Monthly Message from the ALERT Cadet Major - October 2008

Gentlemen,

September has been an incredible month for ALERT Cadets with many new members joining, my trip to Malaysia, much activity on the publications front, and contact by you, the folks we seek to serve. This month, I’d like to give you a flavor of what God is doing in our midst by sharing with you a few of the messages and e-mails I received recently.

Let me start in Iraq with an e-mail from a Marine Corps officer and ALERT Cadet father. We have many ALERT Cadet fathers serving in the US military, and I am personally grateful for their service. Our office prays for them regularly; my middle son is now a 2^nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Medical Service Corps while in veterinary school, so I am especially aware and proud of them all. However this father asked how he could pray for us! I shared with him some of the work going on in our publications and our desire to see further expansion of the program into Indonesia, Malaysian churches, and U.S. book fairs with our ALERT Cadet Challenges. Bottom line, God is raising up men who are praying for us, and I was totally unaware of them!

Next, God is working in the Northeastern part of the U.S. where a father informed me this week that God has been patiently gathering together a few fathers in his area to get a new unit started. It began several years ago with a desire in one man’s heart, and now God has placed other like-minded men in the same area to begin the ALERT Cadet ministry.

In Malaysia, God has now raised up a father to start a unit in the southern part of the country where we did not yet have an ALERT Cadet presence. Again, it started with God bringing together three like-minded fathers, each desiring to grab and keep the hearts of their sons. A pastor in northern Malaysia is excited by the results he sees in the fathers who are involved with ALERT Cadets and is sharing his excitement with other church leaders.

During a recent dinner conversation with the ALERT Basic Training Chaplain, himself an ALERT Cadet father, I learned how some of our ALERT Cadets were fairing in their training. I also learned that this unit, Unit 40, of ALERT contains 22 young men who have been a part of an active ALERT Cadet unit. This is 30% of the unit and the highest absolute number and percentage since 2000, the first year we kept statistics! In 2003 we began an effort to retain older young men in ALERT Cadets by creating challenging projects, changing the format of our LTC camps, and expanding the curriculum and teaching opportunities for LTC members. God appears to be using these efforts in the lives of fathers and their older, young men who choose ALERT training.

Another e-mail, not on such a bright note, informed me that an ALERT Cadet father was having marital difficulties, leading to possible separation from his wife, and that he is unsure whether he could continue in the program. This was a sober reminder to me that Satan is alive and busy with his work of lies and deception seeking whom he may devour. My role is often as an encourager to fathers with questions on using the ALERT Cadet program to raise their sons (and daughters); however, this time it was a man-to-man discussion.

Finally, a “Thank You” card came in from a newly commissioned ALERT Cadet squad leader with the following. “In July 1979 I was commissioned a second Lieutenant in the US Army. Now, God has allowed me to be commissioned a Second Lieutenant in ALERT Cadets. God has given me a unique second chance to serve and bless the fathers and sons of this unit as God gives me grace. I am very grateful for the ALERT Cadet program. It is exactly what I wanted to do with my older sons.” Our God is a God of second chances, and this father is doing well in his new role and in raising his own sons. I am grateful for his prayers and the opportunity to serve.

Gentlemen, I want you to be encouraged as you fight for your families in these difficult spiritual and economic times. I am reminded of what Nehemiah said when they were under attack for rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem. “And I looked, and arose and said to the nobles, to the leaders, and to the rest of the people, ‘Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.’” (Nehemiah 4:14, NKJV)

Let us fight well for all that we hold dear and pray that our sons will become “Strong to Overcome,” and that our wives and daughters will be safe and thriving.

In Christ,

Major Roger D. Farr

ALERT Cadet Commanding Officer

Monthly Message from the ALERT Cadet Major – September 2008

Gentlemen,

I’ve been thinking a lot about excellence and its opposite, mediocrity. I want to live a life full of excellence in what I say and do. I detest mediocrity in my own life. When I find myself mired in mediocrity it usually means my heart was not in the project or activity in the first place, and I was simply going through the motions. Mediocrity is not a good place to be, for anyone. Let’s dive in and see how to avoid the “curse of mediocrity” that our enemy seeks to foist upon us to render us ineffective for the Kingdom.

