Dr Ron Farrar Interview

Welcome to No Compromise Radio, a ministry coming to you from Bethlehem Bible Church in West Boylston.

No Compromise Radio is a program dedicated to the ongoing proclamation of Jesus Christ based on the theme in Galatians 2, verse 5, where the apostle

Paul said, but we did not yield in subjection to them for even an hour, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you.

In short, if you like smooth, watered down words to make you simply feel good, this show isn't for you.

By purpose, we are first biblical, but we can also be controversial. Stay tuned for the next 25 minutes as we're called by the divine trumpet to summon the troops for the honor and glory of her king.

Here's our host, Pastor Mike Abendroth. Welcome to No Compromise Radio ministry. This is Mike Abendroth and I'm your host.

And today it is snowing outside. Maybe for you it's not snowing, but it's a tape show.

And I'm looking outside and I see all the snow and inevitably, I always think about the

Lord and how he cloaks us with his son's righteousness. And it was

Luther who said that there was a dunghill covered in snow and you could only see the snow afterwards, pure and clean and white.

And so when I see snowy days, I think of Christ's righteousness given to us by our gracious God.

Well, today in studio, live and in person, I just took my finger and I've touched this person live in the studio on his shoulder.

We have Ron Farrar here in studio. Ron, welcome. Well, thank you,

Pastor Mike. It certainly is good to be here. And I certainly appreciate your recognition of God's sovereignty and control of all things, even the fact that he sent the snow today.

Yeah, that's true. You know, interestingly, Ron, the scriptures would not say typically that it snowed.

It rained. I mean, it doesn't really say it snowed. I don't know if it says that place anywhere in scripture, but when it says rain, you know, it rained, we say, but God says

God sent rain. So God sent the snow today. Amen to that. And certainly, thank you,

Mike, for your faithfulness throughout the years and your preaching and your constant reminder of God's sovereignty in our life.

Well, speaking of God's sovereignty, I brought Ron in the studio today because I want to talk about a variety of things.

First, let me give his credentials, his CV, his resume. Ron has just recently had his oral examination for his doctorate in education.

Give me your specific doctorate title. How are you going to sign your name now? Dr. Ron.

Dr. Ron, I guess, and some of my best of friends call me Dr. Ron Ron. So that's kind of become a nickname, but certainly

Dr. Ron Ron. Papa do Ron? Is that some kind of old

Phil Spector song? The do Ron Ron Ron? I think you're raging yourself, Dr. Mike.

But anyways, it certainly is something that the Lord has worked with me. I'm now an educational doctorate and certainly look forward to seeing how the

Lord will use this degree and influence others. Good. Well, Ron is a member here at Bethlehem Bible Church and has been a member for quite some time.

He and his wife, Cheryl. And Ron, tell me about your background a little bit before I get into some specific questions.

We have a tie back together with John MacArthur at the Master's Seminary slash College. Here, I met you and you've got this kind of New England accent and Chelmsford and things like that.

I always have to be respectful because Ron's a big, powerful guy. You should see his arms. But you went to the

Master's College. I did, Pastor Mike, and certainly the Master's College, the Master's Seminary, one of the things that they are known for is proclaiming the truth and certainly giving individuals a solid biblical foundation to live your life and to live your life in a way that honors

Christ in all aspects of our life. So certainly I was grateful for the training, equipping, spending time out at the

Master's College. And certainly when I came back to New England, many people even out in California said, how are you going to survive out there in New England?

And certainly that's a question my wife and I, we were looking for a church and we stumbled upon a place called the

Bethlehem Bible Church a number of years ago. And I heard a man by the name of Mike Ebendroth and he was preaching through the word expositionally, referring to the

Greek in the text and verse by verse. And certainly what a sense of joy and encouragement.

And certainly it was finally, we found a place that preaches the word.

Well, I'm supposed to be interviewing you today, Ron. Here you are saying things about me. So I want to talk about you.

It's kind of the funny thing when Kim and I will talk about people who are selfish and they'll basically say, that's enough about you.

Let's talk about me. So let me ask you this though, Ron, here you are in New England.

