, your roots grow deeper. Don’t think it’s a small thing. Every time you contact Him, your roots are growing deeper. If a tree’s roots are shallow, when a storm comes, it may fall. Sometimes we’re in situations where our faith is shaken. But if we have deep roots in the Lord, we will remain standing.
I’ll share personally: when I was younger, my parents came into the church life together. But soon after, my mom left the church life. I was back and forth, sometimes with my mom, sometimes with my dad. That situation was like scorching sun. But I had learned at a young age to touch the Lord and to spend time in His Word. That grew some roots in me. So we need the deep roots. Later, when other tests came, it was those early roots that held me.
Now, skipping down to point C: our Christian life and relationship with the Lord is in faith. Maybe we can all read this phrase together: In faith. Once more: In faith. Hebrews 11 says, “Faith is the substantiation of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Christ is our hope. We don’t see Him physically, yet faith substantiates Him to us. Galatians 2:20 says, “I am crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith of the Son of God.” So our faith is not of ourselves, but of the Son of God. Faith has been allotted to us. We need faith to experience the Lord, to have deep roots, to go on in the church life.
We need to maintain our faith in two ways:
By being under the hearing of faith.
By taking care of our conscience.
Romans 10:17 says, “Faith comes out of hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” When we are in the Word, faith is imparted into us. When we are in the meetings, faith is imparted into us. But when we neglect the Word or the meetings, doubts can come. I’ve experienced this myself. Sometimes a little thought comes: “Is this real? Is the Lord real?” Usually, that’s when I wasn’t under the hearing of faith. That’s why the meetings are so crucial—faith is infused into us when we hear the Word together.
We also need to take care of our conscience. 1 Timothy 1:19 says, “Holding faith and a good conscience, concerning which some, thrusting these away, have become shipwrecked regarding the faith.” Faith has been allotted to us, but it can be shipwrecked. If the Lord touches us concerning sin or offense, we need to confess and clear it. Otherwise, our faith can be shipwrecked, like leaking away. Think of a ship that runs aground and breaks open—the cargo is lost. We don’t want that to happen to our faith.
Brother PJ
Now let me ask: How is your family life? Not just your individual relationship with the Lord, but your life in the family of God. The church is the household of God into which we’ve been born through regeneration. But in our human family lives, maybe some of you come home and don’t even talk to your parents. You go upstairs, close your door, and do your own thing. Or maybe you do that because your parents are always arguing. Maybe there’s constant yelling. Maybe your dad is gone all the time. Or maybe when he’s there, he yells at everybody. Maybe your mom is too busy or distracted. Many situations create an environment where the family life is not healthy. Some of you may feel you’d rather not be home at all—you’d rather be with your friends. That’s real.
Even in society, the family is the foundational unit. If the family unit breaks down, society eventually falls apart. In the same way, in the church life, your spiritual family is the basis and foundation of your Christian life. There’s no way you can make it as a believer if you’re just by yourself. In God’s family, the problem is not with the Father—God is perfect. The issue is with our relationship to our family, our consideration of our family.
The church is the very household of God into which we’ve been born through regeneration. John 1:12 says, “As many as received Him, to them He gave the authority to become children of God.” You are really a child of God. God is your Father. You have His DNA. He loves you more than anything else.
Ephesians 2:19 says, “You are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.” Do you consider the church your home, your household? This is your family. God is our Father, and we are all brothers and sisters. Let’s say this together: “God is my real Father.” Now, turn to the one next to you. If it’s a brother, say, “You are my brother.” If it’s a sister, say, “You are my sister.” Now turn to the other side and say, “And I really mean it.”
I’ll share another personal story. When I was eight, my father passed away. Then, when I was twelve, my mother also passed away. I had no family left. But I was in the church in L.A., and there were young brothers who would call me and invite me. Once I broke my leg, and one brother came almost every day to visit me. He taught me how to play chess, and we would just sit and play together. He became my real brother. I do have a flesh brother, but I don’t even know where he is today. Years later, I met that same brother in Russia while serving, and my heart just leapt. “Brother, you’re still here!” We hugged, because he was my family.
