What is the Purpose of this Book?
There are two purposes. First, it is to be a resource for any young man in his teens thru his twenties or thirties who wants to become a Man of Integrity and Godly Character. Second, it is to be a resource for dads (or single moms, mentors, counselors, or youth ministers) to teach and train their teenaged sons to become Men of Integrity and Godly Character, as is required of them in Deuteronomy 6:5-9, Psalm 78:4-8 and Ephesians 6:4b. The twelve Behaviors (listed below) must be learned, embraced and practiced if teenagers are to become mature men and responsible citizens of integrity and Godly character. Our nation needs many more men like this in every walk of life in America.
Why is this Book Necessary?
The growing immorality and coarseness in the culture of 21st Century America are starkly reflected in the alarming decrease of personal integrity in public and private life as well as in the increasing attacks, verbal and governmental, on the Family and Christians. It is axiomatic that if the Family is not producing young men (and women) of integrity and Godly character, then the culture and the nation begin to slide toward immorality, lawlessness, violence, and eventually anarchy.
To sustain a strong, morally healthy nation, God insists dads (the family Shepherd or Leader) teach and train their sons (their Sheep) about the things of God and how to be men and leaders (Shepherds) before they leave home. Many of today’s dads, if they’re even in the home, can’t (or won’t) teach these things. Many don’t know it is their responsibility. It is not the church’s job to teach the children these things, but it is the church’s job to mentor the parents how to teach their children (Eph 4:11,12).
A young man must be accountable to his father, not to the youth pastor for such things as Biblical authority and godly wisdom in the world. Youth pastors have a role to play in Summer Camps, Witnessing Trips, etc. and perhaps most importantly, mentoring dads/parents in how to teach these Behaviors to their teenagers. From 12 and up, children should attend the worship service with their parents. Then when parents attend their Sunday School Class, their children attend theirs where, among other lessons, this book could very well be used to augment their dad’s teaching at home.
The twelve Behaviors are: Be Disciplined, Be Encouraging, Be Forgiving, Be Gentle, Be Honorable, Be Involved, Be Knowledgeable, Be Merciful, Be Prayerful, Be Respectful, Be Responsible, and Be Tough-Minded.
The language and vocabulary make for easy reading. Its brevity (140 pages) eliminates the “daunt” factor. The last chapter “Looking Ahead” provides provocative advice on five areas of life: Work, Higher Education, Marriage, Fatherhood, and Operating in the World. The book closes with a nugget-filled Epilogue, a Suggested Reading List, and a Complete Study Guide that helps make it all stick.
The bottom line is we must restore and rebuild the Family – the foundation of our culture and our nation.
Selected events with the book:
The founder of Abiding Word Ministries, a distinctively Biblical counseling ministry for adults and teens among seven churches north of Atlanta, has used it in his work since 2013. He told the author that he had been looking for just this book for ten years. In mid-2015 he related that one of his teen counselees came to accept Christ as a result of reading the book.
A grandnephew (age 14) of the author took the book home after the 2015 Christmas visit and later told his grandmother that “it has completely changed my way of thinking”.
The Founder and Chairman of the African Pastors’ Network, after reading the book, asked the author to speak at his annual Atlanta Conference for Pastors in 2013. That video presentation, “Fixing a National Crisis”, is online in the Blog on the website: www.WordsAlongTheWay.com/blog/
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