I assume you grew up here in New England. How did you figure out to go to the master's college? Well, believe it or not, a number of years ago, it was probably 1992, through the influence of a

Christian family. I was an unsaved, unregenerate individual. And this particular mother who was a

Christian, husband was also a Christian. And I was dating, believe it or not, a Christian. And I was a non -Christian at the time.

And this mother, through just her work in my life, gave me a catalog and said,

Ron, I want you to take a look at the scriptures. And I want you to listen to this tape. And here's John MacArthur's ministry.

And I started to listen to some of the messages that John preached. And certainly through the spirit working in my life,

I was convicted and then ultimately said, you know what? I think I want to have some direction in my life. And certainly

I want to learn a little bit more about the Bible. Also, basically, in my mind, why not go out to California?

Just seemed like the right thing to do. Let's get as far away from Massachusetts. Why not go to California? I like the way

God sovereignly worked in your life, Ron. That's pretty lucky that that happened. Well, you know, as I look back on it, that's probably the way

I would have expressed it about 20 years ago. But certainly, as you said, God had a plan and he sent me to California for a specific purpose and a specific reason.

I thought at the time I would be a pastor, but certainly the Lord brought me back to New England and gave me a passion for kids and to work with kids.

Well, speaking of pastoring, you can already tell, listeners, that Ron preaches in between his comments.

I ask him a question, he kind of preaches a little bit, and then he finally answers my question. Ron loves children.

We're going to talk about his own children, his wife, soon. But Ron has a ministry now, and he does shepherd and he does pastor, but he pastors and shepherds in an interesting place.

Tell me about that place where you pastor and shepherd. Well, thank you for that, and thank you for that outlook, because a lot of people don't view my job, and specifically, my job is

I'm a school principal, a middle school principal in a school located in South Central Massachusetts.

And certainly, each and every day, I get to walk through the corridors and I see these students of mine, who

I see them walking through the halls as if they are sheep without a shepherd. And so, I also have the opportunity to equip teachers, to train students, and to educate them.

Well, it's interesting. Ron and I will talk throughout the years, and he'll call me up, or I'll call him, and he'll say, you know, there's been a student who, a teacher, rather, who's died in the classroom.

What do we do with the kids? What about these grief counselors that come in? How do we approach life and death in a public school from a

Christian perspective? How do I walk the line between, you know, proselytizing and not abandoning my faith?

Great opportunities for ministry in a school. Now, Ron, here's what I would say. You know me, and you know that I love parents who say to themselves, for me and my family, we will go to public school, we'll go to private school, we'll go to homeschool.

And so, I think Christian parents have that option. But you also know me, and I am quite firm against those who say homeschool is the only way.

Jesus was homeschooled, they'll say, and therefore, I want to homeschool my kids.

And it's a sin, basically, if you don't homeschool. Ron, I even hear parents who'll say, well, you know, we're just obeying the

Bible and homeschooling, and meaning, if you don't homeschool, you are sinning.

And so, without turning this into a whole solo homeschooler show, Ron, tell me how you think about schooling, public, private, and homeschooling, and how you work through that grid in your mind as a public school principal.

Well, absolutely. I think everything, when we think biblically about things, and certainly we look to the establishment of schools and the establishment of educating students,

Romans 13 speaks about the fact that we, as Christians, we are to be in subjection to the governing authorities.

And we also understand, and I've sat under your teaching before, that no authority exists apart from God, and God establishes these authorities.

And certainly, one of the authorities we have in the state of Massachusetts is that God has given us the

Department of Education. And the Department of Education's responsibility is to oversee and assure that all children are educated.

And certainly, one of the rights we have as parents is the right to choose, and whether that happens to be homeschool, private school, public school.

As you mentioned before, parents need to be discerning. Parents need to determine what's best for them and for their family.

And I see advantages to homeschooling. I see advantages to private schools, and I also see advantages to public schools.

Well, Ron, let me just jump right in there for a second. Some of the people might be thinking, public schools, what good could come out of a public school?

Tell me some of the advantages you think there might be for a parent, maybe a single parent, maybe a parent with a lot of kids.

