By George Coben, Bauchi
General Overseer of Peculiar Peoples’Church for all Nations, Bauchi State, Bishop Isaac Crown, has said that for husbands to perform their best as fathers in their homes, the support of their wives and children cannot be over-emphasized.
Bishop Crown made the submission on Sunday in his sermon to celebrate the international father’s day, at the church on the rock parish, Yelwa area of Bauchi State.
Taking his text from the book of Mark 5:25-34; and 6:1-6, the Bishop used an analogy of how faith in Jesus Christ, demonstrated by the woman with the issue of blood brought solution to her situation, and how because of unbelief He was not able to do mighty work in His own community, to say that, “grace and virtue to perform as a father in the home happens only when he is honoured by his wife and children”.
While also reading from Eph. 4:11-13; 5:22-24; and 1 Cor. 11:5-6, the GO who stated that no wife can have a perfect husband and vice versa, re-emphasized that when a wife dishonours her husband, the ability for him to perform expectedly as the father of the house will be absent, because by so doing, she dishonoured the one that God placed as head over her.
He explained that for a husband to exercise Spiritual leadership in the home as a father, he would need positive attitudes such as respect for his efforts, appreciation when he initiates godly practices, willingness to discuss spiritual matters, gentle support when he is trying to grow spiritually, showing interest in church and Bible teaching, and asking spiritual questions, among others, from the wife and children, to be encouraged.
On financial support from the wife and children, the Bishop said that positive attitudes of appreciation for his hard work, partnership in financial planning, gratitude for provisions received, and avoiding wastefulness, among others, would greatly encourage him to do more.
Bishop Crown said in the area of emotional and psychological support, wives and children should encourage fathers by ways of respectful communication, listening to his concerns, standing with him during challenges, celebrating his successes, and expressing appreciation for his efforts, among others.
Also, reading from 2 Timothy 3:16; and Hebrew 12:9, wives were encouraged to positively support their husbands to enable them discharge their fatherly responsibilities of exerting discipline and correction of the children in the home.
Wives were advised to eschew arguments and disagreements with their husbands as these would bring strife and eventual breakdown in the home, because the father would, by this, be put in a disadvantageous position to lead, as it is written in James 3:14-18.
It was stated that, scripturally, every authority, whether in the home or government, is placed by God to be obeyed for good to come from such loyalty.
International father’s day exists to honour and celebrate the vital role that fathers, grandfathers, and father figures play in families and societies.
The day which originated in 1910 in the United States, was established by Sonora Smart Dodd, inspired by the newly established mother’s day, to honour her single-father veteran, who raised 6 children after her mother’s death.
The concept which was officially recognized in 1972 under America’s President Richard Nixon, spread globally, with most countries adopting the 3rd Sunday in June, for its celebration.