First, let’s be clear on what mediocrity is. Webster’s defines it as “the quality or state of being mediocre; of moderate or low quality; ordinary.” When I look at the Man Jesus Christ, He was anything but mediocre. I often talk to fathers about their sons and usually in the conversation they say he is “above average” in his (fill in the blank). For the record, by definition, 50% of the population is above the average! (For the statisticians amongst us, this implies a normal distribution; more correctly I should say 50% is above the median.) So, mediocrity is the state of being average or ordinary; these are words I usually do not want said about my family members or me. I hope you feel the same.

Second, I believe mediocrity is the absence of a drive for excellence. It is the result of not putting out the time, energy, passion, or whatever it takes to accomplish the goal. I don’t know about you, but I do not find the Scriptures teaching a mediocre lifestyle. Look at the Apostle Peter. He tried to be an average fisherman and in fact went back to fishing after he had denied Jesus during His trial and subsequent crucifixion. Jesus reminded Peter that he was no longer average and no longer a fisherman, but as the “rock” upon which the church was to be built, he was now a fisher of men! When the Holy Spirit empowered Peter, he became anything but mediocre in his speech, passion, and impact for the church. He became all that Jesus had foreseen in him. He became an excellent minister of the gospel of God and a leader. Like Peter, I know from experience that my energy combined with God’s empowerment is a powerful force for change.

Third, mediocrity comes as the default when there is no vision. Proverbs 29:18 teaches that where there is no vision (goal, objective, reason for existence) the people perish (go their own way, descend to a mediocre state). I often have young men and fathers seeking counsel cross my path. The single greatest need in their lives is a vision for what they can become and how they can be useful to impact the world for Jesus Christ. Without a reason for existing, a man of any age will simply dry up and become fruitless. Without meaningful work to do, a man dies. Just look at those men you know who have bought the lie of retirement and now live a life of carefree ease. They either become mediocre and ineffective, or they quickly find purpose in a new line of work for the kingdom. Dads, it is our job, I believe, to impart vision to our young men. If we do not have vision ourselves, then we must seek out our counselors and sharpen our own vision before seeking to impart vision to our sons and families.

Lastly, what exactly is excellence and how do I achieve it? For me, excellence is not about being the best. Rather, it is about being and utilizing 100% of what God has given to me in terms of mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual resources. I will always remember Buddy, a member of our discipleship group many years ago. Buddy made his living by repairing household appliances. He could barely read and relied on his wife to keep the business books. However, his low reading ability did not impact his ability to preach the gospel. Buddy was so skilled in repairing the machines that he usually had time left over on the service call to share the gospel with the homeowner. He led hundreds to Christ, sometimes three or four in a single day. Buddy was excellent both in his chosen profession and in his ability to communicate the gospel.

If you find that you are mired in mediocrity, instead of pursuing excellence like Buddy, let me share a few items that have helped me.

• Focus on only one or two items where you have passion. There is simply not enough time to do all things well. Christ did what His Father sent Him to do. Ruthlessly cut out the activities that just steal time and that do not help you become excellent. I used to do a lot of business on the golf course and was a 12-handicap. Now, I would struggle to even break 100; golf is not my passion.
• Keep your priorities straight; Relationship with God first, wife second, children third, work fourth, ministry fifth. Ask your wife or children how you are doing on this. My current struggle is that I work with and serve with my wife, so things can get a bit mixed up at times!
• Find your 100% mark and constantly move toward it. In running this is called the maximum heart rate, which you find by doing a stress test. To increase cardiovascular fitness, experts recommend extended training at 70-80% of your maximum. The same is true of your resources and capabilities. If you are only using 50% of your resources, ask why and then remove the barrier. Keep striving to improve until you’ve reached your God-given maximum. I am serving, and I am busy, but I am not using 100% of my God-given abilities.
• If you’re stuck in mediocrity get help. Seek out a counselor with whom you can share your heart and struggles. The Scriptures teach that a wise man has many counselors; the counsel they give may conflict with each other, but it will help you to see all sides of the issue. I recently had a check-up with my pastor and a trusted Christian friend; I asked them to assist me in evaluating my life. I appreciated their straightforward counsel; their words are changing my life.