What would be a potential advantage for sending your kid to a public school? Well, definitely, I would think an advantage is the fact that within a public school, and specifically within the state of Massachusetts, you have trained teachers, teachers who have gone to school, who have been equipped, excuse me, teachers who know how to instruct, how to differentiate, how to meet the needs of each and every child.

Also, the opportunity for your children to be a witness within a public school setting.

It also trains students how to be responsible, establish routines, working together.

And another function, and I think, if you think deeply about this, not every child comes from the ideal model home of support and love.

And so another function that I often find myself in as a principal is that I need to act on behalf of the children and protect the children.

There are children who are neglected, children who are abused, and certainly one of the functions for parents who are not able to train or who are not properly raising their children or neglecting them, it's my job as an agent of the government to step in and to assure that this child receives an education and is also safe.

Well, thank you, Ron. I was thinking as you were talking, Romans 13 calls that kind of person a minister of God.

And so, see, you went to school to be a minister and then now you're a minister. I don't think all the listeners actually think through the issues as well as they should.

There are many Christian teachers. Maybe they're not all Reform, maybe they're not all

Calvinistic, maybe they're not all this or that, but there are Christian teachers in public schools who will look out for the best for the kids.

And I think to myself, here we have our own Ron Farrar, who's a principal of a school. And I don't think,

Ron, correct me if I'm wrong, you don't throw out your Christianity when you walk into the school and say, now

I'll do everything from a secular perspective. You are a Christian man who happens to be a principal, right?

Absolutely, and this is where God has placed me. And just as God has placed each individual in a certain workplace, and we are to be faithful and we are to be responsible to what

God has called us to and not compromise. And that's our role, whether we work secular, private, public, whatever, wherever God places us in this world.

Now, let's make it a little harder for a question, Ron. What about when the schools are promoting some kind of secular psychology, and you know that's going to be given to the children in large doses, and it comes across your desk and you've got to sign off on something?

What goes through your mind? How do you rationalize that? Do you pick a different program? Do you give a warning?

Do you say, this is how the state educates, and so I need to go along with it? Walk us through a situation like that.

Sure, absolutely. I think most people are concerned specifically with the health curriculum in Massachusetts. There are a number of people who say, what about sex ed?

What about evolution? What about all these different mandates from the government? And that's just it.

I mean, as a parent, you can be informed. You can go on the Department of Education website, check out what the standards are.

It's what we call these days standards -based education. So everything is prescribed by the

Massachusetts Department of Education on what should be taught, how it should be taught, when it should be taught, and you have the right as a parent to examine those.

And also, parents have the choice to exempt children out of certain activities if they so choose. So when

I get something that comes across my desk, certainly would give me an opportunity for additional dialogue and follow up with other individuals.

And certainly, I'm in a position now where I can affect change, but certainly I also need to submit to the leadership above me, whether it's a superintendent or school committee or anyone in the

Department of Education. Well, we're talking to Dr. Ron Farrar today, principal of a middle school here in central

Massachusetts and faithful member of Bethlehem Bible Church. We're talking about schools. We're talking about education.

Just getting a little information from Ron since now you're the expert, Ron. You're a doctor. And I got my doctorate, of course, it was in ministry, and my kids thought somehow

I could do stitches and give anesthesia because every doctor to a kid is a medical doctor.

Give some advice, Ron, to a Christian parent who has their children in public school. They realize that maybe it's not the best.

Maybe they think, well, I'm not a good teacher at home. I've got too many kids to teach them all at home.

For whatever reason, they've got their kids in a public school. I have some kids in public school. I'm an equal opportunity school person.

We've done public, private, and home. Give some advice to a

Christian parent who struggles with some of the curriculum and they need to go in and talk to the principal.

What would be a good way to talk to the principal? A bad way? How not to come across as some kind of Christian zealot?

Is there a way to approach a principal when it comes to things that you don't like in a school, and is there a way not to approach a principal?

Good question, Pastor Mike. I think you need to think about the whole school system and certainly parents may have questions and the first thing they'd like to do is shoot for the top.

