A Father and His Roles

Pst. chuks Nduka

A Father And His roles
Fathers Day exortation on Fatherhood delivered by Pastor Chuks Nduka, Snr Pastor, Breach Repairers Assembly, Lagos on Sunday June 19, 2016.

Who Is A Father

A male parent,

Any male ancestor, especially the founder of a family or line; progenitor, a man who exercises paternal care over other persons; paternal protector or provider.
 
The first thing that readily comes to mind at the mention of the word father is provider. This is further justified in the book of Matt. 6:11. Give us this day our daily bread. Every home looks up to the father for provision of the basic requirements like food, shelter, clothing, bills etc. 

However, it is pertinent to note here that the role of a father in an ideal Christian home spans beyond providing for the above mentioned.

Roles of a Father
Prophet
Priest
Provider
Protector 

As a Prophet

Father as a prophet: Fathers in an ideal Christian home is a prophet to the home. He on daily basis speaks into the life of his home prophetically and endeavour to watch it to materialize.

As a priest

A good example of father as a priest is found in the Job 1:1-5. Job having toiled was living in abundance. This triggered uncontrollable feasting in his home. Job being a priest and a prophet to his family understood that amidst this feastings, sin must have crept into his home through his children. He did not hesitate to stand in the gap in the place of prayer for his family.

This indeed is a good example of fathers as prophets and priests over their homes. You as a father is the first and the greatest priest and prophet of your home even before your pastor. Your spiritual ears as a father should always be tuned to hearing God at every point in time concerning your family.

As a provider 

It is the role of a father to provide for the needs of his home. A father provides food, shelters, clothing, bills etc. God as our perfect example showed us this aspect of a father in Matt. 6:11. However, it should also be made clear here that this is possible only through God as man cannot on his own achieve this.

As a Protector

Protect your family physically:

The godly husband is responsible for the physical security of his family. God has given men greater physical strength than women and has also given men a need or desire to be protectors. You are to use this God-given strength to protect your wife and to ensure that she feels secure. She must know that you will protect her even at the cost of your own life. You must be the first into battle, you must be the one who knows that “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13)

Protect your family emotionally:

You do this by refusing to give in to the temptation to dominate your wife and children as an overlord instead of a servant. You must learn how to properly discipline your children so you guard their bodies and their hearts. You will need to learn how your wife is different from you emotionally so you can be tender and understanding toward her (see 1 Peter 3:7 and Colossians 3:21). You need to provide loving leadership that guides and protects with dignity and love.

Protect your family theologically:

You do this by developing wisdom and discernment—by pursuing godliness. “received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so” (Acts 17:11). You must be careful not to introduce to them any false teaching, knowing that as a teacher, the most important teacher your family will have, you will be judged with a harsher judgment for any false doctrine you may recommend to them.