Problems today Drugs, welfare, teenage pregnancy, dropout, suicide victim.directly related to the absence of fathers throughout the past many

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2 A. Introduction Fathering is essential to success at every level of society. Sociologists are now confirming that fathers play an indispensable role not only in the home but also in the nation.

3 Problems today Drugs, welfare, teenage pregnancy, dropout, suicide victim.directly related to the absence of fathers throughout the past many decades. Fatherlessness is one of the most destructive trends in our generation. The absence of fathers is linked to most social nightmares..

4 Why? Because fathers bring strength & stability to these environments. Eg without fathers, children are more likely to grow up undisciplined & irresponsible, unaware of consequences in life.

5 Fathers bring a strong standard & a firm hand that enables a family to reach its potential. When storms come, fathers steady the ship with their wisdom & experience. They bring balance to the family system. The strength of a father provides tremendous protection for a family s future & destiny.

6 Spiritual fatherlessness is a weakness in the Body of Christ today. Like family & society, the Church is plagued with problems. We need the fathers wisdom & maturity, a firm hand to guide us, balance to preserve us & experience to comfort us.

7 In this Apostolic outpouring, a restoration of spiritual fathering will be released!! The Apostolic Movement will bring spiritual fathers to their places in the house of God. Spiritual fathers will help protect the movement from extremes & errors.

8 By Fathering we do not exclude women from the vital mentoring roles in this Apostolic Movement. Eg Timothy was deeply influenced by his mother & grandmother (2 Tim 1:5) though he was mentored by Paul. Both men & women will make a significant contribution to this Movement, each in their own unique ways.

9 Just as in the OT, God is giving the NT family of God spiritual fathers in the 5-fold giftings, a generaton of patriarchal men wo possess the kind of wisdom, respect & leadership necessary to guide & oversee the House of God in these turbulent times.

10 B. How Fathers Function Fathering is a skill that needs to be imparted as the Apostolic Movement evolves. Despite their great love for the Lord & desire to be productive, many spiritual men still lack the ability to act as spiritual fathers. Below are 5 similarities between the Apostle & a natural father that may open our eyes to the function of a NT spiritual father.

11 1. Fathers Demonstrate Love The love relationship between a father & his son provides the ideal environment for training & developing the character & live of the son. Without love, a son may grow but he cannot flourish!! Eg Jacob s relationship with son Benjamin. Abraham with Isaac. With the quality of sacrificial love, an apostolic father mirrors that of the heavenly Father, overseeing people with the sensitivity & skill that endears him to his people.

12 2. Fathers Train & Discipline Essential to raising mature & well-adjusted children is the art of training & disciplining them. Fathers firmly direct & guide their children into activities & attitudes that will prepare them for success.

13 Eg Jethro, the wise father-inlaw of Moses preserved & protected his overworked sonin-law in the face of crushing responsibilities. (Exo 18:13-26) Joseph s counsel to Pharaoh was so effective that he was promoted to the place of great influence over Egypt. (Gen 45:8)

14 The biblical role of a father is to raise his children to a place of maturity & fruitfulness. Ephesians 6:4 (NKJV) 4 And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord. 以弗所书 6:4 (CNVS) 4 你们作父亲的, 不要激怒儿女, 却要照着主的教训和劝戒, 养育他们

15 This involves countless confrontations between the father & his son for instruction, adjustments, correction & discipline. A father is committed to developing maturity in his offspring. (Heb 12:5-10) Eg Apostle Paul fathered many sons (1 Cor 4:14). He modeled ministry, demonstrated & explained truth in the hope of impacting his sons.

16 His goal present everyone before Christ, mature & complete (Col 1:28) Colossians 1:28 (NKJV) 28 Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. 歌罗西书 1:28 (CNVS) 28 我们传扬他, 是用各样的智慧, 劝戒各人, 教导各人, 为了要使各人在基督里得到完全

17 3. Fathers Provide A father s primary responsibility is to provide for his children. Proverbs 13:22 (NKJV) 22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his children s children, But the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous. 箴言 13:22 (CNVS) 22 善人给子孙留下产业, 罪人的财富, 却是为义人 积藏

18 To provide means to sustain & enrich. A true father gives all that is necessary to his children to improve their lots in life. Eg The prodigal s father gave his prodigal his inheritance early even if it meant he would leave home. (Lk 15:12) Our heavenly Father gives us every good gift (James 1:17) & willingly sacrificed His only Son for us. (John 3:16)

19 What kind of inheritance would a spiritual father provide for his spiritual children? Eg Elijah to Elisha his mantle of anointing & prophetic office!! Impart legacies of anointing, passion for God, intimacy with God

20 4. Fathers Reproduce Just as natural fathers reproduce biologically, so spiritual fathers can create & establish things, planting churches, opening up new fields.. They can raise up & reproduce their own ministries within their children They carry the seed of the next generation within their lives. They propagate & populate the kingdom of God through their ministries.

21 5. Fathers Bless & Impart Many fathers today can do the above but lack the ability of the OT patriarchs to impart spiritual blessing!! Note how Isaac blessed Jacob who stole Esau s birthright. And how Jacob prophesied over all his children (Gen 49). Also how Jesus laid hands upon children (Mk 10:16) There is power involved as we minister to both our natural & spiritual sons.

22 The NT has much to say about the importance of a father s blessing. Paul writes of God the Father blessing His children with all spiritual blessings in Christ. (Eph 1:3) Jacob s blessing of Joseph s sons becomes a picture of faith for the believer (Heb 11:21) Those apostles who wrote Epistles were careful to open & close their letters by imparting a spiritual blessing to their readers. Paul laid hands on Timothy to impart gifts & blessings (2 Tim 1:6) The Jewish father blesses his wife & children every Sabbath!!

23 Apostolic fathers/mothers have the ability to impart blessings to their children in the faith. This transference of divine life is 1 of the most awesome responsibilities given to a spiritual father/mother!!!

24 C. Results of Proper Fathering Eg Paul moved Timothy from the place of preparation to the place of maturity, from spiritual boyhood to spiritual manhood!! Once-timid Timothy later became the distinguished overseer of the great Apostolic Church of Ephesus & a prominent spiritual father himself!!

25 Apostolic fathers will exercise Love, Discipline, Provision, Reproduction & Blessing in the house of the Lord & over the sons in the gospel.

26 As this is done, an entire new generation of Timothys will arise to change the world. Houses of faith will grow into mighty tribes. Sons in the faith will become men of the Spirit.. This process will multiply to bless nations & advance the Kingdom of God.

27 Spiritual fathers Arise to take your rightful place Malachi 4:5-6 (NKJV) 5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. 6 And he will turn, the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse. 玛拉基书 4:5-6 (CNVS) 5 看哪! 在耶和华大而可畏的日子来到以先, 我必差派以利亚先知到你们那里去 6 他要使父亲的心转向儿女, 儿女的心转向父亲, 免得我来击打这地, 以至完全毁灭