They want to go, they want to confront, they want to challenge. And I would like people to think a little bit differently.

I mean, there is certainly a definite belief when you are an administrator, when you are a teacher, that you want to partner with the families.

And so I would encourage parents to partner with the schools. Think about becoming involved, whether it's through the local

PTO, Parent Teacher Organization, whether it's involvement with the school committee, whether it's involvement with assisting teachers, just finding a way to get in there.

Say hello, be a witness, go in there, be a sense of joy. And then certainly you can bring up conversations and ask questions and certainly that is your right.

And I think that's the approach. Whenever someone comes in, a parent comes in, it is confrontational. The first thing that I've always learned is you never want to call back a parent who is irate and angry because you know that the parent hasn't had the time to sit and reflect.

But yet, I'd rather give a little bit of time, always get back to the parent, but certainly the walls immediately go up.

So I would rather have more of a Christian approach, specifically of a Christian, to come in, get used to the school, get to know some of the key players within the school system, volunteer, help, assist, and also say, you know, at this point

I'm going to choose to have my child exempt or removed from a certain class. And here's why.

Public school principals, teachers, they're not going to judge you in terms of saying, oh, what a bad parent.

We're going to file with Department of Correction, DCF, I should say, formerly known as DSS. It's going to be, okay, that parent had a choice, they are involved, and we need to do what's right because we are partnering with the families.

Thank you. We're talking to Ron Farrar today about Christian things when it comes to school, and also now when it comes to family.

Ron, tell me about your wife and family, and then we're going to lead up to talk about two of your daughters,

Lily and Tori, and what happened many years ago, I think even this week. And so tell me about your family.

Well, absolutely. I have a wonderful, loving wife. She is certainly such a support to me, such a source of encouragement.

I love my wife dearly. I thank the Lord for her each and every day. The Lord has provided us with four children who are here on earth, my

Emma, Abigail, Ellie, and Annabelle and certainly we're at a stage when

I come home from work and just that sound of, Daddy! And they even had a joke. They were calling me

Dr. Daddy for a little while. Dr. Daddy Ron Ron. Dr. Daddy Ron Ron, that's good. But as you know, we also have two twins who are in heaven.

And I say that with great conviction and boldness. Certainly I was not convinced a number of years ago of where they were, but certainly now

I know that my little Lilianne and my little Tori, they are in heaven with the

Creator, with God. Now tell us, Ron, and I'm sure it's an emotional week. Tell us,

I think, what day was that? Was that this Friday? Actually it was the February 18th is the day they were born.

Okay, February 18th, and then I believe Lily lived a day and Tori lived three days.

You are right on. And I was there with Ron and Cheryl as we held those babies and held those babies when they took them off of life support.

And I'm thinking, Ron, in lamentations, as you know these verses very well, let me go back to Lamentations chapter three.

It talks about affliction and bitterness. And then Jeremiah says, surely my soul remembers and is bowed down within me.

This I recalled to my mind. Therefore I have hope. The Lord's loving kindnesses indeed never cease for his compassions never fail.

They are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, says my soul.

Therefore I have hope in him. The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the person who seeks him.

It was very difficult, I remember, at the funeral here at the church, singing great is thy faithfulness.

Ron, would you reflect upon God's faithfulness in light of even the death of Lily and Tori, those two dear twins?

Absolutely. God has been so faithful. I mean, if you even look at, and I believe you mentioned this before,

Pastor Mike, when my wife and I first lost our little Lily Ann and Tori, the divorce rate is just outrageous.

And so, I mean, I could see how people could instantly run to themselves, looking for understanding, the trials you go through, impatience, guilt, you're irritable, you can't sleep, you have questions, you feel despair.

Even if you think about David's reaction when he lost his little baby, he was distraught over the illness and soon impending death of his child.

And so, if you think about the fact, and I look back over the last, hard to believe, eight years now, and you've seen

God's faithfulness with my wife and God's faithfulness with our children, I've just seen

God sustain us. And not that I'm against prescription medication for some, as you've mentioned before, seek a doctor's advice, but God was so good to give me clarity of thinking, to work through some of these major tough, tough issues.

