NURTURING FUTURE GENERATIONS SPIRITUALLY

Teenagers of today are the future leaders of tomorrow in both the church and the world in general but the manner in which the young generation of today are being regarded by the church and the society leaves a lot to be desired about the future pastors and presidents of the world, if not nurtured well and watched over can lead to a prayer less and satanic tomorrow without God fearing people. What could be the cause of the shunning of these teenagers and what should be done to bring them closer to God?

Many things happen in the lives of teenagers that they do not understand mostly because it is new to them and because they do not believe in the power of the word and the promises made in the bible, usually emotions lead to behavior changes and every teenager goes through different emotions either good or bad. Biologically people go through different stages when developing which include emotional disorders and changes in behavior and most of all the need for acceptance. Changes include emotional breakdowns, change in the way they dress and carry themselves and the way they relate with others.

  Ephesians 6:4 says: “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord”.

Issues of behavior change and emotional disorders are mostly common in teenagers and it is the duty of the parents, community and most importantly the church to understand and deal with the teens in and around the church appropriately without provoking them. Ephesians 6:4 says: “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord”. Communication is the key to unveiling what really is transpiring in the lives of teenagers and it takes the proper communication type to effectively minister to them.

There is nothing more important to parenting than following God; if you follow His in your parenting life it will transform your family. Get in the habit of reading and studying the word of God and applying what you learn to your life and it will change the way you interact with your children. The issue with many parents is they expect the child to act and behave in a certain way that they do not see practiced by their parents, it is good to lead by example always and advice your children to do as you do and act as you act. The word of God in Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it”. Children grow up knowing and practicing what they saw being practiced and sometimes what they were taught while growing up.

Condemnation of teenagers instead of teaching them the way to go has become the norm in churches as they are now more focused on performing miracles and do not pay particular attention to the behavior patterns and activities the teenagers are involved in and their lives outside church, one can argue that some of these “retreats” which teenagers go to are the cause of some of the negative outcomes for example, teenage pregnancies, fornication and also drug abuse. What happened to youth workers in churches?It is sad to note that those that are trusted to teach and take care of the teenagers in the church are the same people who indulge in shameless activities with the young generation and the adoption of the idea of a spiritually rooted youth worker is necessary in churches.

There are many risks associated with disobedience not only for the child but for the parent and the church as well. Unwanted pregnancies and the contraction of HIV are major risks for disobeying the word of God which clearly shuns fornication and sex before marriage. Parents are encouraged to pray for and with their children, prayer less parents have cause to tremble as it is evident that good is nothing but obeying God and evil is nothing but disobeying God.

About the writer: Thelmah Chandafira is a freelance journalist who holds a diploma in communication and journalism & is currently studying for a diploma in Public Relations with CCOSA. She also holds a certificate in business and financial reporting. A single mother to a 3 year old girl, Thelmah is also an entreprenuer who is daring, easy going and not afraid of hard-work.She is the managing editor for Paradoka magazine.

* Pictures used in this article are not property of Paradoka magazine. 

DIVORCE IS AN OPTION

By Esnath Mandebvu

Divorce has become not only a common occurrence but an interesting topic both in and outside the church.  The typical family has changed over the years. Maybe this could be as a result of people adopting western cultures.

In the African culture it used to be a taboo for a couple to decide not to stay together anymore. If there were disputes between spouses the family would come around and resolve it, but not by divorce. If a woman was perceived to be barren, another lady would come rescue the family by having children for the husband but the family would still remain intact with the first wife being dully respected. Divorce was a rare occurrence a century ago in the African culture and if it ever occurred those involved would be labelled rebels, black sheep of the family and many other names. The reason behind this could be on how families were founded and built on. When a man came of age and decided to marry, he would seek assistance from the elders namely ‘sekuru’ or ‘tete’ on whom to marry. These would then look among the maiden a suitable lady for their son. This one they would have chosen he would marry.

The coming of Christianity changed the way the marriage institution is conducted. Following the right procedure before marriage is no guarantee for living happily ever after but it sure helps couples to handle their differences more maturely. The right procedure for marriage in Christianity is that marriage should have purpose and reason, and that people should actively involve their church before getting married. There are primary and secondary reasons for getting married. Focusing on the secondary reasons usually lead to many problems later in the marriage.

An understanding that marriage is an institution that was initiated by God and not man is essential. It was not Adam that went to meet God to ask for a wife because he was lonely and needed someone to be with. It was God that said that it is not good for man to be alone. In fact, to help Adam realize that he needed a mate, God subsequently paraded all the animals in front of Adam (Genesis 2:19-20). So marriage is not man’s idea but God’s idea and if it is God’s idea, we can then conclude that God is more interested in you getting married than you are.

The purpose of getting married in Christianity is so as to serve God much better. One’s life should subsequently improve as a result of their union with someone. A purpose is a reason for being, it is the sole purpose for which something was created. So before someone decides to get married they should know their reason and purpose for being. Secondary reasons for marriage include, abstaining from fornication, finding companionship and having godly seeds.

Not everyone in the house of God is doing His will, hence one also have to be careful as some saints are wolves in sheep’s clothing. There are also wrong relationships in the house of God. These are characterised by one being too busy to attend church services, even though they are born again. Other red flags might be if someone is not committed financially to the gospel, have no regular or steady income (especially for the man), if either party is not submissive to the authority of their church, if a lady is always demanding money or material things from the man and if the man is not yet financially detached from his parents.

Following these Christian principles would help save many marriages and help many to live more fulfilled lives.

In churches such as Christ Embassy and ZAOGA, it is advised for people to first be in a courtship, engage and then get married. Courtship is that period when two people, of the opposite sex, get to know each other’s character and way of life leading to engagement and then marriage. It is not advised for the two to be romantically attached. Prayer is also another important aspect of a good foundation of a marriage that will last. 

As couples attend lessons on marriage foundations at these churches, they are also taught on sex, respect, handling of finances and family issues in the home, and also how to deal with other family members and friends. With these foundations it is guaranteed for a couple to have a successful marriage.

Introducing Paradoka Magazine

Paradoka is a lifestyle magazine for the urban African woman who is confronted with the demands of meeting African societal expectations and modern life. 
She is a student, a daughter, a mother, a professional, a daughter in-law, wife etc. all wrapped in one.

Paradoka is a Shona word meaning "when the sun sets", in most rural African villages women in one family gather by the fire at sun set to cook, share stories and dish advice. This African tradition has been lost with the development of modern cities and modern lifestyles.

Hence we introduce the magazine Paradoka, a meeting place for modern African women.

Team Paradoka

Chief Editor
Anoziva Marindire