Increase in Teen Pregnancy

Posted by rfathers on January 26, 2010

Last February 11, 2009 we reported on this blog about the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ report, Births: Final Data for 2006, which detailed the 3% increase in the birthrate for teenagers bringing the total annual number of births to teenage mothers between the ages of 15 and 19 to 435,436 (10.2% of total births in the U.S. in 2006).

(See that February 11th – blog entry – Births to Teenagers.)

At that time, we promised to bring you more information. Now, the Guttmacher Institute has issued two new reports, (1) U.S. Teenage Pregnancies, Births and Abortions: National and State Trends and Trends by Race and Ethnicity on Teen Pregnancy and (2) Facts on American Teens’ Sexual and Reproductive Health. Some of the conclusions in the reports are:

• Between 1990 and 2005:
  • 41 percent decline in pregnancies among teenaged girls
  • births among teen girls decreased 35 percent
  • teen abortions declined 56 percent between 1988 and 2005

• In 2005
  • the U.S. teenage pregnancy rate reached its lowest point in more than 30 years

• In 2006:
  • the U.S. teenage pregnancy rate increased for the first time in more than a decade, rising 3%
  • 750,000 women younger than 20 became pregnant
  • about 7% of women (age 15-19) became pregnant
  • among all racial and ethnic groups, the teen birthrate reversed its downward trend
  • there were 200,420 abortions among 15–19-year-olds
  • 27% of pregnancies among 15–19-year-olds
    ended in abortion

• In 2007:
  • the teen birth rate rose for the second year in a row – about 1 percent (according to a recent U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention study released late last year and published in the Dec. 21, 2009, online edition of Pediatrics)

The Guttmacher Institute Reports

1. Kost K, Henshaw S. and Carlin L., U.S. Teenage Pregnancies, Births and Abortions: National and State Trends and Trends by Race and Ethnicity, 2010, Guttmacher Institute Report.
2. Facts on American Teens’ Sexual and Reproductive Health, Fact on Teens

Why do you think the downward trend reversed and now teen pregnancy is on the rise? What are the causes? What are the solutions? Please comment below.

Help for Combatting Teen Pregnancy

• Christianity Today – “What Works: Why Teens Choose Purity” – Why Teens Choose Purity
• Crosswalk.com- “Real Solutions to Teen Pregnancy” – Real Solutuions
• Christian Mommies – “Mothers’ Influence on Adolescent Sex – How Being Connected to Your Child Can Promote Abstinence” – Mothers’ Influence
• – “” –

I must admit that I was surprised to find very few resources on-line for this topic. If you know of any please give us the information in a comment below. Thank you!

Characteristics of the Fighting Army: #1 – New Godly Leadership

Posted by rfathers on January 22, 2010

Now that we have finished the series of seven entries on The New Generation of Fight Men, we move on to the Characteristics of the Fight Army. The series on the Fighting Men dealt with the characteristics that each individual man should strive for while the Characteristics of the Fighting Army deals with the institution of the Army and how it helps to prepare each man and the nation.

The first in this new series is New Godly Leadership. The Fighting Army needs New Leadership. That does not necessarily mean that current leadership of men needs to change, but it does mean that some of the approaches and standards can be improved.

Biblical history shows that Israel had at least three changes in leadership that are important to note in relationship to the new generation of fighting men.

The First Change in Leadership

In the early posts on the old generation of fighting men we showed that this generation had its origin and initial development in the post-Joseph era, after he and his brothers had died.

The Second Change in Leadership

Moses assumed the leadership of Israel after 40 years of preparation in the dessert of Midian under the tutelage of his father-in-law, the Midian priest Jethro, and the Holy Spirit.

Moses leadership was first of all spiritual leadership. His role was to oversee the exodus from slavery in Egypt and the transitional phase in the dessert that prepared Israel to enter the Promised Land.

The Second Change in Leadership

Joshua succeeded Moses as the spiritual leader of Israel. Joshua studied for forty years under Moses in the dessert. His role was to lead the people into the Promised Land and then to guide them as they established the nation of Israel in the Promised Land.

