Rediscovering biblical fatherhood

Give my 16-month-old grandson a hockey stick, and it becomes a weapon of unstoppable energy. Dress my 3-year-old granddaughter in a princess costume, and she transforms into Rapunzel, ready to let down her golden hair and embrace a world of wonder. These little moments stir something deep in a father’s and grandfather’s heart, an instinct to protect, to guide, and to call forth the God-given potential within our children.

And yet, we are raising children in a world where manhood itself is under assault. Culture is confused. The word masculinity has been twisted, distorted, and in many circles, outright vilified. Terms like “toxic masculinity” get thrown around, often painting all men with the brush of the few who have misused power and abandoned virtue. But the problem isn’t manhood it’s distorted manhood. Now more than ever, the Church needs to speak with clarity and conviction about what it means to be a biblical man and a godly father. As we celebrate Father’s Day, I want to call men young and old back to God’s original design for manhood and remind us that culture may try to redefine manhood, but God has already defined it.

In my Doctoral research I focused on two key questions that hit the heart of this crisis: What are men doing to disciple the next generation to be followers of Jesus, with a biblical worldview? What is the Church doing to equip men to fulfill their mission? These aren’t just academic questions; they are kingdom questions. Malachi 4:6 prophesies of a time when God will “turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers.” We are living in that time. When men rise up to reflect the Father-heart of God, families, churches, and nations are transformed. When fathers are absent or passive, children suffer.

The call to redeemed biblical masculinity

Biblical manhood is not about dominance or passivity. It’s not about career success, athleticism, or machoism. It’s about serving, leading, protecting, and walking in obedience to Christ. When we look to Jesus, we see the ultimate Man, not one who crushed others underfoot, but one who laid down His life for His bride, the Church. He stood firm in truth, loved with sacrificial strength, and modeled humble courage. A godly father does the same:

• He disciplines with love, not anger.
• He listens more than he lectures.
• He teaches by example.
• He blesses, affirms, and speaks life over his children.

Dr. Tony Evans put it this way, “A father is a man who has accepted the role and responsibility of transferring the character, person, and purposes of God, through him to his offspring.” That is our high calling as men to reflect the image of the Heavenly Father.

Healing the father wound

I grew up with a good dad, but he wasn’t a Christian.  He provided for our family and did the best he could, but there were areas where his example left me confused about who God really was. My image of the Heavenly Father was like looking into a cracked mirror. When I became a father, I realized how deep those cracks went. But through God’s grace, healing came. I learned to forgive. I received the love of Jesus that filled the gaps and taught me how to reflect the Father-heart of God to my own children and now grandchildren.

Some of you reading this know that pain. Maybe your father was absent. Maybe he wounded you with words or walked out when you needed him most. Jesus teaches us that healing begins with forgiving those who have trespassed against us(Matt 6: 12-14).You might be thinking, “But you don’t know what my dad did to me…” And you’re right, I don’t. But let me ask you this, “Is the blood of Jesus enough to cover even that?” God has a way of separating a person’s identity from their broken behaviour. When we choose to forgive, we’re not denying the pain, we are choosing freedom and inviting healing into our own hearts. The road to rediscovering your identity as a man or woman starts by letting go of the past and receiving the love of your true Father in heaven.

A blueprint for biblical masculinity

Biblical masculinity is not toxic it is redemptive. It’s what this generation is crying out for. Young men need fathers, not just biological ones, but spiritual fathers, who will teach them how to follow Jesus, how to love women with purity and respect, how to work hard, keep their word, and build a legacy of faith.

This is why the Church must rise up and disciple men. This is not optional, it is essential. We need men’s ministries that don’t just teach behaviour modification but lead men into transformation. We need churches that equip fathers to bless their sons and daughters, walk in spiritual authority, and live on mission. We need to recover Rites of Passage, spiritual mentorship, and intentional fatherhood.

From my doctoral research, the Lord revealed a clear blueprint to equip men to be godly fathers and husbands. This vision gave birth to the Mighty Man Network, a ministry where men encounter God as their Father at our Mighty Man Camps and weekend events. These Mighty Man weekends are just the beginning. The journey continues through M-5 Discipleship Groups which are small communities of men committed to growing together as godly husbands, fathers, and leaders. To learn more, visit: https://familydreaminstitute.ca/resources/mighty-man-network/

Leaving a Godly legacy

This Father’s Day let’s reject the lies of culture and reclaim the truth of biblical masculinity.  Let’s raise up a generation of mighty men who lead with courage, conviction, and the compassion of Christ. Let’s love sacrificially, bless intentionally, and live purposefully. Because when men walk with God, families flourish, faith is passed on, and the world sees the true reflection of the Father.

Happy Father’s Day!  Your calling as a man of God has never been more important.