Fathers Wanted!

Increasingly, the present young generation is a fatherless generation. Some fathers disappear before their child is born, and their identity is unknown. Other fathers are alienated through divorce and disappear over time. Still others are emotionally distant or unavailable due to preoccupation with careers or other personal interests. In some families, fatherlessness is 2 and 3 generations deep.

Here is the legacy of fatherlessness:

• 43% of US children live without their father
• 90% of runaway children are from fatherless homes
• 71% of pregnant teenagers lack a father
• 63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes
• 85% of youth with behavioral disorders are fatherless
• 71% of high school dropouts come from fatherless homes
• 85% of youth in prisons are fatherless

These are the voices of fatherless children, now adults looking back:

“My father left when I was 4 or 5. He took that walk for the cigarettes and never came back. We had to go on welfare and eat government food. You know the huge containers of Velveeta cheese.”

“I never went to the park or played games with my dad. In fact, I never did anything with him. He took me 2 weekends a month because my mom insisted, but he didn't want me. I sat in his apartment watching TV, while he was downstairs at the community pool partying with his friends.”

“You can take risks for yourself, but you don't take risks and gamble with your children. I don't think we have the right to take risks with our children.”

“This is the most important job a person can have, that of being a father. Any man lucky enough to have children has got to understand that.”

The punk band, Everclear, has captured the plight of the fatherless in their song “Father of Mine.”

Father of mine
Tell me where you have been
You know I just closed my eyes
My whole world disappeared…
You had my world inside your hand
But you did not seem to know…
Tell me what do you see
When you look back at your wasted life and you don't see me…
My dad he gave me a name
Then he walked away

The lead singer from another punk band, PennyWise, offers this advice to those men who are now fathers, but still struggle with the effects of their own fatherlessness. “If you're from a broken home, it's easy to cling to all that anger. But learn over time to take the anger and make it something positive. We can raise better kids by being more attentive fathers. Maybe that's the way we can create a better world out there, by being better fathers.”

As we celebrate Father's Day this Sunday I encourage every father to remember, no matter the age of your child, they want and need their father. Regardless of how long it's been or what may have happened between you, take the opportunity this Father's Day to reach out and make contact. If you are a fatherless child and you know where your father is, let him know how important he is to you.

Father God knows how important it is for fathers and children to be restored to each other. He tells us in Malachi 4:6 that His desire is to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the children to the fathers in order to save society from destruction. Fathers, you are wanted!

Come join us this Father's Day Sunday at our new service times of 9:30 AM or 11:30 AM. We are continuing our current series, “Father God Loves You,” and my sermon is entitled, “Father God Is Love.”

Pastor Che