Date

7-15-2024

Department

Rawlings School of Divinity

Degree

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

Chair

Mark Brown

Keywords

absentee father, biblical role of fathers, children, commandments, father's duty, God's Law, teach children

Disciplines

Ethics in Religion | Religion

Abstract

Fathers have a biblical role to teach their children commandments, statutes, judgments, and God's Law. The father's duty to teach his children should be handed down from generation to generation. The assumption is that fathers do not teach their children as God commanded. When fathers do not teach their children, they risk becoming an absentee father which leads to fatherlessness, ultimately ending in a broken home. To address this issue and offset this risk, a qualitative action research project was conducted. This intervention implemented two small group training sessions for fathers with children ages six and under. The sessions were applied in two six-week courses. Using a triangulation method, data was collected in six questionnaires, two surveys, and two interviews. A follow-up interview was completed one month after the course. Questionnaires discovered who, what, when, where, why, and how fathers taught. Surveys gathered background information on each participant's spiritual formation status. The triangulation method cross-checked and confirmed that prior to the course, fathers had not taught their children. The purpose educated fathers in their preeminent biblical role to teach their children God's Law. The goal for teaching fathers their role, duty, and responsibility helped them avoid the pitfalls of becoming an absentee father, fatherlessness, and a broken home. In fulfilling the thesis, children gained in spiritual formation, fathers became more spiritually mature, and families were strengthened in God's Law. This project is duplicable. Other churches or groups can follow this model to strengthen families in Christ.

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