New Godly Leadership Today

We want to highlight seven points of necessity for new leadership today. But, first off, new leadership does not mean that today’s leaders need to be replaced. On the contrary, new leadership means new (or improved) approaches – where applicable. It means being led by God in all things.

1. The Leader Follows God (Deuteronomy 34:9) – The Leader is chosen by God, receives the vision from God and is empowered by God. The Leader is submitted to God and makes sure that where he leads the people is where God intends for them to go (Habakkuk 2:1-3). His strength comes from God and not from himself (Joshua 3:7-8).
2. The Leader Is A Godly Man In Public and In Private (Joshua 24:15) – The Godly leader does not have a double-standard, one for himself and one for the people – or one for his public life and one for his private life. If the leader has anything un-Godly hidden in his private life, it must be rooted out (Proverbs 6:27-28).
3. The Leader Goes Before the People (Deuteronomy 3:28) – The Leader leads the people to accomplish what God has said. The Leader does not follow the people. He leads even when what God has said is unpopular with the people (Judges 6:22-34).
4. A Good Leader Motivates and Teaches the People (Joshua 3:9-13) – A leader must teach and motivate, not just lead. In fact, teaching and motivating is part of leading. A leader should not just tell the people what to do, he must explain the vision he received from God and demonstrate to them so that their understanding is constantly improving. It is much easier to lead a knowledgeable people than to drag along a reluctant and uninformed people.
5. The Leader Challenges the People to Be Holy (Joshua 7:16-20) – A Godly leader can not stand by and allow sin to corrupt the people. He must work to root it out by challenging the people to identify corruption amongst themselves and eliminate it.
6. The Godly Leader Bounces Back From Defeat (Joshua 7:11-12; 8:1-2) – Even the best of leaders will fail (or have setbacks) from time-to-time because they are human and imperfect. However, the question is not whether one fails or not – but rather how one deals with defeat. A good leader will bounce back from defeat – not wallow in it.
7. A Leader Has Faith and Conviction (Numbers 14:6-9) – A leader cannot effectively lead unless they believe what the Lord has said and they are steadfast in their attempt to get it done. Halfway measures will not suffice in the face of stiff opposition like what Joshua and Caleb faced when they returned from spying on the Promised Land.

Are you a Godly leader of people or even just in your home or of yourself?

Let us know how this post impacts you. Please give us your comments below.

This is the first of seven post in the series: The Characteristics of the Fighting Army

In our next post in this Characteristics of the Fighting Army series we will continue with #2 – Those Settled Help Those Not Settled.

Please tell others about this important series on God Is Calling for a New Generation of Fighting Men.

A Father Struggles With a Custody Issue for His Daughter

Posted by rfathers on January 16, 2010

Yesterday a father posted a message on-line SPARC, the Separated Parenting Access & Resource Center, asking for advice on how to handle a custody/visitation issue for his preschool-aged daughter.

Apparently, both he and the child’s mother are remarried and have other children. He has custody and the mother just moved eight hours away from their current location and wants the daughter to move with her. You can see more of the details here on the SPARC website: Fathers Seeks Advice

Here is what I wrote to try to help him handle the situation.

After you read the posts, tell us if you agree or disagree below.

Hi Mikey533:

Seems like you are getting good advice above. However, I would not put too much emphasis on the child’s mother not being able to handle her daughter because of other siblings. You said she is a good mother. (In other words – don’t try to make yourself look good by making the mother look bad).

First, the courts might want to know why and how your daughter will be best kept at either home. You will have to establish that your daughter is better off with you. Therefore, you will want to focus on where she is – the stability issues, the opportunities etc. as you have expressed. AND, be willing to work out an agreement that ensures that your daughter will have quality time with both of her parents. A little girl should be close with her own mother – as well as her father!

Second, since the primary issue is the welfare of the child then one of the first issues the court might want to look at is why was custody given to you in the first place and have you fulfilled that mandate successfully.

