A Week of Bible Fathers #3 - The Fathers in Front of Us

It has often been said that the best way to learn anything is by watching and following the examples of others we see.  It is one thing to read how something is done but it is another to actually see it done and then be able to mirror that in your own actions.  This is true not only in areas of learning and higher education but also in fatherhood. 

Being able to see how a family should function is one of the greatest challenges and yet greatest needs in our world today as godly families are clearly under assault.  The ability to actually see a functioning godly family is crucial right now because there seems to be so few families that truly are living the way God planned.  

We need examples we can see and follow and God has a plan for this in Scripture.  In 1 Timothy 3 God makes it clear that the two officers within the church, pastor and deacon, are to live out this example front of the church body for us to be able to follow.  

Let’s look there briefly:

1. Pastors (bishops) are to be the husbands of one wife, rule well their own house, and their children clearly “under control” within their home (1 Timothy 3:2 & 4). 
2. Deacons are also to meet basically the same requirements as 1 Timothy 3:12 states they are to have one wife, have their children under control, and ruling their house well.  Same guidelines with a slightly different order.

God clearly is requiring that the authority positions within the church are to have their house in order, and I believe this is for the purposes of being an example to the church and so that they can take care of the church of God properly (1 Timothy 3:5).

However, we must accept that pastors and deacons are humans and will make mistakes.  Even godly men are sometimes going to fail to make the right decisions and they will even sometimes have moments of fleshliness.  To add to this uncertainty, many leaders within churches have failed so greatly in the past that the testimonies of those who are faithful have also been tarnished as well.  There are even some within Christianity who refuse to trust or follow the example of any faithful leader because another leader has been so untrustworthy that the faithful leader is guilty and untrustworthy by default in some eyes.  But we must accept that there are faithful pastor’s and deacon’s families who are still living a good example in front of their church families and can be followed as an example.  

It is clear that there are fathers in front of us that we CAN use as example for our family and sometimes those example are being lived out by the leadership of our church.

Here are a few question that you can ask yourself to know whether the fathers in front of you can be followed:

1. Does the family in front of you really love the Lord and want to please Him?
2. Does the family in front of you love and honor each other?
3. Does the family in front of you really love to serve the Lord and His church?
4. Does the family in front of you know and believe sound doctrine?
5. Does the family in front of you want to see the lost saved?
6. Does the family in front of you have their children in control?
7. Does the family in front of you see their children desire to go on and serve the Lord?

All fathers should be examples to their children and to the others around them, but church leaders are required to be this kind of example.  If you have that kind of fatherly example in front of you, you really are blessed!