© 2024, Scott D. Hood, licensed under CC BY-NC-N Shepherds Needed by Dr. Scott D. Hood Abstract: God has provided every believing father with adequate spiritual resources through the Bible, the Spirit, and the church to lead their families. The following article will show how these resources contribute to the Christian father’s confidence and competency to lead his family spiritually. The article discusses a four-step solution in how the man of God can turn the tide of secularism in his own home. Section one focuses on the Scripture’s expectation for fathers to lead spiritually in the home, and section two identifies the practical implications for fathers who live accordingly to the biblical standard. Shepherding is a common theme in both the Old and New Testaments. Thus, it is fitting and helpful to apply the biblical terminology of shepherding and sheep to the desires and expectations Christian men are to have to their God, their spouse, their children, and their church. God exists as a triune God, and he created humans, male and female, in His image as equals yet with distinct roles. Complementarianism highlights the equal dignity of both male and female as image bearers of God while distinguishing their complementary roles and responsibilities within the home and church. Reflecting the complementarian view, this article establishes that both the Old and New Testaments teach that fathers should be the head of the home, walk in righteousness, love their wives, and teach their children the Word of God. I have selected four biblical passages as support for the role and importance of fathers in the spiritual development of families, church, and society. First, Genesis 1-2 shows that men are created by God to be the head of the home. Second, Psalm 112 shows that men should walk righteously before a holy God. Third, Ephesians 5:25-33 teaches that husbands are to love their wives. Fourth and finally, Ephesians 6:1-4 commands fathers to instruct their children in the Lord. These expositions will support the assertation that the Bible requires men to shepherd their families. Genesis 1–2: A Man of God Will Fulfill His Responsibilities as the God-Ordained Head of the Home To understand the role and responsibilities of a man, one must begin with where he came from and the purpose of his creation. The position of this article stands on the shoulders of historic, orthodox Christianity, and the understanding that Genesis 1 declares the “origins” of mankind.1 The Bible opens with an eternal God speaking into existence the world and its initial 1 Gordon J. Wenham, Genesis 1-15, Word Biblical Commentary, vol. 1 (Dallas: Word, 1987), xxi. The Hebrew title is taken from its opening word בראמיח “In the beginning,” whereas the English title “Genesis” is a transliteration, via the Vulgate, of the Greek title.
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