Give me 100 men who hate nothing but sin and love God with all their hearts and I will shake the world for Christ! – John Wesley

Vicky Umodu needed to furnish her new home cheaply, couldn’t believe her luck when she found a sofa set being given away. “I just moved in, and I don’t have anything in my house,” she told ABC7 from her home in Colton, near Los Angeles. “I was so excited, so we picked it up and brought it in.” It turned out there was a whole lot more to the giveaway than met the eye. The lump she found inside one of the cushions turned out to be several envelopes filled with cash – thousands of dollars’ worth. 

“I was screaming, this is money! I need to call the guy.” She called the people who’d given her the couch, told them about her find, and returned the cash. The family, who were clearing out the home of a loved one who’d recently died, said they had no idea where all the money had come from. To thank her for her honesty, the family gifted a surprised Umodu with more than $2,000, enough to buy a refrigerator she needed for her home.

The treasure our world desperately needs. The treasure the local church desperately needs isn’t in the couch…sometimes it’s laying on it. It’s godly men, men who are spiritual leaders whether single, married or fathers. I’m so thankful for the godly men we have at Grace…we just need more of them, men who will love Jesus and be spiritual leaders. 

When we read the Bible, we see men as leaders. Yet, as we look at the church today, too often men are MIA or sitting in the back seat. There are a lot of things wrong with culture today. The list can be overwhelming and seemingly unsolvable. The Church though can step into that gap and make a difference. A key is men who love Jesus and are committed to Him. When that’s not the case, the results are devastating. 

According to LifeWay Research Group, Father’s Day is the holiday with the single lowest average church attendance – statistically lower than Labor Day, Memorial Day and even the Fourth of July. That’s very interesting, especially when you consider that Mother’s Day tends to be the day with the third highest church service attendance, after Easter and Christmas. So, Mother’s Day is one of the most highly attended Sundays of the year, and Father’s Day is one of the lowest. What does this tell us?

Certainly, there are factors involved, including travel and the time of year. On Mother’s Day school is still in session, on Father’s Day it isn’t – so families travel to visit relatives or go on vacation. Yet, all of that set aside, here’s what’s really striking: the impact of a dad’s faith and practice on their families. 

According to the data, if a father doesn’t go to church, even if his wife does, only 1 child in 50 will become a regular worshipper in adulthood. If a father goes regularly, regardless of what the mother does, between two-thirds to three-quarters of their children will attend church as adults. If a father attends church irregularly, between half and two-thirds of their kids will attend church with some regularity as adults. If a mother doesn’t go to church, but a father does, a minimum of two-thirds of their children will end up attending church. But if a father doesn’t go to church, but the mother does, on average two-thirds of their children won’t attend church. 

Another study found similar results on the influence of fathers. When both parents attend small group Bible study in addition to a Sunday service, 72% of their children will attend a Bible study when adults. When only the father attends, 55% of the children attend when grown. When only the mother attends, 15% of the children attend when grown. When neither parent attends, only 6% of the children attend when they’re adults. 

One more…this survey found that if a child is the first person in a household to become a Christian, there is a 3.5% probability everyone else in the household will become Christ-followers. If the mother is the first to become a Christian, there is a 17% probability everyone else in the household will follow. However, when the father is first, there is a 93% probability everyone else in the household will follow. 

Here’s the point! A dad’s impact on his wife and children’s faith and practice is huge! Christianity is not a woman’s sport. Yet, you’ll meet men who are focused on work, sports, hobbies but it’s rare to meet a man who is focused on his personal relationship with God. 

Often, it’s the wife or mother who encourages the family to go to church. When it comes to choosing a church, the wife looks for a church or the family chooses one the children like because of the children’s program. But translate that into other areas of life. What family would let the children choose the family menu because the kids like it? What man would choose his job because his wife likes the company? Who chooses the family car? The children? Mom? Who usually has the most influence on where the family is going on vacation or even what “toys” the family purchases? And in the really important stuff – who chooses what will be watched on TV? 

All of these are temporary, yet men tend to have great influence and lead in all the other areas, except the one area that’s a true investment with eternal dividends. When a man is a godly leader, it has eternal ramifications and will potentially influence their family and others for generations. It comes down to this – he must choose, he must choose to be a godly man. How? 

First, commit your life to Christ. Make sure you know Jesus personally. Flat out – you can’t lead anyone where you haven’t gone yourself. Jesus said the greatest commandment is to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind” (Matthew 22:37-38). So, men, are you personally pursuing a deeper relationship with God through His Word, centered on the gospel of Jesus Christ? Do you have a regular time where you daily seek God in His Word and prayer? Does your family see your relationship with God being of the highest importance to you? Until your own spiritual growth is a priority, it doesn’t make much sense to try to lead others.

Realize that you are influencing others.Whether you’re married, single, a father, grandfather or not a parent – you’re influencing others. Leonardo da Vinci, Isaac Newton, and Albert Einstein, all made significant contributions to art, science, and philosophy while remaining unmarried. The Apostle Paul, to our knowledge, never married. Think of that coach, teacher, preacher or boss who influenced your life for good. Did you even know their marital/parenting status? A man with a heart for Jesus (who incidentally was single) will influence countless others.

So, on this Father’s Day, whether you’re a father, a husband or single, please remember that what this world needs, what our church needs are men who are committed to Jesus Christ and He is their first priority!