There were also sisters who cared for me. I was trying to be a “cool” young brother, so I didn’t want to hang out with the older sisters. But one older sister kept inviting me to lunch. I said no many times—maybe twelve or thirteen times. Finally, just to get her to stop, I said yes. And when I went, I realized it was a whole group of young brothers and sisters. I had such a good time. I didn’t expect it. I thought it was going to be another meeting, but it was just a family. They were my brothers and sisters. That’s how the church became real to me—not just in word, but in reality.
Another story: my daughter was in college, living with some girls she considered her close friends. She expressed some thoughts that were more conservative, according to the Lord. Her friends didn’t agree and turned against her. They started posting things about her online. She was devastated and called me sobbing, “Dad, I thought they were my friends. Look what they’re saying about me.” All I could tell her was, “The sisters in the church would never do this to you. Because the sisters are your real family.” Friends may turn away, but family never does. And the Spirit makes us family in a way stronger than even blood ties.
Even one more example: a young brother once hit a coyote while driving in another state. His father called the saints for help. A brother he had never even met drove out at one in the morning to pick him up and take care of him. That brother became his family from that day on. This is God’s family.
In this family, no member is superfluous. That means no one is unnecessary. You might think, “I’m just a ninth or tenth grader. They don’t need me.” But every member is needed. Even the smallest member, like a pinky finger, has a function. In God’s family, we function by praying, singing, speaking, and declaring. If you don’t function, the family suffers. If you don’t pray, even the Father suffers, because He’s waiting for you to pray.
Sometimes in young people’s meetings, I’ve seen almost all the singing done by the serving ones or trainees, while many young people just keep their heads down, not singing, or quietly scrolling on their phones. Some sit in the back with their hoodies up, looking disengaged. Some whisper to each other or doodle in their notebooks, just passing time. But this is not how family works. In a family, everyone has a part, everyone has a voice, and everyone matters. If only a few are singing or praying, it’s like only a few family members are talking while the rest stay silent and disconnected. That is not a healthy family atmosphere. This is your family. You need to function! Lift up your head, open your mouth, and join in. Pray audibly. Sing with your heart. Declare the truth. Speak something short, even a verse or a sentence of praise. When you participate, you supply life to others, and you yourself are supplied. But if you stay silent, if you keep your head down or remain distracted, the whole family loses something precious that only you could have contributed.
We also need to realize that the homes are the foundation and base of the church. The real building up of the church is in the homes. The ministry says the church life should be 80% in the homes and 20% in the big meetings. In the homes we are cherished, nourished, preserved, and built together. In the homes we can ask questions, fellowship, and grow together. This is what keeps young people in the church life. I can testify, the homes preserved me when I was young.
So, young people, get into the homes. Go with the saints. Go with the trainees. Get to know the families. Invite yourself, even, and say, “Take me with you.” No one will say no to a young person. This is how you build up real relationships in God’s family. And then you will be able to say, “This is my family. This is my home.”
Finally, in a household every member learns responsibility. Young people should be trained from their youth to serve—not just outward tasks, but in life and in coordination. In the church, even a simple service like arranging chairs can be a time to pray, to coordinate, to be built together. Serving is part of family life. And when you learn to serve in the small things, the Lord can entrust you with bigger things.
So to summarize:
In God’s household, we function with our portion in the Body.
We grow and are nourished in the atmosphere of the homes.
We serve with responsibility in the church as God’s house.
If you want the church to be your home, your household, and the place where you can say, “This is my home. There is a place for me here,” then practice these things. Your personal experience with the Lord will feed your corporate experience, and your corporate experience will feed your personal experience. Then both will flourish—you individually, and the church corporately.
Okay, well, I’m going to be the bad guy and start, and then
Brother Mark will pick up the pieces at the end. This fellowship, I’d like to
start with two data points to stir us up a little bit—not to consider what
we’re doing in a routine way.
On Wednesday, Brother Ron shared something about how we can
be in a routine church life: a routine service, a routine life. That kind of
routine, where we’re just going through the motions—we’ve been in the church
life for a while, we’re in the meetings, and we might just think, “Everything’s
okay. Everything’s going on.” But we really shouldn’t think that way. And for
sure, we shouldn’t be ignorant of Satan’s devices.
