The Gift of Church Engagement

One of the greatest gifts a man can give his family is consistency and leadership in the life of the local church.

Read the following stats:

• Religious participation leads men to become more engaged husbands and fathers.
• Almost 40% of all men can be classified as “unchurched”—that is, having not attended a church event, other than a special service such as a wedding or funeral, in the past six months.
• Churchgoers are more likely to be married and express a higher level of satisfaction with life. Church involvement is the most important predictor of marital stability and happiness.
• Teens with religious fathers are more likely to say they enjoy spending time with dad and that they admire him.

Can you identify a man or men you know who fits each of these categories? Is it easier to note all the men around you who have vacated church and their responsibility or is it easier to call to mind godly men who are committed to the church and whose friends and families reap the blessing of this manly resolve?

Read Hebrews 10:24-25:

And let us be concerned about one another in order to promote love and good works, not staying away from our worship meetings, as some habitually do, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

There are no greater rewards than those which come from actively participating in God’s plan for the world. It is the body of His Son, the church, that largely enacts that plan. The added bonus for the man with the family is the chance to pass faith on to the next generation and take pleasure in a wife and children who learn to love God and serve His church well.

Read 1 Corinthians 15:58:

Therefore, my dear brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, knowing that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

There is no promise that having a family and following God will be easy. Whatever work you put into developing a home, marriage, family, and life centered on God and His purpose is worth it. It will make you more of a man than any worldly promise ever could. It will yield better results than any other method you try. It will honor God, give Him glory, and represent Him to others in ways you can’t yet imagine.

Memorize 1 Corinthians 15:58 as you close today. Repeat that verse throughout the day as you consider the role that God has called and equipped you to do as a man who has faith, leads faithfully, and passes faith to others through a well-lived life.

DR. ERIC MASON is the founder and pastor of Epiphany Fellowship in Philadelphia, PA. He and his wife, Yvette, have four children. After more than two decades of gospel ministry, Dr. Mason has become known for his passion to see the glory of Jesus Christ robustly and relevantly engaged in broken cities with the comprehensive gospel. He helps coach and train families to plant churches locally, nationally, and internationally. He is the founder and president of Thriving, an urban resource organization committed to developing leaders for ministry in the urban context, and is the author of three books, Manhood Restored, Beat God to the Punch, and Unleashed. He is the recipient of multiple earned degrees, including a BS in Psychology from Bowie State University, a Master of Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary, and a Doctoral degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.