Why Focus On The Father's Love?

We Live In A Fatherless World.

There are many factors that create a sense of fatherlessness in our society. Over 50% of children in North America will grow up at some point in a single parent home. 1/3 of live births are to unmarried women. Over one million men with children under 18 are in prison. And every year, thousands of children lose their fathers prematurely due to untimely accidents and illnesses.

The End Result
The end result is that millions of children do not a have father living in their home. The absence of a father's love impacts every area of the life of our communities. Fatherless children are 2-5 times more likely to drop out of school. 75% of people in drug abuse centers come from fatherless homes.

Most Gang Members
Most gang members do not have a father in the home. 90% of homeless and run away teens come from fatherless homes. 71% of teen pregnancies are of children of single parents. 75% of all teen suicides are to children of single parents. Children of single parent homes are 2-3 times more likely to have emotional and behavioral problems. And 85% of all youth in prisons grew up in a fatherless home. For more info visit: www.FatherLovesTheWorld.com/Statistics

Fatherless Children Grow Up To Be Fatherless Adults

Fatherless children grow up to be fatherless adults and the consequences continue to spiral downward and impact every area of our society. 90% of prisoners say they never had a loving relationship with their fathers. While these statistics in themselves make a strong case that fatherlessness is the most significant family or social issue that is facing our society today, they do not include the millions of homes where a father is still present, but is emotionally absent or abusive in some way. When you include these family situations, the need for a father's love impacts many households in our society.

Statistics Clearly State
Statistics clearly state that the absence of a father's love in a home, dramatically increases the chance for the children to drop out of school, to have emotional and behavioral problems, abuse drugs, run away from home and commit crimes that lead to prison. While it would be ideal if all of the hurting fathers would return to their homes and take their rightful God given place, the reality of this happening is remote, if not impossible.

What Would Happen If People's Love Needs Were Met?

But what if the need for a father's love was met in another way? What if God's Father-love was able to reach all of the fatherless ones in our cities? What would happen if each one began to realize that God was in fact the Father that they were looking for all of their lives? What if the security and comfort that this revelation would bring would start to impact the negative behavior that resulted from their own father wounds and disappointments? How could this start to impact the landscape of our cities?

The Father's Love Is A Relevant Gospel Message
When Jesus ministered to the crowds, he met their felt needs (sickness, disease, hunger, oppression) and shared the gospel in relevant ways. When he spoke to shepherds, he used illustrations of sheep. For farmers, he used illustrations of farming. He even spoke in Aramaic, the people's language of the day. His whole plan and purpose was to bring a revelation of his Father to the world and provide the way (John 14:6) for us to come back home.

If we want to be relevant to a fatherless generation, we need to present the gospel the way that Jesus did. Jesus came to show us the Father (John 14:8-11) and to dispel any and every misconception that people had of his nature and character. By sharing the message of God the Father's love to our cities, we are being relevant to our society's most pressing 'felt need'... and that is to be loved by the Perfect Father.

How We Can Communicate God's Love To Our Neighbors?
One of the most predominant influences that exist in our culture is that of the media. Whether through radio, television, newspaper or the printed word, media impacts the landscape of our culture both good and bad. If we are to reach the masses in our cities, we need to know how to wisely use the media for good. Most people will not enter into a church, but daily they turn on their television, listen to the radio and read their morning newspapers. The media is the marketplace of our cities.

The Primary Vehicle - Father's Love Letter

Over seven years ago, a pastor in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada created a sermon illustration to illustrate the love of God the Father. He compiled 57 paraphrased Bible verses from Genesis to Revelation in an order that took on the form of a love letter from God to the world called 'Father's Love Letter'.

60+ Languages Viewed By Millions
Since January 1999, this simple love letter has gone all over the world, being viewed via the Internet millions of times by people in over 125 nations at www.FathersLoveLetter.com . Father's Love Letter has been broadcast on radio and television, appeared as full page newspaper ads and has been translated into 60+ languages. Because it is based on God's Word, it carries within it a life-changing message that has had a profound impact on both believers and not yet believers alike.

Simple Message - God Loves You & He Is The Father
You Have Been Looking For All Your Life
Father's Love Letter's simplicity and the fact that it takes only 6 minutes to read, make it a very useful vehicle to share the message of God's love through a wide variety of media formats. There have been thousands of stories from people all over the world that have shared how this simple message has changed their lives. Our commitment is to continue to deliver this love letter to as many people as possible, in as many languages and media formats as possible. To read Father's Love Letter right now, Click Here