Building Strong Families in Canada: Fathering

This past month I was in PEI teaching at a Mighty Man Advance with a group of fathers and sons. It was a powerful time to encounter the love of the Father and learn what it means to be mighty man of God. We had lots of fun activities and games designed to build a bond of adventure amongst the men. We wrapped up the event with all the men from the camp and welcomed each of the boys into manhood.   

God is doing something amongst men in our nation. I have talked with several different pastors/leaders and I am hearing many stories of men encountering God at men’s retreats and camps across the country. One camp, at Moose Lake, saw over 400 men in attendance and 40 of them were baptized on the weekend. If you would like to book a Mighty Man event in your community or attend the Mighty Man Camp at Clearwater College this fall please contact us.  These events are for men of all ages (12 to 80+) who want to know and experience more of God as their Heavenly Father. It is for men who have never been blessed and released into manhood.  It is for fathers who want their sons to learn what it means to be a man and to experience the power of a father’s blessing. If you are single, or your sons are under 12, we encourage you to bring your dad or another young man you can bless. Register and join the adventure today at https://tithe.ly/event-registration/#/7957924

The call to follow Jesus

Jesus said, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matthew 4:19) In this powerful invitation, Jesus calls us to follow Him, not just as individuals but as a community of believers. He calls us to rise up and embrace our roles as His disciples, starting within our own families and extending to the world around us.

The call to become “fishers of men” is a call to active discipleship. Jesus chose twelve men to walk alongside Him, to learn from Him, and to share in His mission. This wasn’t a solitary journey; it was a collective movement. In the same way, we are called to walk together with other men to support, encourage, and challenge one another in our faith.

You cannot be a follower if you are walking alone. Isolation weakens us, but community strengthens us. Just as Jesus built a community with His disciples, we are called to build strong, godly relationships with those around us. This begins at home, with our own families. As fathers, brothers and sons, we have a responsibility to lead by example. And to disciple those closest to us and to create a spiritual foundation that will last for generations.

Being a radical disciple of Jesus means stepping out of our comfort zones and actively seeking to bring others to Him. It means sharing the gospel, living out our faith boldly, and standing firm in the truth. Together, we can make a significant impact for the Kingdom of God.

Challenging times

In the midst of contemporary challenges, the role of men and fathers in discipling their children has become increasingly complex. However, guided by the belief that God is actively “turning the hearts of fathers to their children” (Malachi 4:6) there is hope for this generation! 

There is a notable gap in effectively discipling men and providing them with the tools necessary to guide their families to become disciples of Jesus. In the research I found that men frequently grapple with the practice of personal discipleship and face challenges in understanding what it means for them to be followers of Jesus in an increasingly post-Christian, post-modern society.

Men often lack clarity on how to disciple and equip their own children, particularly in the face of an increasingly secular and hostile environment. In my doctoral research I looked at two core research questions: “What are men doing to disciple their families with a biblical worldview and lifestyle of following Jesus?” and “What is the church doing to equip men to fulfill their mission to disciple their families?” What I found was that 85 percent of men do not have a structured blueprint to disciple their children. In fact, most men have lost the job description that Jesus has commissioned us, as men, to make disciples of our own children. The result of this has been that up to 85 percent of young people who grew up in the church have now abandoned their faith in their twenties and thirties.

Lack of fathering

One of the prevailing issues in today’s families is a deficiency in fathering, evidenced by the fact that the average father spends less than ten minutes daily, in quality time, with his children. Divorced fathers further contribute to this dysfunction, with 50 percent seeing their children only twice a year, 30 percent two to three times per month, and a disheartening 20 percent never reuniting with their families. In The Remnant, Larry Stockstill attributes ‘a lack of fathering’ to be the primary dysfunction of the family.

The research strongly indicates that a father’s active involvement in the social, spiritual, and emotional development of his children yields a significant impact on their overall life outcomes. The findings underscore the crucial role fathers play in shaping the trajectory of their children’s lives, emphasizing the enduring influence of paternal engagement on various facets of their development. This insight underscores the importance of recognizing and supporting the integral role fathers play in fostering the holistic growth and well-being of their children at all stages of their spiritual and emotional growth.

Next month we will take a deeper look at the ‘Blueprint for Discipleship’ designed to help equip men to disciple their families. If you want to learn more about the Mighty Man Network, you can check out our website at: https://familydreaminstitute.ca/resources/mighty-man-network/

May the Lord bless you and your family this summer as you make new memories and go deeper with God.