Third, Why did the mother leave her daughter with you, then move away and now she wants her? What changed?

Fourth, please do not ignore the suggestion to get all of this in writing through the court, as ugly as it might be, the courts serve a purpose and right now you need to use them for the benefit of your daughter. It can be done peacefully and without the child’s direct involvement if wisdom prevails.

Fifth, that said, a little self-examination is always helpful and beneficial. Make sure your motives are for the benefit of your daughter first. It sounds like you are doing that already, but it never hurts to be sure.

Sixth, if you do let her go for a year, don’t expect to get her back. Her mother might be just as relcutant as you are to let her go!

Seventh, and this one should be first, pray and ask God what is best for everyone in this situation.

I certainly hope this will all work out for the best. As long as you and your daughter’s mother want what is best for your daughter and you are willing to communicate for her benefit then you have a good opportunity to work things out.

Akili Kumasi
Reconciled Fathers’ Network

Well, what do you think? Should the father try to keep his daughter or let her go? Should he try to work something out? Should he use the court system? Give us your opinion.

I also recommend for those men that want to help themselves address a number of these issues, please see my book, On the Outside Looking In: Hope for Separated Fathers Who Want To Be good Fathers: On the Outside Looking In.

The Characteristics of the New Generation of Fighting Men: #6 – We Are Soldiers – Men Under Authority

Posted by rfathers on January 15, 2010

The men in the new generation of fighting men are soldiers. We are under the authority of Christ our Commander and Chief. When the Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy to encourage him, to fight the good fight of faith (1 Timothy 6:12), he compared Timothy’s work to that of a soldier.

You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus . . . Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs—he wants to please his commanding officer. (2 Timothy 2:1, 3-4 NIV)

Paul delineated four principles for being a soldier for Christ:

1. God Is Our Strength

   … be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus – or as the Contemporary English Version of the Bible says it: Christ Jesus is kind, and you must let him make you strong (2 Timothy 2:1 CEV).

   A soldier is made strong through his relationship with the Lord. If we try to fight the enemy in our own strength then we are doomed to failure. But, in God’s strength we are guaranteed the victory.

2. Endure Hardship

   What is hardship? According to the Strong’s Concordance, the original Greek word, Kakopatheo (#G2553), means to suffer (endure) evils (hardships, troubles) to be afflicted. This is similar to what we talked about in the previous section on Overcoming. Jesus told us:

   In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. (John 16:33 KJV)

   First we get our strength from God, then we can endure hardships in the course of carrying out our assignment.

3. Focus on our Task in the Army

   Paul said No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs. We are to focus on our calling for Christ, not the issues of life which we leave behind. The civilian affairs could mean “worldly” matters that can side-track us from our mission. We must focus on what God has called us to.

   In 1 John 2 we are given a good explanation of the potential trouble for a man that puts too much focus on the things of the world:
   I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.

   Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

   For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
   And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. (1 John 2:14-17 KJV)

   Our focus must be on the Lord if we intend to serve Him. Our reward is also in him as we are told that if we endure, we will also reign with him (2 Timothy 2:12 NIV).

4. Please Our Commanding Officer

   Jesus is our commanding officer. Everything we do in the steps above is to please Him. This is an issue of faith and of obedience.

   … without faith it is impossible to please him … (Hebrews 11:6 KJV)

   The bottom line is that a Christian soldier obeys uncompromisingly when he has faith in Our God and His promises. Our faith is developed through knowing God and through the study of His Word (Romans 10:17).

   On the question of obedience, I like the way the Centurion described being a soldier when he implored Jesus to heal his servant. He said:

   “Lord, … just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

   When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, “I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. (Matthew 8:8-10 NIV)

   The Centurion gave us a great example of faith and obedience. He understood God’s relationship to everything around Him: that we (and all the spirits) are all under His authority. He used the example of his position in the Army and the soldiers and servant under him to explain His faith in Jesus and how his servant would be healed when Jesus commanded it to be so.