So consider this. I’m just speaking from my heart, our
heart, to you. Here are the two data points I’d like to mention.
Data Point 1: Suicides Among Young People
In the last three months, among the churches in North and
Central America, we’ve had three suicides. Three church kids. One of the
sisters who took her life was the daughter of a leading one. Another young
brother who took his life—his brother right now is in the full-time training.
Could you imagine? One family has a son in the full-time training, and another
child took his life.
About 12 years ago in our locality, a young brother also
took his life. His older brother has been serving full-time for almost 10
years. My point is: don’t think this can’t happen. Don’t think, “I’m in the
church life, I’m going on, it won’t touch us.” There’s a desperate need, and
there’s an intense, targeted attack toward the lives of our young ones—to make
them feel they’re not worthy, that there’s no hope, that their life doesn’t
matter or count. That’s one extreme. That’s the first data point.
Data Point 2: The Decline in Training Numbers
On the other hand, let me mention something else. This fall
term of the full-time training has one of the lowest numbers of new trainees in
history—other than during COVID. Just 69. Among the returning trainees (first,
second, and third terms), 29 left. That’s also nearly an all-time high for
dropouts.
Now, look around this room: there are about 200 parents
here, and that means roughly 600 kids from Southern California are represented.
Every year, about 125–150 church kids graduate from high school here. By
college graduation age, about 125 of them should be available for the training.
But this year, only 16 or 17 came. Out of 125, only 10 percent. For every 10,
only one is coming.
Yes, some may be working, in grad school, or planning to
come later. But still—that number should cause us to consider our way and what
values we, as parents and serving ones, are instilling in our kids. We’ve even
heard of kids who want to come, but their parents say, “No, don’t go. You need
to go to graduate school. You need to get a job.”
So I ask openly: would you be willing to let your son or
daughter go and serve the Lord?
God, Education, and Character
Brother Lee often spoke of “God, education, and character.”
But I fear that for many of us, especially among Asian families, education has
become first place. Who or what is first in your family? Do we seek first God?
Do we give God first place? Is His kingdom first? Or is education first?
We spend thousands on tutors to get our kids into the best
schools, but do we realize we might be opening the door for them to drift
straight out of the church life?
One mother came to me in tears. All three of her kids went
to Ivy League schools. One renounced the faith. The second stopped meeting. The
third? To be determined. This was a faithful family in the church life. But
they relentlessly pushed their children in extracurriculars, non-profits,
“passion projects.” Brother Lee did say we should get the top education. But
don’t forget what he said next: “After you get the top education, give it all
up and serve the Lord full time.”
Where You Go Is Not Who You Will Be
There’s a book I use in a college readiness class at Acacia
Wood called Where You Go Is Not Who You Will Be. It exposes the
unhealthy connection in society between self-worth—both parents’ and kids’—and
the prestige of the school name.
Yes, one of my kids went to an Ivy League school. But by the
Lord’s mercy, that child is now in the full-time training. Still, I wrestled
with it. After all the money spent, I thought, “You owe me. Get a job, then go
to training.”
But my other child went to junior college. Would we be okay
if our kids went to Fullerton College? Or would that offend our pride? Saints,
forget about your pride. This is life and death. Of course, we want our kids to
do their best within their capacity. But that could mean a state school, a
junior college, or a trade school—wherever the Lord leads.
And remember, many top leaders didn’t come from elite
schools. The CEO of Apple? Auburn University in Alabama. The CEO of Microsoft?
University of Wisconsin. Walmart’s CEO? University of Arkansas. President Obama
started at Occidental. President Trump at Fordham before UPenn. It’s not about
the name of the school. The real question: who or what is first in our
household? First love? The kingdom? Or education and prestige?
A Starbucks Church Life
Brother Ron once warned that in Southern California, many
second-generation saints are being raised in a “Starbucks church life.”
Comfortable, affluent, but double-living. Our kids drive Teslas, have iPhones,
MacBooks, branded clothes—while some of us grew up with Goodwill hand-me-downs.
