My Speaking Schedule for 2009 2nd Quarter

Hello Friends,

 As always I am writing from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

 

I thought I better go ahead and post my speaking schedule for second quarter even though there may be some more events added. I add my speaking schedule to my blog as that is specifically why my friends encouraged me to start my blog in the first place.

 

I have just returned from the second weekend of the men’s ministry retreat at Camp Kulaqua. We all had a great spirit filled time with 300 men the first weekend and just short of 200 the second. Every year I go I have so much fun and am so blessed by the speakers and fellowship that I just have to say if you are a man you really owe it to yourself and your family to go next year. Around 30 men were baptized at the retreat and many others rededicated.

 

 

Here is my public speaking schedule for the second quarter of 2009.

 

I will be preaching both services at Tampa First Seventh-day Adventist Church on April 11 and July 4.

 

I will be presenting my Seeker’s class Sabbath mornings at 10:25am at the Tampa First Seventh-day Adventist Church.

 

On Wednesday mornings at 11am I will be presenting a verse by verse Daniel and Revelation Seminar in the Tampa First Seventh-day Adventist Church chapel.

 

An evening Daniel and Revelation Seminar is pending.

 

You may contact me at LayPastor@TampaAdventist.net to schedule a sermon or seminar at your church!

Sexual Abuse of Boys No Laughing Matter

I am writing today from the beautiful Tampa Bay area.

It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.  Luke 17:2

 

 

I usually keep my blogs and devotionals positive, but today I am writing about something that deeply grieved me. Last Tuesday night I turned on Leno around 11:40pm to get a couple of laughs before preparing for bed. Then Leno told a joke that broke my heart instead of making me laugh. He told about the boy in Utah who had been a victim of statutory rape by two female teachers. Leno said, the boy was okay besides the fact that since the females had been arrested and taken away from him his best days are now over. Everyone laughed. I was stunned. I was stunned that everyone including Leno thought that a child being sexually molested was funny. I am no Elijah. I know I was not the only person who realized this was anything but funny. Still my heart broke for this boy and his family who are seen as anything but victims.

 

A friend explained to me the double standard. I know there is a double standard between men and women and boys and girls but I draw the line at sexual abuse. Our society does not want to recognize men and boys as victims, only perpetrators. I am a man and have seen this many times. I have never spoken out publicly when I have seen myself misrepresented, misunderstood or wronged because I am a man. Even if it is wrong, as a man I can tolerate it even if I don’t like it. However, I will not stay silent when male children become the victims of this kind of treatment. I would not dare laugh about a girl’s best days being over after being sexually molested by two male teachers and I will not laugh about a boy’s best days being over after being molested by two female teachers. We need to protect our boys! For one they are real people just like anyone else. Second, you know how on an airplane they tell you in an emergency to put your mask on before helping a child? That is because if you are not taken care of first you will not be able to breathe to care for the child. The same is true for boys. Boys are to be protectors. We raise them to protect girls and as they get older women. However if no one protects boys in our society, how will they be able to protect girls and women? Most rapists and molesters were abused themselves. That is no excuse to become an abuser. However I hope society realizes we need to protect the people whom we need protecting us.

 

My thoughts and prayers go out to the young man who was not only abused but was also the laughing stock of a primetime network show just because he was a male victim.