The Apostle Paul said it this way in Philippians 3:13, “but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead…” He did not focus on a multitude of things, but rather, on one thing. Paul did not stay mired in mediocrity. He set aside the past, with all of its mistakes and false starts, and focused on what lies ahead. He set his sites on excellence and the upward call of Christ Jesus. May you and I do the same.

In Christ,

Major Roger D. Farr

Monthly Message from the Major, August 2008 - Friendship and Accountability; Thank you, Bob Schultz.

Gentlemen,

Many people have crossed my path in the 30 years I have been out of school. Some I remember as acquaintances, some as true friends, and some as those who impacted my life in a significant way. Those in the latter category are the ones who seem to be messengers of God, sent to me at a particular time and place with just the right words or life message that I needed to hear. So it is with Bob Schultz, my friend, who in June went to be with the Lord.

Bob is known to many of you as the author of three books on raising young men, Boyhood and Beyond, Created for Work, and Practical Happiness. All three books were designed to assist fathers and young men in growing in godliness as they mature. I heartily recommend the books to you if you are struggling with raising your 12+ year-old son. As the father of three girls, Bob still had a significant ministry to young men through his carpentry trade, Sunday school teachings, writing ministry, and one-to-one mentoring.

Bob suffered a heart attack during a break from a speaking engagement at a homeschool bookfair and passed away a few days later. Please join me in praying for Bob’s family and friends as they learn to live without Bob in their everyday lives.

While Bob was an author and reluctant retreat speaker, his true passion in life was to exemplify the Christianity of “Everyman.” To Bob this was the man amongst us all who was not at the top, nor the bottom, but in the vast middle of the work-a-day world, where rubber meets road. Bob desired to live out his Christianity in a simple and non-elegant way. Bob considered himself successful if he connected with one other man at a retreat and helped him to take the next step in his Christian faith and do it well.

It was this quality of being “everyman” about Bob that was the message I needed to hear approximately four years ago. At that time I was leaving behind the corporate world behind with all of the titles, salary, and other trappings that go along with a senior executive position in a major company. While this was not hard, and I actually initiated the change, it forced me to find my identity not in what I did, but who I was (and am). Bob came alongside to help me focus my message to young men and fathers, the desire of my heart. He also sent one of his daughters, Molly, to work with us in ALERT Cadets for nearly a year! Molly also helped me focus on that which was important to the mission at hand of assisting fathers in winning and keeping the heart of their 8-17 year-old sons, the vision of ALERT Cadets.

Let me encourage you as fathers to look for the “Bobs” in your life, those men who come as divine appointments to give the words, encouragement, tools, or kick-in-the-pants that you need at just the right time. I have probably had 15 men in my 30 years of Christian growth who have had this kind of impact on me. I am grateful for them and the impact they have had in my life to make me the man I am today. Praise God for His goodness in bringing them into my life.

If you do not have a man, or men, in your life who holds you accountable and asks you hard questions about how you are doing with your wife, finances, work, honesty, pornography and, raising your children, then get one, ASAP! The apostle Paul knew that all of us would need accountability when he wrote in II Timothy 2:2, “And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men…”. While Paul was Timothy’s teacher, Timothy was also the one who kept Paul accountable to teach the truth and impact lives.

I am also grateful for you men who keep me accountable and keep me in the battle. Many of you comment on my monthly newsletters; I appreciate your feedback, be it positive, negative, or full of questions. Also please, pray for my wife and constant companion, Sue, who has been holding the fort while I have been out traveling.

Stay in the battle for your sons (and daughters)!

In Christ,

Roger D. Farr

ALERT Cadet Commanding Officer