Are we raising kids who are “at ease in Zion,” like Moab in Jeremiah 48:11,
never emptied from vessel to vessel, unchanged in taste and scent?
This generation is gifted at adapting. They can be with
church friends, call on the Lord, and testify. But as soon as the meeting ends,
they slip back into Netflix, streaming, games. Saints, every year more than 15
of our kids should be going to the training. That’s not the end-all, but it is
an indicator. Are we raising a generation at ease, or pursuing Christ
absolutely?
Responding to the Lord’s Call
The world situation is always an indicator of God’s move.
Wars, chaos, violence—they show God wants to do something. And He always calls
the young generation. Dear saints, let us as parents not be in the way. Let us
reconsider our ways. Let’s not become routine, content, middle-aged, passive,
letting the young ones do it all. Until we die, let us remain burning in
spirit.
I spoke recently to an 83-year-old brother in Nashville. He
shared the gospel with four neighbors this past year; two or three were saved.
He’s 83. How many neighbors have I preached to lately? Saints, in this new
school year, let’s have a fresh start, a new consecration. These 600 kids here
are all our kids. May the Lord gain each and every one.
The Enemy’s Strategy: Digital Occupation
Now, I have one more “bad thing” to share with you about the
enemy’s strategy. By the way, this is part one of three fellowships we’re going
to have. Next Saturday, we’ll have two more in Fullerton. I hope you can come.
The enemy promotes two extremes:
To
give your life for something else.
To
feel your life is vanity, worthless, nothing.
And the main tool he uses is this topic we’ll now cover. I
have 42 slides to go through in 30 minutes. Here we go.
Redeeming the Time
Let’s read Ephesians: Paul’s word to the Ephesians—and to
us—is that time is so precious, and we need to be purposeful. We must be
intentional with our time. If we don’t redeem it, if we’re not exercised with
our young people to lay hold of it, we lose it quickly. Be intentional with
your time. Amen?
All Things Lawful, But…
In 1 Corinthians, Paul draws a contrast between food and
fornication. There are things available to us that are lawful. But although
lawful, they can bring us under their power—under occupation, under usurpation.
And nowhere do we see this more than in the digital age.
Everyone watches what goes into their stomach these
days—keto, vegan, no red meat. But who watches what goes into the head? Who is
watching what our kids are ingesting? Many times unsupervised, unregulated.
Since 2007, the most pervasive addiction in history has
spread: the smartphone. Over half the world uses it daily. It causes anxiety,
depression, suicide, especially among young girls. It causes 3,000 deaths a day
from texting and driving. Like every addictive thing, it spikes dopamine—making
you feel good, making you do it over and over.
The Timeline of a Life
Every bubble on this chart represents 30 days of life. If
your child lives to be 90, this is their lifespan. At first, they think, “Wow,
I have a lot of time.”
But look closer:
288
months are spent sleeping.
126
months at school or work.
18
months sitting in a car.
36
months cooking and eating.
36
months on chores.
27
months on bathroom hygiene.
That leaves 334 “free” months. But here’s the kicker: the
average teenager spends 7.5 hours a day on screens—phones, Chromebooks,
Netflix, games. That time almost completely swallows their free life. Where is
the church? Where is the Bible? Where is personal time with the Lord? Gone.
Fully usurped.
How We Got Here
In the 1980s: big clunky computers.
1990s–2000s: the internet.
Early 2000s: mobile phones.
2007: the iPhone.
2009–2010: the explosion of social media—Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok.
These world-changing products invaded our lives. And
companies, bent on profit, denied the mental health effects. They obscured the
truth, ran PR campaigns to highlight “benefits.”
But consider this: Steve Jobs didn’t let his kids have
smartphones until high school. Mark Zuckerberg didn’t let his kids use Meta
accounts or smartphones early. Why? If the inventors themselves withheld them,
shouldn’t we be cautious?
A New Law in California
Just two days ago, California passed a law (subject to court
challenges). Beginning in 2027, social media companies must display warnings,
like cigarette warnings. Ten seconds when you log in: “This could be hazardous
to your health.” After three hours: a 30-second warning. If even the
progressive state of California acknowledges this, it says something.
