Father On Purpose Podcast

The old cliche says that we're born with two ears and only one mouth for a really good reason. Unfortunately, that doesn't keep most of us from letting our words wreak havoc in our lives more times than we'd like to admit. Whether we're dishing it out or standing in the crosshairs, we've all seen the destruction caused by insults, lies, gossip, and dozens of other word-based sins. Thankfully, God...

Aside from your walk with God, no relationship you'll ever establish is more important than the one you share with your wife. But here's something a lot of guys forget: You play a huge role in your wife's spiritual and emotional development. You are partners, so her growth as a woman and as a wife is tied to the love, honor, and support that you provide. As we dig into the message of Proverbs 12,...

Whether it's what we're having for breakfast or how we're going to deal with an annoying co-worker, life is filled with choices. Admittedly, a lot of them aren't deal breakers (like bacon over sausage). But others (like giving in to a particular sin) literally can make or break you as a man, a husband, and a father. The key is equipping yourself to make the best choices possible so you can avoid t...

In Proverbs 12, King Solomon had a lot to say on the subject of diligence—and all of it was positive. From God's perspective, it's a good thing for a man to make his mark in the world by developing a reputation for working hard to support himself and his family. But a solid work ethic is not reserved for the marketplace. It also involves the effort we put into being a husband and father. It has it...

While the release of the film, "Ordinary Angels" might bring some extra notoriety to his life, there has always been more to Dave Stone than meets the eye. A pastor at Louisville's Southeast Christian Church for three decades, Dave is first and foremost a man of God, a husband, and a dad. So, he understands the challenges men and fathers are facing today. And he still has a passion for helping men...

In the movies and on television, the good guys always seem to win in the end. That's fine for a Hollywood script; but, in real life, men quickly discover that the tension between right and wrong never wraps up neatly in an hour or two. Instead, we fight a daily battle to reject evil and embrace a righteous life. Even back in King Solomon's day, the struggle was real. That's why the advice he provi...

None of us like to be called out. As guys, it goes against our grain to hear and receive negative feedback, even if it's meant for our own good. We tend to see "constructive criticism" as an oxymoron. But, if we're honest, we also wrestle with the nagging truth that nobody's perfect. We've all got room for improvement. We all fall short of God's standards. We all need a little accountability in ou...

In prison, some of the most troubled inmates are placed in isolation as punishment. Unfortunately, many men living outside the walls of physical prisons still struggle with their own personal form of solitary confinement. But God never designed us to go it alone. Thankfully, the grace of God and the power of relationships can make a huge difference for guys who are feeling alone in a crowd. If tha...

God never intended for us to go it alone. To the contrary, He designed life to be a team sport, a shared adventure where iron sharpens iron. Yet, as guys, we often fall into the trap of isolation. We convince ourselves that we don't need anyone's help. We keep others at arm's length, and we end up paying the price for our withdrawal. Thankfully, you can break free from the lies, the pride, and the...

Nothing in life feels worse than a sense of instability. As guys, we're not big fans of uncertainty. We long for the secure peace that comes from knowing that we're on solid ground. We prefer standing tall like a tree, even as the world around us is blown in every direction imaginable. As believers, we understand that this kind of certainty and stability has only one Source. That's why it makes se...

The Bible says that we can learn a lot about God and His expectations for us if we just look at nature around us. One great illustration of that truth comes from the way the roots of some trees intertwine. Because those roots are deeply connected, the trees can stand firm and secure for decades—or even centuries. For our lives, that powerful connection comes from being rooted in God's Word. If you...

For years, entrepreneur and author Scott MacLellan based success on the results he could measure each and every day. As a driven, self-reliant leader, he naturally carried that works-based mentality into his life as a husband, father, and Christian. But God showed him a better way through the biblical model of King Solomon, which Scott recounts in his book The Ancient Ladder . If you're a husband...

