Manhood definedA man is an adult male who should:

•Takes initiative•Lives responsibly•Leads sacrificially•Loves faithfully•Leaves a worthwhile legacy

Husbands• 1 Tim 3:5 If anyone does not know how to manage his own

family, how can he take care of God’s church • 1 Corinthians 11:3, But I want you to realize that the head of

every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. • Biblically as the head, the husband should influence his family.

Husbands should not be dictators, they should not demand, they should not rule over their wives. Instead, husbands should influence their wives and families in accordance with biblical teaching

The GoalThe goal of fathering is to reveal the heart of Father God. It is to point people to the redemptive plan and message of the Father of all spirits. In Deuteronomy 6, Moses tells the fathers to love God with all their heart, soul and strength. And to pass on the message of the covenant to their children who will pass it on to their children so that future generations may fear the Lord

•A true father passes on the faith to the generations to come. For this to happen, transformation of the heart must occur. Parenting must go beyond modification of behavior. Children must learn to “love God with all their heart, soul and strength.”

•Psalm 78:1-7 carries the same message to fathers. Fathers should pass on the covenant story to their children, who should pass it on to their own children, “so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands.” (Verses 6 &7)

Definition of Father

HAPPY FATHERS DA!!!!!!!!•Webster defines a father as “One who has begotten a child; one who cares for; one to whom respect is due; an originator; a source.” To father is to accept or claim responsibility for; it is to sustain and watch over one’s offspring.

Dad is foundation•Dad is foundation. The quality or strength of the

foundation determines the stability of the building. Fathers hold the building up. The man is the foundation of the family.•Dad is destiny. The morality, values, strength,

greatness and glory of a society are an expression of the state of fatherhood.

model of masculinity

•Dad is the model of masculinity. He is the picture of what manhood looks like, and his son especially watches closely. He has the task of preparing the son to be a man worth his honor, and that is a great task.•Fathers ought to pass on the baton to their sons. 1Kings 2: 1-3

Calls out•Dad also has the task of calling out the woman in a girl. How? He is the first man the girl falls (or should fall) in love with.

The daughter is watching to learn a few things about men: what a man does as a husband, what manhood really means, what love from a man looks like and how a man treats a woman.

symbol of authority•Father is the symbol of authority at home. His leadership at home determines how his small clan turns out. In fact, he plays a crucial role in preparing his kids to play effectively in the field of their generation.

Represents the heavenly Father

•Dad in a sense represents the heavenly Father. The way kids see and experience their dad determines how they see God; relate to authority, understand men or masculinity and what they become.

Five Characteristics of a good father

1. Provider•Matthew 7:7-11 Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. •1 Timothy 5:8 ….. Everyone should provide for his family

• Vision - Jer 29:11• A family finds security in vision. When well painted, vision

sparks passion, gives direction, builds hope, guides and restrains action, and calls for faith

• Needs Luk 11:11• basic needs at the very least: food, clothing, education

and shelter• educational, social, medical, psychological, physical,

financial and religious.

2. PROTECTOR• Neh 4:14 “… Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord,

who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and daughters, your wives and your homes.” •Man, the protecting warrior, exhibits the following traits:• Alert understand the possible dangers, quickly notices the

security breaches or lapses and takes the appropriate action.• Spiritual attacks – A dad is a spiritual warrior at home.

•Defend . In Nehemiah’s time, the fathers held a defense weapon on one hand and a building tool on the other, Defense starts with building the walls – putting in the bricks of character, boundaries and knowledge. Teach, warn, educate, draw boundaries and coach. Build up your children to ensure that they appreciate good and can resist evil

•Morality – A warrior dad will ensure his sons and daughters are not exposed to sexual dangers, moral decadence from the media or negative peer pressure.

3. THE PRIEST• Joshua 24:15 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD

•A father has a role in the family as a priest, a spiritual leader. He guides his tribe on the issues of faith, values and morals. •A priest connects the family to God, our heavenly

father. He leads and teaches the family to stay connected to God through prayer and other faith practices like going to the house of worship and giving

• Job 1:5 When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would send and have them purified. Early in the morning, he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom.•Priestly Acts – Prayer, Ephesians 6:4 Instruction and

Training Proverbs 22:6, and Sacrifice Job 1:5

4. THE PROPHET • A fathers words shape the destiny of his children. Words are life, they

give direction, they give or take away value, they inspire unto greatness or conspire to destroy – words are either a blessing or a curse.• Correction - Dad’s role is to warn the family of the dangers of

disobedience. Discipline your son, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to his death.” (Proverbs 19:18}• Love in the absence of discipline will not produce a child with self-

discipline• Encouragement - A prophet should speak positive, encouraging and

affirming words to his audience

• Calling Out - He names and affirms his children: painting a picture of masculinity and femininity for them. He calls out the beauty, strength, greatness, purpose and achievement from within them. He gives them identity by telling them who they are. Dad’s words shape the children’s destiny – for good or for bad!• Affirmation – Mark 1 : 9-11 You are my son, whom I love

with whom I am well pleased

5. Presence•Fathering can not be done by remote control. •A good shows up in the lives of his children through the stages of life. He does not run, desert, hide, hold back or play passive.