From the pastor's desk:

DANGER!
YOUR CHILDREN ARE AT RISK!

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter5:8

We hear a lot about children at risk these days. That is because children are impressionable, vulnerable, and easy prey for those who seek to do them harm. Recently, you have probably read in the newspaper about the man who killed his daughter and her friend. You have read about children at schools being shot and murdered by other students. You have read about children being lured into cars of strangers and abused and hurt. You have read about children being influenced by bad friends who lead them into a life of rebellion, drugs, and so forth. These are all heartbreaking stories which alert us to the fact that we must take special care to watch over our children carefully and prepare them properly so that they will not be taken advantage of and harmed.

When it comes to children at risk, we most often think of people possible hurting them physically. But most people are not so alert to people who may possibly hurt, maim or kill our children spiritually. But I tell you the truth. This is a great and terrible danger as well! In fact, it is a very real and present danger!

Indeed, you should know and be aware of the fact that the devil would love to have your children's souls for his own and he is quite busy trying to accomplish this. It is exactly as St. Peter says, the devil roams around, looking for someone to devour. And to be sure, he looks for the vulnerable, the unprotected, those who are not prepared to resist him.

Perhaps the greatest danger confronting your children, spiritually, is this - the lure of the cults and non-Christian religions. For after all, we live in a basically secular, non-Christian society today. We live in a society that stresses diversity and frowns on anyone who would question another person's faith and religion. Our children are taught in a variety of ways that all belief systems - whatever they may be - have value and are to be tolerated and even celebrated. This kind of conditioning prepares our children to be open to other religions and to consider them valid, helpful, acceptable, and even beneficial.

But we Christians know differently. A religion or belief system that does not have Christ, - the real Christ - and reliance upon the Triune God - the only true God - is only a tool of the devil designed to steal away the faith of believers and to plunge their souls into eternal ruin. That is why the devil dresses up non-Christian religions in an illusion of morality, integrity, and various other appealing inducements.

Some of the most well-known religions I am speaking of here are "Mormonism," that is, The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints(LDS). This religion speaks about God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and pretends to believe in the Trinity - but upon closer examination - it has an entirely different "god" and "gospel," which is no Gospel at all. The same goes for the "Jehovah Witnesses," who worship another god entirely than do we Christians. Another belief system that is becoming very popular today is "Wicca," which is basically witchcraft, which appeals to young people because the religion purports to give power to control others and a young person's own life through spells and various other means. Many other groups could be named here, but the point is this. Your children are at risk!

Most of the recruitment of our young people and children into these non-Christian, dangerous religions are done by other young people who belong to these groups already. Perhaps their parents belong to these religions and their children and young people don't understand how they are leading others away from the true God and His salvation when they invite your child to come with them to their meetings or "church" - because they just don't know any better.

But you should know better, dear parents, and you should be alert to the dangers of your child being recruited by such groups who will gladly lead your children away from God's love and His forgiveness for us in Christ.

Especially during the summer months your children are at risk and in spiritual danger - make no mistake about it! That is because they have a lot more time that they spend out of the home without supervision.

So what can you do? First, don't stop coming to church and bringing your young people and children with you during the summer. All Christians need a steady diet of God's Word and promises to build them up and make them strong in the faith so that they don't become vulnerable and blind sided by the lies of the devil. Second, get in the habit of sharing your Christian faith with your children on a regular basis by having daily devotions with them, and expressing your faith to them regularly. Third, warn your children and young people about the dangers of false religions and let them know that their friends may be involved with them, and teach them to just say no thank you if they are invited to get involved with them too. And last, remember that your pastor loves your children and teenagers and you as well. So if you need help, or if you find your child is involved in a cult or non-Christian religion, call him so that he can help you. You should know that he stands ready to speak to your young person too with gentleness and love.

But know this: your child, teenager, young person is at risk! So what are you going to do about it?

Pastor Tyler