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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 2017-06-29, Page 19PAGE 20. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 29, 2017. From the Minister's Study Ho y ou have what it takes to be a DAD? By Pastor Ernest Dow Living Water Christian Fellowship There's one thing in short supply in our affluent society: positive role models for fathers. In 1992 Dan Quayle accused the producers of the popular sitcom Murphy Brown of glamorizing what he called "America's worst crisis: missing fathers". By 1995, research showed nearly 40 per cent of American children lived in fatherless homes. Three things the Manufacturer's Handbook (the Bible) emphasizes for a DAD are Discipline, Authority and Duality. Let me explain. One less pleasant aspect of being a good dad is the whole area of discipline. It's much easier to try to be your child's friend, their buddy, to never give them cause to get upset with you. But discipline can be very unpleasant: nobody enjoys getting called on their mistakes. Yet it's a very necessary part of growing up, learning when to recognize that we've erred, and how to make things right, apologize where called for, and make restitution. In Matthew 18:15, Jesus gives some helpful commands about administering discipline sensitively. "If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over." It's to be done quietly, respecting the other person's privacy, not making a big thing about it or involving other people initially. If our children sin or do wrong, it's our parental responsibility to confront them about it: clearly identify what the wrong is, encourage them to set things right and clean up any mess that's been created, or face unpleasant consequences. The Bible notes, "For what son is not disciplined by his father? ... We have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it... Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness." (Hebrews 12:7,90 Discipline needs to be firm: but Join Us For Worship each Sunday at 10:00 am during the summer months Brussels Mennonite Fellowship 250 Princess St., Brussels Pastor Ken Gazley 519-887-6388 www.bmfchurch.com Guests Expected Jesus Is Lord! £ivilj Netter Cfilittial, Tellozmdup July 2: Mt. 13:24ff Worship at Auburn Riverside Retreat, 38382 Blyth Rd., Auburn, 10:30 am (back at 308 Blyth Rd. July 9-23) "Good Seed, Weeds, & Your Ultimate Destiny" Evangelical Missionary Church July 10.13 Community VBS at Blyth CRC Register today! http:lltinyurl.comlblythvbs2017 Pastor: Ernest Dow - 519-523-4848 + getlivingwater.org not done as a little Hitler! The Matthew 18 process reveals starting privately, and always in relation to agreed-upon standards - not made up by a demanding irrational parent on a whim. Another weakness in modern parenting is a reluctance to assume the authority that rightfully belongs to dad or mom. Sometimes things have to be withheld if the kids' behaviour hasn't warranted their receiving a treat. Dare you say "No" to your child? Does that risk inciting a temper tantrum? The father of five children had won a toy at a raffle. He called his kids together to ask which of them should have the present. "Who is the most obedient?" he asked. "Who never talks back to mother? Who does everything she says?" Five small voices answered in unison: "Okay, dad, you get the toy." Jesus encourages His followers to assume and take advantage of, for the purposes of His kingdom, the authority that rightfully belongs to them. "I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven" (Matt. 18:18) This "binding" and "loosing" is within the framework of His teaching made familiar by the church. It's relative to Jesus' standards and principles, we're not just making it up as we go, arbitrarily, on a whim. The Lord does put us in positions of responsibility, in society and in the home, where we need to call out and verbally identify situations and actions that do or don't accord with His revealed will. Fathers have a vital job to do when it comes to authoritatively "binding and loosing" in our families Part of that is teaching God's truth and values and Bible stories from day to day so our kids know what's right and wrong based on Scriptural categories, not just what the media's telling them, the videos their peers ANGLICAN PARISH OF NEW BEGINNINGS BLYTH Trinity 6. 9:15 am Church Office 519-357-4883 BRUSSELS St. John's No service for month of July Everyone Welcome! COME WORSHIP WITH US! BRUSSELS United Church WORSHIP SERVICE AND SUNDAY SCHOOL 10:00 am Bulletin notices: 519-523-4224 blythunited@tcc.on.ca Church bookings: 519-887-6377 Everyone welcome evades ej17statl Laity edW eitaftee Sunday, July 2 - 10:30 a.m. 650 Alexander St. (former Brussels Public School) Sunday School for children 4 to 12 years of age at 9:30 a.m. Childcare provided for infants and preschoolers during the sermon. Coffee & cookies after the morning service. Evening Services July 9 to Sept. 3 6:30 p.m. at various homes Vacation Bible School - July 10-14 You're ZnvitedT to come worsh p with us For additional details please contact Pastor Andrew Versteeg 519.887.8621 Steve Klumpenhower 519.292.0965 Rick Packer 519.527.0173 Blyth United Church Est. 1875 Visitation Sundays for the month of July please worship at a church near you Regular weekly services resume August 7th at 9:30 am All are welcome OFFICE: 519-523-4224 are sharing from YouTube. A father bears significant spiritual authority in the home. The New Testament teaches that "the buck stops here" in that God will hold the father, moreso than the mother, primarily responsible for what happens in a home. (see 1Corinthians 11:3; Ephesians 5:22ff) Or as popular Christian teacher Beth Moore puts it rather brusquely (not an exact quote) - "Submission is knowing when to duck so God can hit your husband" So, fathers, man up - step up to the plate - don't shirk your responsibility, stop avoiding the authority God has given you to provide positive Kingdom direction to your household. Be anchored in Christ your Rock, your Head. (Who in that same Ephesians 5 passage calls us to lead by loving and serving our spouse, laying down our life for others.) While assuming our authority as a dad, we also need to keep acknowledging our failings and imperfections, calling out to Jesus to overcome the areas where our faith is incomplete. A final important role for dads besides discipline and authority is that of duality in intercession: praying with your partner. The challenging tasks of discipline and Continued on page 22 You're e9ttrited Jli lin Ls 9n U,:lirshi p SUNDAYS Morning Service 10:00 am Evening Service 7:30 pm BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH v` Minister: Pastor Gary van Leeuwen Hwy. 4, Blyth www.blythcrc.ca 519-523-4743 MELVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BRUSSELS SUNDAY, JULY 2 We invite you to join our church family in: Worship & Sunday School - 11 am Coffee & Snacks following the service Fridays 11:30 am - 1:00 pm - Soup & More 2 - a free community meal held in Melville's basement, and made possible by the Brussels churches working together. Nursery care available 519-887-6687 discover why we are growing 2*..L,1 . -- Huron Chapel Every Sunday @ 10:30am in Auburn huronchapel.com THE CATHOLIC PARISHES OF NORTH HURON AND NORTH PERTH CORDIALLY INVITE YOU TO ATTEND HOLY MASS. OUR SUNDAY LITURGIES ARE AS FOLLOWS: Brussels: St. Ambrose Saturday 6:00 p.m. 17 Flora Street Wingham: Sacred Heart Sunday 9:00 a.m. 220 Carling Terrace Listowel: St. Joseph's Sunday 11:00 a.m. 1025 Wallace Avenue N.