John,

Sunday is Father’s Day. 

It won’t get the hype that Mother’s Day does, and, in many ways, that’s right and fair. My wife is a true Proverbs 31 woman, and the degree to which she sacrifices and surrenders self for the sake of our children is truly remarkable and worth every ounce of celebration.

However, the general collective diminishment of Father’s Day is emblematic of a broader issue - men struggling to be men. The decline of our nation and culture is traceable almost entirely to the failure of men to embody biblical masculinity.

Men don’t lead.

Men don’t take accountability.

Men don’t love their wives.

Men don’t shepherd their children.

Men surrender to ease.

I’d argue that Satan’s greatest tool - dating back to apathetic Adam who simply stood there while his wife was under attack from the Enemy - is the lethargy and weakness of men.

As I reflect on Father’s Day, I think of my father - who embodied (and still embodies) biblical masculinity as an intentional parent, a loving and faithful husband, a hard worker and provider, a strong defender of his family, and a zealous follower of Christ.

And, I pray that our communities, state, and nation can be restored with biblical masculinity, intentional fatherhood, and faithful husbanding. 

Can you imagine the cultural revival we would see if men intentionally sought the woman God had for them, married that woman, THEN had children, modeled good husbanding for their children to see - showing the joy that comes with biblical marriage, trained his children in the way they should go, guarded his children’s hearts and eyes, and stayed faithful to their mother?

As I think on my own children this Father’s Day - Peyton (10), Cade (8), Jarrett (6), and Audrey (3) - here are a few things I want for them…

1. I want them to know that I LOVE their mother. The best gift I have ever given my children is a Christ-honoring, loving, and caring mom, and the best thing I can do for them is show them that shoe is far-and-away the most treasured, most cherished person in my life.
    

2. I want them to know that I LOVE them. They need to see me making them a priority, teaching them, training them, caring about them, taking an interest in what they like, talking to them about things that matter, and protecting them from danger. They need to know and see that their father loves them.
    

3. I want them to see me JOYFULLY making Jesus supreme in my life. They need to see me caring about Truth and defending it. I want my children to know that following Jesus Christ is for our good and brings joy. I want them to see, in me and in their mother, a daily worship in how we live our lives of a King who is good, who is powerful, who is just, who is merciful, and who is made known in Scripture and yet is beyond comprehension.
    

4. I want them to zealously CELEBRATE God’s Design. My three boys are raised to be men, to celebrate God’s calling of them as men, and to embrace all that this means. My daughter is being raised to be a woman, to celebrate God’s calling on her as a woman, and to embrace all that this means.
    

5. I want them to PREPARE themselves to be - and then ultimately be - devoted spouses. Being a good husband or wife does not start when one gets married. It starts as children. It starts with guarding your heart, eyes, and actions, which requires active and engaged parents. It starts with developing character and the skills needed to be a good husband or wife. And, it involves assessing the traits and qualities one wants in a spouse before ultimately pursuing someone who meets those characteristics. Then, once married, it involves continuous faithful action, service, engagement, partnership, love, and nurturing of the foremost relationship God has designed. [FULL DISCLOSURE: I write this with no qualms about my sons getting married, but I have yet to wrap my head around my daughter doing so. I have frequently asked her to promise that she will never leave me and her mother, to which she - depending on the compliance of her mood - replies either with a sweet “I promise” or a mocking scoff of “No! I not promise!”]
    

6. I want my children to give a better world to their children. While we fight for immediate policy wins here at Frontline, the reality is that my children - and all children in today’s America - are growing up in a culture where Pride is celebrated, gender is considered “fluid,” and life is not cherished. While we will not change that culture overnight, we can, with the awakening of God’s church, change it for the next generation - so that our children can raise their children in a nation where God is honored, His design is celebrated, and His craftsmanship is cherished.
    

7. I want my children to hear “well done” at the end of their days. The greatest prayer for any of our lives is that we will hear the greatest sound any of us could ever comprehend - the sound of the Savior’s voice saying “well done, good and faithful servant” as He welcomes us home. For my children, my greatest prayer is that they will live every day for the cause of His glory, joyfully fulfill their calling, live and speak as a bold witness, and receive the reward of His affirmation.

As Frontline fights for our children - in elections, in the policy arena, and in our culture - please consider a generous donation today to help us reach our goal. We are currently $87,539.83 short of our goal for the end of the month, which marks the end of our fiscal year. Please consider a generous donation today!

In celebrating Father’s Day weekend, let us restore a celebration of fatherhood, of biblical masculinity, and a brighter future for our families.