Faith and Fathers

We were at a church a couple weeks ago where the Youth was in charge of part of the Sunday morning message. I have no problem with that. I think it does them good to get up and share their faith. All they were instructed to do was find their favorite passage (whether it be a verse or a chapter), read it, maybe explain it and tell why it was important to them. A boy got up. He was probably 16 or 17. His first words were “I don’t ever read the Bible. I know that’s a sorry state for a Christian to be in.” He went on to tell how he had been struggling in his faith lately. Even been doubting his faith altogether. Now I have had my doubts and have struggled before. It’s usually when I’m not in the Word like I should be. When I’m not praying like I should be. That was the first thing that went through my mind when I listened to him. Romans 10:17 kept droning through my head. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” There is no better way to increase your faith than by getting into the word of God. To read about the miracles that I believe could still happen today. To read about Christ’s love for us. That He will never leave us, nor forsake us. That His mercies are made new each day. That He is our Keeper, our Shield, our Rock, our Salvation, our Provider…. The list could go on and on. I just hope that his family (who were there) encouraged him in this. That is another thing that I struggled with. Do I share this with him? Maybe he doesn’t know this passage. I have a hard time ministering to kids when their parents are Christian and very capable. I have always thought it ironic that a parent would approach a youth pastor and inform him that now is the time to share the gospel with their child. “You need to work on getting him saved.” It happens all the time. I understand that those close to you don’t always have the same effect that a stranger or someone not of the family does, but salvation is something that should be made known from the beginning. As men, we are responsible for the spiritual state of our families. I also understand that we all need to work out our own salvation, but if the Bible’s not opened in the home; if prayers aren’t heard in the home... How can we expect to raise a Godly seed if the only church they get is at church? Church should be all week long. I don’t know how this boy’s home life is. I don’t know how involved his parents are with his life. I do think they have been in church for a long time. They should understand this, shouldn’t they? I feel very strongly that there should be wide open lines of communications at home. I hope my children can trust me to bring anything to me for discussion.

I was even talking to a guy at work a couple weeks ago. He was talking about him and his daughter going to church. I said:

“What about your wife and son?”
“Oh, they don’t go to church.”
“And you’re okay with that?”
“Everybody is entitled to their own belief!”
“Mmm hmm.”
“Religion is not something we talk about at home.”

I hope and pray this is not the mentality of the majority of the church. THIS is a sorry state to be in. I can understand the boy’s dilemma. I was close to that in High School. For an adult to just be okay with his wife and son having no ‘religion’ at all. Maybe I should have asked him what he thinks church is for. What does he benefit from being there. I believe he thinks that if you’re a good person, you’re home free. If that’s the case, why are so many people wasting their time in churches on Sundays? Why is he wasting his time in church on Sunday mornings? If he believes there is more to it, how could he sit back and watch his wife and son slip into a Godless world? Once again, whether we accept the responsibility or not, I still believe that the men are responsible for the spiritual state of our families. I think if I see the boy from church again, I will run the Romans 10:17 verse by him. If (hopefully) his dad already talked to him about it, this will re-enforce it to him. If he has not, maybe this will help him.

I will write more on fathers being the spiritual leaders of the house later. Until then!

God Bless!

“…holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:” Heb. 12:14