As followers of Jesus, we fathers are called to be faithful stewards of the inheritance God has entrusted to us in our homes. We are to strive to be godly husbands and parents, managing well all that God has placed under our care. To lead our families well, there are four essential practices we must embrace as fathers.

1. Lead By Example

We represent the King of kings! As overseers, we carry a great responsibility, just as pastors are called to shepherd the Church:

How much greater, then, is the priority of our own families? Your children are watching you from the time they are babies—through every stage of their lives. My wife and I always packed them up and brought them to church with us. Our pattern was (and still is): God first in all aspects of corporate worship, Bible studies, prayer life, and giving.

As our children grew, they recognized this pattern as our lifestyle. After years of serving in various ministries, they continue today—as adults—to gather, pray, give, and lead Bible studies in Small Groups, thanks in part to the example we set as their parents. Today, we reap the benefits of watching our children grow in the Lord, and the blessings that follow this.

2. Be a Prayer Leader

We set the stage of our entire lives by talking to God all the time. Our children have always seen us pray about everything—not just in public, but in the everyday moments. Prayer is a constant stream flowing through our home. In our family, sharing prayer requests is the norm. This is how we stay grounded, fight spiritual battles and how we survive the arrows of the enemy.

Prayer is a part of our everyday life. Our success as a family comes from our constant communication with God. We pray BOLD prayers, and we’ve seen bold answers. Knowing that God is listening gives us a posture of confidence. Knowing that He is there for us in every difficult situation gives us peace. Our immediate response is worship. We believe in God’s promises. That's why, in addition to my wedding band, I wear a ring engraved with this verse:

This is God’s promise! When people ask me about my ring, I gladly tell them!

3. Be on God’s Side

As a servant of Jesus, knowing that God is on our side makes us strong leaders. This gives us boldness, a firm posture, and a deep understanding of who we represent. It helps us lead with confidence. We are constantly looking after the interests and well-being of our families, but when God is on our side because we are doing God’s will, there is power in our leadership.

Abraham Lincoln once said to a group of reporters:

This is the reason we should always be on God’s side! And this can only happen when we do God’s will; then the blessings and spiritual strength in a healthy household prevail.

4. Spend Time with Your Family

After God, our family comes first—and in that order. There is a line from the movie The Godfather (1972) that always stuck with me:

If something is getting in the way of your family—lay it down. Even if it costs you.

There was a season in my life when I had no time to spare. Between work, school, ministry, and family, I had to let go of some things I loved. I'm not saying you shouldn’t have fun or enjoy hobbies. What I am saying is: find joy in doing fun things with your family. That investment pays off in the long run. I even gave up golf for a time so I could serve in ministry. Today, I still play some golf but frankly, I realized the bigger picture of my family was worth placing golf as second, not first. Prioritizing my family over golf was one of the best decisions I’ve made.

I’m thankful I did. No regrets.