I have just read an excellent ebook by Mark Driscoll called Pastor Dad. Based on a preach of his back in 2001 it teaches about how to be a Pastor / Dad. It gives some pointers of how to raise your children and family, as father / pastor. This short 48 page booklet has 8 chapters covering

• The Good life
• Worshiping the God of our Fathers
• The fruitful vine
• Cultivating Kids
• The masculine duty to provide
• Instruction followed by correction
• Protection for sin and folly
• Countering culture

Mark brings his usual direct style to help fathers like me understand our role and responsibilities. He talks about the need for us as fathers to be an example of a good father to our children so they can understand THE good father better. One of the things he is passionate about is tThe need for us to identify the correct woman for us to marry so that we can raise our children together in a family unit with clearly identified roles, standards, goals and beliefs.  He shows how we should be praying with and for them, reading the bible with them, spending time with them, having fun with them.

This ebook sets the bar very high for us fathers, but it is very clear that as fathers our main role in our lives is PastorDad or PastorHusband. If this is the case then we need as men to step up to the mark and follow the biblical path and teaching on how we are to do this.

There is a cracking quote from one of Driscoll’s children when he asks her what a daddy should do –

 

This short book has a number of small gems of wisdom in it that we need to take to heart and incorporate into our lives as PasterDads.

While looking at instruction a one wee gem is brought out, that a father should not have his quiet time away from the kids but in full view so that they get an example of what this looks like and can ask him what he is doing and why he is doing it. As someone who tends to have his quiet time away from the house in the car, maybe this is something that I can change and now and again have it in the house.

I cannot recommend this little booklet enough to all those who are currently PastorDad, are about to become PastorDad, or are looking to become PastorDad in the future. It will be an excellent read for all mothers out there as they help to support PastorDad in his role.

The ebook can be found here