---

"And she, being before INSTRUCTED of her mother, said, Give me here JOHN Baptist's head in a charger. "(Matthew 14:8). I have six children and seven grandchildren and have never taught any of them to dislike the man of God. Sadly though, some pastors have been fighting three generations of families in their churches that were taught by their mother or their dad or their grandfather to belittle the man of God.

When I worked for Dr. John Waters twenty five years ago there were families in his church that belittled the him. They were taught to do so by some family member. Can you imagine three generations of heart-ache, disloyalty, unfaithfulness, tithe withholding, nit-picking, touchy, angry folk all in one place! I can honestly say I have never taught my children or grandchildren how to drink liquor, dance, cuss, roll-a-joint, or cause heartache for the man of God. Some teach their children to be unforgiving because the man of God preached a message that was needed and they took it wrong and for years have passed down their venom for the Pastor and the CHURCH.

We have instructed our children not to gossip, criticize, be disrespectful or unkind or unloving to the man of God or His work. Imagine it! Herodias held a grudge against John the Baptist, so she plotted and taught her teen-age daughter to perform a lascivious dance at Herod's birthday party, then she had her ask for the preachers HEAD. Grandpa, you’re belittling of the man of God will be seen in your children’s life and the life of your grandchildren. TEACH the right things and let's at least have one generation that loves God, God’s man, God’s work, all for the Glory of God.

Dr. Dennis Carter
drdennis@bellsouth.net