Major’s Monthly Message - December 2006 - Growth

Gentlemen,

This is the first in a series of what should be monthly messages to let everyone know what is going on in the ALERT Cadet ministry and what God is teaching me. The topics will be varied, but all will deal with father and son relationships, or the ALERT Cadet program in general. The first installment appears below.

Growth. It is how we tell whether something is alive or dead. We examine plants and animals for signs of growth. We look at our children and expect to see growth. As adults, we are also growing and learning, or should be, to remain vital and relevant.

Organizations and ministries also must grow, or they begin to die and atrophy. It is the means by which those outside a ministry or organization can tell whether the desired purpose or calling is being achieved. ALERT Cadets is no different. If it is not growing then it is dying.

I’m happy to report that your organization, ALERT Cadets, is thriving and growing under God’s hand of blessing. While numbers do not tell everything, they do tell the story of growth. Take the number of fathers and sons joining our organization on a yearly basis. In 2003, we added approximately 200 new fathers and sons. This year, 2006, we will add more than 600 new fathers and sons, or more than triple the number in 2003! Another measure is the number of new squads and units forming. In 2003 we added six new units or squads. In 2006, we will add 14 new units or squads and reactivate another three squads that were previously inactive. Again, this is nearly triple the number in 2003.

An area of concern to any organization is the cost of doing business. At ALERT Cadet, God has been gracious to bring volunteers to assist with all of this growth. He has also allowed us to develop systems, databases, and procedures that allow for growth without an increase in fixed costs. Bottom line is that the fixed costs associated with ALERT Cadet operations are actually down from a 2002 base line, even with all of the growth!

Another area to look for growth is in program development. I’m happy to report that in this area we have also seen steady growth. The ALERT Cadet curriculum will eventually consist of seven “Handbooks” each containing six “Phase Manuals” for a total of 42 booklets, not including the Basic Training Manual. Again, with 2002 as a baseline, there were five booklets completed, total. At the end of 2006, we now have 18 booklets completed, the entirety of the Novice, Pilgrim, and Craftsman Handbooks, and four more, of the Servant Handbook, in process! Also, we are rewriting the Novice handbook to make it more appropriate for beginning members in the ALERT Cadet program, with an expected completion date of January 2008.

A wise man once said, “If you are not growing, then you are dying.” I’m glad to report that ALERT Cadets is indeed growing and prospering as you can see from the facts above. All this is nice, but the real bottom line is to answer the question, “Are the lives of fathers and sons being changed?” In this regard, I can also report a resounding yes. Weekly, I receive cards and letters from fathers, sons, and even mothers, reporting what God is doing in their lives as a result of their involvement with ALERT Cadets. This is the fuel that lets us know we are heading in the right direction and planting right behind where God is plowing the field. From time-to-time we post some of these to the web for you to read. If you’d like to be encouraged, please stop by http://www.alertcadet.org/testimonies/ and read what others have to say about how God is using ALERT Cadets in their lives.

My grateful thanks to you who support this ministry with your participation, prayers, and finances. I welcome your comments at rfarr@alertacademy.com.

In Christ,

Major Roger D. Farr
ALERT Cadet Commanding Officer and Program Director