A pastor who recently spearheaded a digital effort to lead more than 200,000 people to Christ is gearing up for yet another powerful outreach effort: a quest to inspire America’s dads.
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Jesse Bradley, pastor of Grace Community Church in Auburn, Washington, recently released a new e-book titled, “The Four Elements of Fatherhood,” to help “encourage and empower” fathers.
“Sometimes, dads get tired,” Bradley told CBN’s Faithwire. “Of course, Jesus said, ‘Come to me all who are weary.’ He’s gonna give you rest, so returning to Jesus but then also getting a fresh vision of the fullness of fatherhood [is key].”
The preacher offered insight, inspiration, and broke down some of the familial crises striking America right now, including the one-quarter of families today without a father in the home.
The ramifications of this dynamic, he said, are profound.
“Studies show that there’s an increase in dropout for high school, crime, prison, suicide, illicit use of drugs … the list goes on and on,” Bradley said. “It tells us fathers are very significant.”
Watch Bradley explain these issues:
For those looking at cultural dysfunction and pondering the causes, Bradley pointed to society’s move away from the Lord as the primary catalyst.
“In America, ‘In God we trust’ is our national motto. Is that really happening?” he asked. “And when you drift from God, you drift from His Word. When you reject the Word, you reject God, and then you start to do things your own way in a culture.”
This dynamic ultimately manifests itself in people following “man’s ways instead of God’s thoughts and God’s ways,” he said.
Many of the problems today, Bradley said, can be traced back to the erosion of these values. He encouraged people to consider the interconnections of all of these issues and the importance of the family unit to society.
“The health of a nation comes down to the health of communities, and health of communities and churches comes down to the health of the home,” he said. “So, it starts in the home, and the family’s the core unit.”
Bradley continued, “It’s not random or a human idea; this is God’s design. When you open up the Bible, you see right away that God has a plan, and this includes loving, close families.”
In the end, Bradley is hoping to strengthen families by equipping dads to “leave a legacy” and inspire their children.
“Fathers are designed to protect and provide,” he said. “They’re designed to speak the truth in love, to be honest and humble, and they’re designed to be present and connected.”
Bradley wants to see dads solidify themselves as spiritual leaders in their homes, bringing prayer, the Bible, and spiritual growth to their children and wives.
“Jesus is the light of the world,” he said. “And [God] also told dads he told moms you are the light of the world. That’s your identity and now, because it’s your identity, live that kind of life.”
Download Bradley’s free new ebook, “The Four Elements of Fatherhood.”
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