The Adolescent Brain
Especially for boys, the frontal cortex—responsible for
self-control, planning, problem solving, motivation—is not fully developed
until age 25. Bombarding it with constant digital stimulation stunts and warps
development. Preteens are especially vulnerable; very few can self-regulate.
Smartphones by Age 11
By age 11, most U.S. kids have a smartphone. One family I
know told their kids: “No phone until 16.” Instead, they go mountain biking,
play sports, do activities. Their kids are happy and fulfilled. Do 11- or
12-year-olds really need a smartphone? Probably not.
Now, to be clear, I’m not saying, “Take away the cell
phone.” We live in a technological society. They need it to communicate with
coaches, teachers, parents. But—handle with care.
The Shift from Play to Phones
Before the iPhone, kids played outside—sports, forts, bikes,
trees. They learned cooperation, social skills, problem-solving. Today, all of
that is being replaced by phone-based childhood. We have overprotection in the
real world (“don’t go outside, it’s dangerous”) and underprotection in the
virtual world.
By 2016, nearly 80% of American teens had a smartphone.
Today, it’s even higher. They spend 7–9 hours a day on Netflix, YouTube, social
media, games, pornography.
Effects on Society
The data from 15–18 years shows:
Poor
Sleep – Instead of waking up saying, “Lord Jesus, I love You,” the
first thought is the phone. Kids stay up late unsupervised. Some parents
turn off the internet at night—wise practice.
Depression
– A 145% increase among girls, 161% among boys. Studies show 2 out of 3
high schoolers experience bouts of depression.
Anxiety
– Especially in ages 18–25. Girls who spend 5+ hours daily on social media
are three times more likely to be depressed.
Self-harm
– ER visits for self-harm among girls have risen nearly 200% since 2005.
Loneliness
– Especially affecting females.
Failure
to Launch (boys) – Many lose motivation, disconnected from reality,
invested only in the virtual world. They compare themselves to influencers
and athletes, think “I’ll never be like that,” and stop striving.
Pornography
– With just a few clicks, boys especially can access immoral sites. No
regulation. A growing epidemic.
Suicide
– The trends we saw earlier are tied to digital occupation.
Brother Mark’s Fellowship
Out of curiosity, is there anyone here who does not own a
smartphone? Anyone? Everyone has one? Okay, then let me ask: who here owns a
smartphone? Raise your hand.
Now, keep your hands raised if your phone does not
have any feed-based apps—no news apps, no social media, nothing that pushes
information to you. Only calls, calendar, and messages. Anyone? If that’s you,
you can lower your hand.
The rest of you still have your hands up. Now, how many of
you have ever caught yourself “doom-scrolling”—just going through article after
article, feed after feed? After half an hour, you realize you’ve been reading
nonsense. If that’s ever happened to you, lower your hand.
Now, whoever still has their hand raised, please stand up.
These are the ones who have never doom-scrolled, who have only used
their phone productively. Anyone? Because if so, I was going to ask you to come
up and share your secret. My hand is clearly down!
The truth is—none of us. We all get caught. So, I don’t
speak as one perfected in this matter. We all need healing.
As in the Days of Noah
Matthew 24 speaks of the end times: “As in the days of Noah,
so shall the days of the Son of Man be.” They were eating, drinking, marrying,
giving in marriage—necessities of life. Not evil in themselves, but they were
occupied and blinded, unaware of what was coming.
The smartphone is the same. It’s become a necessity of
life—you almost can’t survive without it. But Satan takes necessities and turns
them into lusts, usurping and occupying man.
So, devices and social media are not inherently evil. They
can be very useful. But like Moses’ staff, how we pick it up will determine
whether it kills us or supports us for God’s move.
The Key: Honest Fellowship With Our Children
Here’s the point: without honest, transparent fellowship
with our children, we don’t stand a chance. Before we can touch their cell
phone use, we must touch their hearts.
With my kids, I know that if I touch their phone, I’m
touching their identity. Taking away the phone feels like taking away them.
So we have to be wise and prudent about how and when we address this matter.
The worst time to implement a family media plan is right
after catching them misusing it. That’s when the emotions are high, and it
feels like combat. We must wait for the right time, and we must approach with
wisdom.
