7 resources to stretch your thinking about men, dads and discipleship

Dad Matters – Forming Faith
If both father and mother attend regularly, 33 percent of their children will end up as regular churchgoers, and 41 percent will end up attending irregularly. Only a quarter of their children will end up not practicing at all. If the father is irregular and mother regular, only 3 percent of the children will subsequently become regulars themselves, while a further 59 percent will become irregulars. Read more of this thought provoking article here

Who Let The Dads Out?
This is a growing movement that resources churches to reach out to dads, father figures and their children.They believe that to ‘turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers’ (Malachi 4:6, NIV) is a powerful way ‘to make ready a people prepared for the Lord’ (Luke 1:17). We help churches do this by inspiring, resourcing and supporting them to begin running activity sessions for fathers and children to attend together. These sessions give dads and their children the opportunity to spend time with each other, mix with other families, have fun and engage with the church. More here

Does the Shape of Families Shape Faith?
This downloadable PDF represents a major effort to examine and understand the religious and spiritual lives of young adults who experienced parental divorce. In addition to highlighting the most recent scholarly work on the subject, this report offers extended reflections from a mainline pastor who has ministered to many youth and families. It closes with recommendations for pastors, youth ministers and youth sponsors, parents, children of divorce (young and grown), church members, and marriage ministries. More here

Founding Fathers
Never before have good male role models, for children and young people, been recognized as so urgently needed. CVM’s brand new book, Founding Fathers, celebrates the importance of the role of fathering at all stages of the journey and offers thinking and help to dads as well men with no children who could still be a key influence to a fatherless generation. Nathan Blackaby shares characteristics of great men of faith from the Bible and personal experience whilst drawing on experts in areas of parenting, giving pointers and ideas to help men be intentional, Godly fathers, whatever their circumstances. More here

Families and Faith: How Religion is Passed Down across Generations
While outside social forces play a role, the most important factor in whether a child keeps the faith is the presence of a strong fatherly bond. Armed with this unprecedented data, Bengtson offers remarkable insight into religion over the course of several decades. Read More

5 Reasons Kids Need Godly Men as Fathers
Drew Read – I often tell my son to watch what I do. The challenge for me as a father and a man is that if my son is going to watch what I do, how I act is critical. Defining the role of the father has become an increasingly difficult task in today’s culture. Short, sharp and to the point.

Do Fathers Matter
In Do Fathers Matter? the award-winning journalist Paul Raeburn collects the latest research to show that fathers have a profound impact on their children’s lives – from conception to adulthood. He explains how fathers’ roles are distinctly different from those of mothers, as well as how fathers’ play helps to prepare children for the outside world. This is not an explicitly religious book but it is full of insight. It reflects some themes also found in Fatherneed – a helpful exploration of the role of fathers in the family. More on Do Fathers Matter

Dave Roberts
Dave is the editor of the Aim Lower Journal