I have had hundreds of young people that I have had the opportunity to train ask me to be their “Spiritual Father” either they do not have a dad, he never took the time to disciple them, or they just realize that they need all the true fathering they can get. Here are some of my “Spiritual Kids” (When I say Fathers/sons, I mean Mothers/daughters as well)
In 1962 we took prayer out of school in America. A few months later, the father of our nation, President Kennedy was assassinated. A spirit of fatherlessness was released on the nation of the United States. If you research, (Which we have extensively) you will find teenage pregnancy’s, drop outs, teen suicide, poor grades, violence in schools; all of these things increased, some by 700% that first year.
God’s answer to this new epidemic was a little thing called the “Jesus Movement.” Young people who didn’t look right, act right, but caught a fire and revival broke out all across America and into Europe… I know a lot of people that found God in this revival and are still going strong today, but this move of God was shut down as fast as it started. Why? These radical “Jesus Freaks” went to their pastors, leaders, their “Spiritual Fathers” and shared their passion. “God has called me to go lay my life down in the nations, to give my life to something bigger then myself!”
The response was devastating, “that’s good, I am with you, but go get a college education first, and then maybe go after you have educated yourself a little” and an amazing move of God was over. I believe in education, obviously, but, if we are honest, we have made education our god in America. It’s time to get His heart for our young people, not our own! I tell every congregation I preach to, “Give me your child after high school for at least one year, they will find themselves!”
Over 50% of birth certificates in the United States do not have a fathers name listed on them. Fatherlessness has been declared by the US government as the “Largest epidemic we have ever seen” and guess what, God has another answer! It’s You and Me.
God is raising up a new generation of “Fathers” that really don’t care about being the star. He is removing our “Fatherless Pulpits” (pastors that are afraid to let the next generation run past them and do greater things) and He is creating a new movement of “Spiritual Fathers” that will lay down in the mud and say, “Step on my back and let me launch you into greatness!”
As fathers we must circumcise them, (Spiritually), disciple them and RELEASE them. The time of control and building ones own kingdom is gone. You must learn how to be a son before you can be a father. Paul said it best, “Watch my life, do what I do and you will be Godly”
I will ask you the question I was asked by a great African pastor, “Who are your “Spiritual Sons?”