Most guys are wired to be doers. Too often, we think we aren't achieving anything of purpose unless we're running full-throttle into every fire and fighting every battle. For many of us, action equals success. But Jesus had a different take on what really matters in life. In John 15, He emphasized that our work for God is not nearly as important as the work God accomplishes through us. Resting and...

You may know nothing about the construction business, but you're still a builder. When it comes to your wife and kids—the people closest to you—God has made you the general contractor of the most important project imaginable. He's also provided you with the most powerful foundation on which to build: His wisdom. While it might be tempting to go with the cheap imitations offered by the world, don't...

It's always better to be a giver than a receiver, and the greatest gift guys can give their wives, their kids, their friends, and their co-workers is the gift of time. But truly investing time requires more than our physical presence. We've got to give the people closest to us our undivided attention. We've got to put the distractions on the shelf and really plug into the words and hearts of those...

Flip on the television, listen to the radio, or search the internet. It won't take long to discover just how badly our world needs some good news—a breath of fresh air in a culture that so often chokes out the positive. And since good news is so hard to come by outside the walls of our homes, dads need to make sure they're breathing life and hope into the people closest to them. You hold the key t...

As dads, we have the power to lift our kids to unbelievable heights or tear them down with devastating results. The key is what we say and how we say it. Words mean things, so we have to be intentional about guarding what comes out of our mouths. We'll dig into what Proverbs 25 has to say about the force our words carry in the lives of our kids and look for practical ideas that will help us speak...

We see it all around us as guys. From entertainers to professional athletes to business leaders, the temptation to become the center of attention is hard to ignore. Even among men who follow Christ, the desire to be noticed and appreciated can get warped and morph into an ugly case of self-serving arrogance. In this next installment of our Proverbs 25 study, we're going to look at humility, the po...

It's been said that the difference between you today and you a decade from now will be defined by the books you read and the people you meet. While it's important to read good books, this episode is going to focus primarily on the people who invest in your life. Proverbs 25 makes it clear that you are a product of the people who influence you. As we dig into this passage, we'll see how to make sur...

As Christians, we believe that God has created every person with value and has wired them with unique gifts and talents. As a dad, you have the privilege of helping your kids discover and develop their God-given skill sets in a way that will bring glory to Him—all while strengthening the bond you share with them. In this episode, we'll look at how you can connect with your kids by identifying and...

While most of the world shut down during the 2020 pandemic, writer and speaker Jeff Kemp took on the most important project of his life. A former NFL quarterback, Jeff turned to God's Word to find out exactly what it means to be a child of God, a son of the heavenly Father. His study turned into his new book, Receive . In this episode, Jeff will share the gameplan God taught him about receiving so...

Fatherhood is a journey. The amount of baggage you take on the trip, though, depends on you. If you've been carrying more emotional and spiritual weight than you should be, this episode will help you identify the lies you've been believing and release them to the God who loves you more than you could ever imagine. You may never be able to completely resolve every issue in life, but you can learn t...

Whether you're a do-it-yourself, shade tree mechanic or rely on the professionals for help, you understand the importance of basic car maintenance. Simple things like oil changes, tire rotations, battery checks, and tune ups can keep things running smoothly and prevent headaches down the road. The same is true with our lives. God has given us the tools to regularly fix a few small things that will...

Author and speaker Steve Farrar dedicated his life to uplifting men, and his voice and influence have continued to resonate well beyond his death in 2022. In this podcast, you'll get to hear some incredible and inspirational snippets from Steve's teaching. They are still as relevant and applicable today as they were when he delivered them years ago. To learn more about Farrar Ministries and its re...

Guys often have a well-earned reputation of always seeking a bigger, better deal. We reach for one shiny ribbon after another in our search for something that will move us ahead or fill some aching void in our lives. We're convinced that just a little "more" will provide purpose. In truth, what we what we really need is contentment! In this episode, we'll look at how a lack of contentment adds fue...