Fathers & Sons

Key Point:

Blessing and family flows out of Fatherhood.

I’d love to talk about what kind of church we are building. If we think about it… Coffee tastes different in every house, right? Let’s take a look at this scripture.

1 Corinthians 4:15 For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel

Here’s the thing: you can listen to a 1,000 podcasts, but that’s not the same thing as having a spiritual father. It’s one thing to be taught information. It’s another thing entirely to be fathered. To have a spiritual Father. It’s important to have a spiritual Father & spiritual Mother loving on and leading a spiritual family

Justin and Jeremiah are not hirelings to do a job. They are spiritual sons helping to build a spiritual house. When we first brought Justin on the team it was to do a different job than he’s doing now.

I remember back when I was at a church in Florida and we were at a conference. There was a Prophetic guy in Tallahassee that had come to speak to us. A term that really stuck with me that day was: “The hireling fleeth”.

When we first moved to Asheville, our primary heart desire was to give our life to build a house that God had given Suzette and I a vision for. I didn’t know if God would keep us here forever – but we came with the idea that we would be.

I remember asking a pastor how long he thought he would be here in Asheville.  “As long as everything is going good,” he said. That’s when you know it’s just a job and nothing more.

1 Corinthians 4:14 I’m not writing all this as a neighborhood scold just to make you feel rotten. I’m writing as a father to you, my children. I love you and want you to grow up well, not spoiled.

1 Corinthians 4:15 There are a lot of people around who can’t wait to tell you what you’ve done wrong, but there aren’t many fathers willing to take the time and effort to help you grow up. It was as Jesus helped me proclaim God’s Message to you that I became your father.

1 Corinthians 4:16 I’m not, you know, asking you to do anything I’m not already doing myself.

1 Corinthians 4:17 This is why I sent Timothy to you earlier. He is also my dear son, and true to the Master. He will refresh your memory on the instructions I regularly give all the churches on the way of Christ.

Paul had the heart of a father toward the Corinthian church. Here he was saying “I love you and I want you to grow up well.” 

Paul says to Timothy – I am a Father sending a Son. Paul had a relationship with Timothy that he wanted to be seen as a model or prototype of his relationship with the church.

Paul was saying to them :

  • I don’t want you just to listen to my sermons and teachings
  • I don’t want you to just come to my meetings

Paul was saying:

I want to impart my heart, attitude, paradigms, anointing, mentality, walk with God, grace – to your life. I want you to be an imitator of me – the same way Timothy is.

Timothy was coming to remind them of Paul’s ways that are in Christ. Timothy did not learn those ways by listening or teaching. He became emotionally and spiritually attached to Paul and Paul’s way of life as a son to a Father.

The spiritual son can carry the spirit of his spiritual father.

You begin to pick up the subtleties of:

  • How to respond to disappointment
  • How to respond To people who let you down
  • To stay on track with the call on your life
  • Attitudes about money, giving, 
  • Worshipping in the midst of your midnight hour
  • How to walk in victory in life
  • How to stay happily married for 40 years

Malachi 4:5 Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD.

Malachi 4:6 “He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse

Blessing flows out of Fatherhood. There is a curse where there is a lack of Fatherhood.

There is a crisis in America. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 24 million children in America—one out of three—live without their biological dad in the home.

In 1960 – 8 million children lived in fatherless homes. Now there are 24 million.

Without a Father present in children’s lives:

Children raised without a Father are far more likely to:

  • Commit suicide
  • Fall victim to child abuse or neglect
  • To become violent criminals
    • Of men serving long term prison sentences 70% grew up without Dads

The stats are overwhelming about the positive impact legit Fathers bring to their children, and the trouble caused by a lack of Fatherhood.

The Heart of Fatherhood releases blessing.

The Heart of Fatherhood is a key component in the way God builds

  • Our family
  • The church
  • Our businesses

Hey single Moms – this is not intended to make you feel bad. It helps us understand why it would be vital to get your kids in to church and into a spiritual family.

As an example: our very own Niki Meier. She has an amazing group of kids. I can guarantee you, a piece of the equation is that she made sure her kids were and are around Godly men who can influence them in a positive direction.

Any men who would have the heart of a Father: to work in our youth ministries!

You could bring great blessing.

Ephesians 3:14 For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father,

Ephesians 3:15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name

Family flows out of fatherhood.

I grew up with a family primarily flowing out of motherhood. This is not to demean the role of mothers but to restore the hearts of Fathers. Fatherhood is about men with their hearts turned toward their family.

To their wives – the greatest thing you can do for your kids is love your wife. This is not about making the kids the center of our homes. Great homes are built around great marriages.

To their children – being a father to your children is one of life’s greatest assignments.

Men can easily get distracted and turn their hearts to:

  • Their work
  • Their hobbies
  • Any number of distractions 

We need Fathers investing their heart and life into their sons & daughters.

We need Sons & daughters receiving the heart and life of their Fathers.

The hearts of Fathers turned to children and the hearts of children turned to Fathers!

A spiritual family happens because a spiritual Father turns his heart to his spiritual family. A spiritual family happens because spiritual sons & daughters receive a spiritual father into their hearts. Blessing and family flows out of Fatherhood.