Sunday, in case you haven’t heard, is Father’s Day. When it came time for Mother’s Day (Sermon: Being Extraordinary) I wrote the following:
As a pastor I have come to realize how sensitive this day is to many women. I cringe when I think about how calloused I was in my approach to Mother’s Day (and Father’s Day). Leaving out a vital part of the church: women who have been unable to have children or lost them in various ways. That is why I no longer preach about mothers, but instead focus on being a godly woman.
So to stay true to what I wrote then, I am taking the same approach for this Father’s Day. While men tend to not be as emotional about some things, I KNOW men who hurt each time MD and FD rolled around. My plan this Sunday is to preach on Being Extraordinary II. (Hope you catch the wordplay in the title).
There is little doubt the church needs men to be men. Not dorks. Not dictators. Not selfish, arrogant, (they think they) know-it-all’s. Not MIA. We need men who are engaged with their families if they have one. Men who are conscientious about their work. Men who look beyond themselves. Men who look beyond the physical and treat others, especially women, like the unique creation God has made them to be. Men who take their relationship to God seriously.
My examples this Sunday will be Josiah (using 2 Chronicles 34 & 35) and Nehemiah (using Nehemiah 1). I’ll be looking at what makes a man extraordinary. If you are in the area, I look forward to seeing you. If not, you may listen online to the podcast. If you can’t do either, I covet your prayers. Thanks.
I love your approach and your reasoning. I will award you with some “kudos” from my place on the east coast.
Go ahead and preach it, man …
Great way to approach both Father’s and Mother’s Day! Praying for you, Bill!
Great post. I like when churches build men up.. so much of our society is striving to degrade and de-sex men into androgynous she-males. – http://www.domesticgeekgirl.com
Much need message Bill. Praying it will be receive well.
I believe we men need all the encouragement we can get. The world seems to want to portray us as oafs who can’t do anything and are who are anti-women.
Hi Bill! Happy Father’s Day to you my friend. You are not a dork, or MIA. You are present to your family, and to your church family. We need more people like you 🙂
I pray your message was well received this special day.
Blessings,
Ceil
Hi Bill,
Thanks for being sensitive to men who either don’t have their own children or who have lost children too. I love the role that so many men have played in my husband’s and sons’ lives, regardless of whether they were related or not. Thanks for citing that too.
Joash is a great example of growing a reverence and love for God’s word in the people around him; and I love how Nehemiah was a man of prayer and great leadership.
Have a great week,
Jennifer Dougan
http://www.jenniferdougan.com