Certainly, as watching your child suffer and then having to bury your own child, and in our case, two children, it's the most difficult event that any parent will ever have to accomplish.

Well, Ron, as I'm looking back to those days and thinking about God's faithfulness and His kindness, and we had talked, the three of us, you and your wife and myself, what are we going to do?

We can't blame God. We can't accuse God. We realize that in light of our sins,

Jeremiah says in Lamentations 3 .39, why should any living mortal or any man offer complaint in view of his sins?

We have been taught about God's generous grace and His mercy and what we are due.

And then to think, you know, we can't, why compound the grief and the problem with complaining against God or being angry at God or saying bad things about God.

And I'm very, very thankful for God's testimony in your lives, Ron, because I never heard you in the midst of your tears and your sorrow and your sleepless nights,

I never heard you say, you know, I'm working on trying to forgive God because He sinned against me.

Absolutely, great words. I mean, you think about the life of Job, Job who lost everything, never blamed

God, certainly questions in why God and what did you do, even the life of David when he was going through the anguish of his child who ultimately died and the grief and sorrow.

But, you know, even David himself said, I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.

And so we knew that this child would not come back to this earth, but certainly there was this hope of heaven that someday we will be reunited in heaven.

Boy, and doesn't that take away from this false theology, Ron, where people go around saying, this is your best life now?

Absolutely. I think, you know, as you look to answers, they have to be rooted and I've been trained well by you and others in terms of the answer needs to be rooted in scripture.

I had a friend of mine who shortly after lost one of her children and she called my wife and I on the phone and said,

Ron, I'm going to kill myself. Well, why are you going to do that? Easy solution to this particular parent.

I'm so distraught. I have nothing to live for anymore. And therefore I'm going to take my life so I can be with my child.

Sad. Instantly, you begin thinking, first of all, I could empathize with this particular mother.

My wife could empathize with this mother. And basically I said to this individual, do not kill yourself.

I can assure you that your baby right now is in heaven. That I am convinced based on the word of God. I am also convinced based on the word of God that if you kill yourself this day, you will not be going to heaven.

You will not be united with your child. And certainly from that point on, we had an opportunity to witness and talk about our faith and our struggles and God's work in our life through this.

The person did not end up taking her life, but certainly we saw an individual who was in despair and the only hope we could offer her was not some kind of 10 -step, 12 -step, 14 -step program or listen to these particular tapes or read these books, but it was rather based on what does the word say?

What is the truth? And people need to hear the truth. Amen. Well, we're talking to Ron Farrar.

And Ron, I wish we had more time to talk about it because we've only got about a minute left. But after Lily and Tori died, then it was the death of your mother -in -law.

Then it was the palsy in your face. You know, not in that order, but there was all kinds of things going on.

And it just seemed like there was a slew of trials and suffering that came along, yet the

Lord has sustained you. I think about the children that the Lord has given you since that time. And I am very, very glad for you and your wife here with a tear in your eyes sometimes still saying that I will worship the

Lord and His loving kindness indeed never ceases. And so, Ron, I'm glad to have you here today to talk about ministry, talk about your wife, kids, and especially

God's goodness. Thank you, Pastor Mike, and keep up your faithfulness. Well, you know, that was the fastest 24 minutes in 10 seconds, wasn't it?

That was certainly fast. We're going to go have ourselves a big meal and praise the Lord to say

God is good. Pastor Mike Abendroth here with Ron Farrar. Ron, thank you for your faithfulness and your ministry and your love for your wife and kids.

Thank you, Mike. No Compromise Radio with Pastor Mike Abendroth is a production of Bethlehem Bible Church in West Boylston.

Bethlehem Bible Church is a Bible -teaching church firmly committed to unleashing the life -transforming power of God's Word through verse -by -verse exposition of the sacred text.

Please come and join us. Our service times are Sunday morning at 1015 and in the evening at 6. We're right on Route 110 in West Boylston.

You can check us out online at bbchurch .org or by phone at 508 -835 -3400.

The thoughts and opinions expressed on No Compromise Radio do not necessarily reflect those of WVNE, its staff or management.