fathers

Healthy Cultures Rest on Dads' Shoulders

Healthy Cultures Rest on Dads' Shoulders

On December 6, 1907, a massive explosion decimated a coal mine in Monongah, West Virginia. Three hundred and sixty-two miners were killed, making this the worst mining disaster in U.S. history. The tragedy devastated the small town and led eventually to the establishment of the U.S. Bureau of Mines. 

The Monongah mine disaster also marked another beginning. Several months after the explosion, a local church held a special service in honor of the 362 miners, most of whom had left behind wives and children. This is the first event on record in the United States set aside specifically to honor dads.

Fathers, Families Would Rather 'See' a Sermon

Fathers, Families Would Rather 'See' a Sermon

Our ministry often receives email correspondence from desperate wives and mothers. They often read something like this, "I'm at a loss. My 'Christian' husband is verbally and physically abusive. Ironically, he thinks that I'm the problem; he sees no need to change."

Study: Absent Fathers, Collapsed Marriages Are Contributing to the Decline of Christianity in the US

Study: Absent Fathers, Collapsed Marriages Are Contributing to the Decline of Christianity in the US

According to Communio's Nationwide Study on Faith and Relationships, absent fathers and collapsed marriages are two major reasons Christianity is declining in the United States.

Fatherlessness Is the Source of ‘All of Our Societal Issues,’ New Film Says

Fatherlessness Is the Source of ‘All of Our Societal Issues,’ New Film Says

The movie, The Fatherless Epidemic, can be watched for free on YouTube and confronts the issue of fatherlessness while urging Christians to get involved on the local level and address it. 

Survey Says: You Can't Replace Dad

Survey Says: You Can't Replace Dad

Last month, new research from the Institute for Family Studies demonstrated, once again, how important fathers are, especially for boys. For example, boys growing up without their dads are only half as likely to graduate from college as their peers who live with dad at home. Strikingly, those numbers remain steady even after controlling for other factors such as race, income, and general IQ. Boys without a dad at home are also almost twice as likely to be “idle” in their late twenties, defined as neither working nor in school, and are significantly more likely to have been arrested or incarcerated by the time they turn 35. These are only a few of the data points which demonstrate that fatherlessness is one of the most pressing crises our culture is facing.

Michael Jordan, Dennis Rodman, the DC Sniper, and the Importance of Fathers

Michael Jordan, Dennis Rodman, the DC Sniper, and the Importance of Fathers

A dominant narrative today is that fathers are expendable except for, perhaps, genetic and financial contributions. Either life goes on just fine without them, or they can be easily replaced by a “loving parent.” The stories of Michael Jordan, Dennis Rodman, and Lee Boyd Malvo, however, suggest that there is a dad-shaped hole in all us that only dads can fill.