God’s Model for Fatherhood: How Christian Fathers Can Show Acceptance

Q: I’m a single father and I love my kids more than anything. They mean the world to me and I think they know it, but how can I show them that I love them unconditionally?

A: The effect of a father’s approval or rejection is one of the most enduring experiences in our lives.

Acceptance of our children is one of the most powerful ways to express love.

We can show acceptance by:

  1. Accepting our children as individuals. God gifted each person in different ways. Remember that our children are God’s children, just as much as we are.
  2. Teaching respect by respecting our children and our spouses. Nothing pushes people away like a hurtful word spoken in anger. Children’s intellectual maturity does not allow them to distinguish sarcasm from plain talk. Sarcasm can be deeply damaging to children. Lies are equally damaging. Truth must be told in age-appropriate ways, but no white lie is ever a good substitute for the truth told in love.
  3. Praising our children appropriately. When children do something special, as small as it may appear to adults, it is a stepping-stone to be celebrated. Do not give empty praise; children will grow to expect it even when not deserved. Do not praise only success; praise is a great reward for effort.
  4. Showing physical affection to our children. Nothing can substitute for physical contact as a way to express love. When we hug and kiss our children, it is a very concrete way for them to understand love. In addition, we teach them what appropriate affection looks like.
  5. Recognizing our mistakes and asking their forgiveness. This is one of the best ways to show respect, love, and their value. Big lessons: It is okay to make mistakes; relationships are not severed when we make mistakes, they just need to be repaired. Forgiveness is something we learn to give and receive. It’s never too early to get started. When we do, God’s amazing grace and forgiveness will not be a strange thing to receive.

Fatherhood: Making a Lifetime of Difference PowerPoint CD-ROM

Despite what TV sitcoms imply, fathers are extremely important in the lives of their children! This ready-to-use PowerPoint® presentation includes statistical data and biblical wisdom and a good sense of humor to show the importance of fathers in today’s changing society. This easy-to-use presentation is a perfect overview of God’s important calling for men to be true fathers. It shows that God is our best model for fathering, and explains the biblical teachings of love, instruction, and discipline. You control the timing, order, and speed. 

Did you know that a dad’s involvement is very important for a child’s success? This presentation has dozens of facts at a glance.

  • For example, statistics indicate that if the father is involved in the child’s schooling, the child is more likely to get A’s. (This is true for two-parent families, stepfathers, and single-parent families.)
  • Youth are more at risk of first substance use without a highly involved father.
  • Some studies even suggest that a father’s involvement is more important than a mother’s for reducing conduct problems, substance abuse (drugs and alcohol), and psychological adjustment problems.

Did you know that teens want to have their parents involved? When asked what they wished for to have a better life –

  • 14% of high school students wanted a “bigger house.”
  • 27% said “more money to buy items such as televisions and cars.”
  • 46% said they wished for “more time spent together with family.”

Ideal as a church giveaway or Bible study for your church. The Scripture points to God as the perfect Father. He is-

  • Accepting, loving, and merciful
  • Accessible
  • Present
  • Disciplining
  • Faithful
  • Good

Scripture also tells us about the fathers in the Bible who messed up. Some of the great heroes of the faith had serious failures in parenting. But the Bible also tells us that God is the “father to the fatherless.” – Psalm 68:4

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