Could church become a community of Fathers?

I did not grow up in a small town (i.e. 200-1000 people) but I think about what it may look like. I picture the old west town. It is a community of families. Each father having a role or domain of influence, the mayor, the postmaster, the bank owner, the sheriff, etc… and each are mutually respected for their contribution.

In this community each family member is known and celebrated. There is a collective understanding between the adults. Every adult desires the children of the community to succeed. Every Father in the community is looking out not only for his own but for those youngsters in the community.

In this context, the younger are connected to more than just their families. The boys grow up to be men in a community of men/ fathers. The boy understands the context in which their own fathers contribute to the community. The young ladies are protected, honored and encouraged in this safe context. There are fathers looking out for wolves.

So that is the picture in my head of a small town, not let’s talk about how church can be structured today and what the experience of a younger person would be in that church.

In the book ‘Raising a modern day knight- Robert Lewis’, captures this need for a community of men to affirm boys becoming men. Not just the father alone. (Men by nature will seek to do everything alone, which is stupid but it is our bent.) He lays out rituals for boys at age 13, 16, and 18 within a community of men to establish their entrance into manhood. This same concept is laid out in book ‘Healing the masculine soul- Gordon Dalbey’ when he describes African custom for the men of the village along with the ‘Spirit’ to call out the ‘son of our people’ from behind the mother at their home’s door. Very cool, I recommend the book.

The point is, a community of father’s initiate’s boys into men. Then they have a broader context (men outside of their Dad) to experience this new identity. To encourage masculinity in it’s God given form by having other men send the same message A man accepts responsibility, rejects all forms of passivity, and is willing to sacrifice for the greater reward)- borrowed from Robert Lewis.

Another trend highlighting this need for church to become a community of Fathers is ‘family-centric churches’. A notable minister in this church stream is Voddie Baucham. He is a pastor in a family-centric church in Texas a regular speaker at home school conferences. They take the concept to the point of doing away with youth ministry and in favor of young people growing in faith in the context of their church and family combined.

I’m not advocating the stream of church per se but there is a lot I like in those churches. The emphasis of the teaching is given to the parents in being Godly and raising godly kids to impact nations.

So a couple of observations of churches I have been apart of through the years and churches in general. Churches typically encourage the division of youth from the Fathers. Thus you get the trend of ‘church-wise’ young men and women experiencing life much like non-Christians apart from adults and particular fathers. Their ‘substitute’ spiritual leaders are more like big brothers (youth pastors) without God given authority. Thus you get trends like ‘church-wise’ young men looking to get laid at church events or get close enough to the young women to get in their pants. The ‘substitutes’ attempt to wrangle in the youth but their attempts are in vain b/c they don’t have the God given authority given to the fathers. Now, I know God is merciful and this is not the pic of every youth group but you get the idea of ‘surrogate’ authority.

So what are men doing in these churches? Well one thing is, they are not learning about the role they have to play and the power invested in them by God. Much of them are distracted, ‘having the form of Godliness but denying its power’. God has invested in the men power to redeem them and bring redemption to younger generations. But without a vision men cast off restraint and become useless for the kingdom, just get bogged down in trying not to have affairs or in shallow hedonistic lives.

I must confess, the person who personifies this community of Fathers concept so well is Lou Engle. Every time he opens his mouth it is in the context of fathering a generation and calling others to the call to be spiritual fathers. God anoints ministries where the father’s hearts turn toward the children and in turn the children turn to the fathers.

Psalm 68:6 (NIV) 6 God sets the lonely in families.

Note the scripture does not say he puts the lonely into a family (i.e. One church with one dad) but families. A church should be made of up men empowered to adopt the lonely into families (small groups or whatever). God is in the business of empowering men and releasing them, not constraining them or reducing them. A church should reflect such a heart.

The young in the church should be known by the Fathers of the church, to bless and pray for them. How awesome would that be? Think of the young person or younger believers who would grow in this context. Why should the father blessing be limited to professionals?

You'll then move away from community and into competition or encourage passivity in the men. I don't know a man who does well with no role to play. It's OK for a season of restoration but unemployement (i.e. you have nothing to offer and are not wanted/needed) becomes less of a vacation the longer it goes on.

Now I see why Jesus prayed we would be one. There is such a power in unity. God has given men the role to lead (head of families). Unity in a community of men is a community of empowered leaders/father given room to bless and release. Less than this you limit the anointing that could be released in a church to hundreds of younger men and women that could come from a community of Fathers.


How true Paul was…
1 Corinthians 4:15
Even though you have ten thousand guardians (teachers, guides) in Christ, you do not have many fathers.