Malachi 4:6 — Turning Hearts
The last verse of the Old Testament, Malachi 4:6, speaks
prophetically of the end times: “He will turn the heart of the fathers to
the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers.”
Without our heart turned to our children, especially
fathers, we won’t have real communication. Mothers usually already have their
hearts turned, but fathers often need help. Only when hearts are mutually
turned can we truly shepherd and converse.
Three Practical Points
From a fellowship given at the European Young People’s
Conference, three points were shared about turning hearts and building
meaningful relationships:
Honesty
If
we’re not honest, our children won’t trust us.
Example:
when I take away the phone and say, “You’re on this all the time,” my
child responds, “So are you!” My knee-jerk reaction is to justify
myself—“I use it for work,” “I’m the parent.”
But
honesty would say: “You’re right. I’ve misused my phone too. I haven’t
modeled proper use. How can we help each other bring this serpent under
control?”
Appreciation
(Acknowledgement)
It’s
not right if our kids only hear from us when they do something wrong.
In
some cultures, we avoid praising for fear of spoiling. But our children
need acknowledgment.
Even
if one time out of seven they remembered to plug in their phone
downstairs at night, we could affirm it: “Thank you for obeying. We
appreciate it.” Natural tendency is to focus on the six failures, but
appreciation builds trust.
Time
Relationships
take time. Studies show:
Casual
acquaintances: 50 hours.
Meaningful
relationships: 90 quality hours.
Intimate,
close relationships (like marriage): 200 hours.
Driving
them to school doesn’t count. Lecturing them doesn’t count. Real
conversations, where both sides genuinely listen, do count.
Without
spending real time, we can’t cross from casual to meaningful, where
they’ll open their hearts.
A Serious Call
I admit—I’ve failed in all three areas: honesty,
appreciation, and time. But the Lord still has a need at the end of this age.
He needs parents whose hearts are turned to their children, and children whose
hearts are turned to their parents. Only then can we have the conversations
necessary—about phones, social media, mental health, and most importantly,
God’s purpose.
Next week in Fullerton, we’ll continue with more practical
fellowship on helping our children. If you haven’t signed up, please do. The
Lord wants to gain something in this generation.
也别忘了，许多顶尖领袖并非出自顶尖名校。Apple 的执行长？阿拉巴马州的 Auburn University。Microsoft 的执行长？University of Wisconsin。Walmart 的执行长？University of Arkansas。欧巴马总统先从 Occidental 起步。川普总统在进 UPenn 前先就读 Fordham。重点不是校名。真正的问题是：我们家中「第一位」的是谁或什么？起初的爱？国度？还是教育与名望？
「星巴克式」的召会生活
Ron 弟兄曾警告，在南加州，第二代圣徒正被养成一种「星巴克式的召会生活」：舒适、富足，却双重生活。我们的孩子开着特斯拉、用 iPhone、MacBook、穿名牌；但我们当中不少人是穿着二手店的衣服长大的。我们是否在养成「在锡安安逸」的孩子？像耶利米书 48:11 的摩押，从幼年安逸，没有从这器皿倒到那器皿，气味、滋味也都没有改变？
也別忘了，許多頂尖領袖並非出自頂尖名校。Apple
的執行長？阿拉巴馬州的
Auburn University。Microsoft
的執行長？University
of Wisconsin。Walmart 的執行長？University
of Arkansas。歐巴馬總統先從
Occidental 起步。川普總統在進
UPenn 前先就讀
Fordham。重點不是校名。真正的問題是：我們家中「第一位」的是誰或什麼？起初的愛？國度？還是教育與名望？
「星巴克式」的召會生活
Ron 弟兄曾警告，在南加州，第二代聖徒正被養成一種「星巴克式的召會生活」：舒適、富足，卻雙重生活。我們的孩子開著特斯拉、用
iPhone、MacBook、穿名牌；但我們當中不少人是穿著二手店的衣服長大的。我們是否在養成「在錫安安逸」的孩子？像耶利米書
48:11 的摩押，從幼年安逸，沒有從這器皿倒到那器皿，氣味、滋味也都沒有改變？
