CTA, Inc. | The Community Website for Christian Ministry Gifts » Father’s Day

Relaxing–a free devotion for Father’s Day

Tim Wesemann — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 06:02:09 +0000

A few decades ago, all the experts predicted that future advances in technology would create more time for relaxation. The future has arrived. But many of us find it hard to put down our cells, berries, and pods. Work follows us wherever we go. The thought of making fewer appointments chills us. And some of us find the words, “Step away from the computer” downright frightening!

Behind all this, in part, is the thought that relaxation means doing nothing, and doing nothing implies laziness. But relaxation is a gift from God, not an accusation! Relaxation doesn’t just imply putting your feet up on the coffee table. (Or is it now called a latte-espresso-mocha table?) There are well over 5,478,972 ways you can relax!

Though miles and centuries separate us from the tranquility David experienced as he tended his sheep, the words of Psalm 23 still apply:

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. Psalm 23:1–3

I’ve always gotten a kick out of the thought that Jesus “makes” me lie down. If a sheep or person refuses to rest, nobody can make them. I realize that’s not the meaning of these words, but it gives us a picture of our lives at times, doesn’t it?

At times, we refuse to relax, even in the arms of our Shepherd-Savior. “You can’t make us!” we fuss. We forget that our Lord has met our needs. No matter what worries swirl around us, we can trust him. He wants us to feel secure and relaxed in his presence.

Jesus unpacked the truth of this psalm to settle the hearts of his disciples as he prepared them for his arrest and crucifixion. Breathe in our Lord’s words as you relax:

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27

Relax . . . and feel free to put your feet up on your latte-espresso-mocha table!

Prayer starter: Prince of Peace, you are what I need, now and always. Teach me to relax peacefully . . .

This devotion is drawn from Man of God: Soaring to New Heights, CTA’s new devotion book for this Father’s Day season. It’s written by Tim Wesemann and is available in both NIV and KJV editions.

Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com

You are welcome to copy this article for one-time use in your organization as long as you will receive no monetary benefit from it. Please include this copyright line and submit an actual copy of use to CTA, attention Editorial Manager.

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The True History of Father’s Day

Jane Fryar — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 06:43:27 +0000

Who?

Sonora Dodd is credited with being the first person to suggest “Father’s Day.” Mrs. Dodd greatly admired her own father, William Jackson Smart. Smart’s wife died as their sixth child was born. A Civil War veteran, Smart went on to raise his children alone on a farm in eastern Washington state. Growing up in this setting, Sonora Dodd saw day by day her father’s self-sacrifice and the love he gave his children.

When?

Dodd first proposed “Father’s Day” in 1909. Simultaneously, other towns were beginning to celebrate “Father’s Day” on different dates. In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge expressed support for a nationally recognized observance. Forty-two years later, Lyndon Johnson issued a presidential proclamation declaring that Father’s Day would be celebrated on the third Sunday in June, 1966. Finally, in 1972, a proclamation from President Nixon made Father’s Day an annual event nationwide.

What?

Since Father’s Day falls on a Sunday each year, many churches emphasize the role of family and parents in God’s design for his people. Many pastors use the occasion to preach about the specific roles that dads play in their children’s physical and spiritual lives. Elements in the worship service encourage fathers to take a leadership role in teaching, mentoring, disciplining, and building up their children’s faith (Ephesians 6:4).

Father’s Day gives all God’s people an opportunity to express respect and love to their fathers and to other men who have played an important role in our lives. Younger children can create cards or make gifts for their dads. Children of all ages can share their admiration and thanks to the men who have brought God’s special blessing into their lives.

So go ahead! Share a meal together. Celebrate. Play together. Reminisce. Above all, thank God for the gift of dads and other male models that reflect, though imperfectly, his own perfect Fatherhood.

And check out CTA’s Father’s day gifts. You may enjoy giving them as thank-yous to the special men in your life!

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New Fight — Ephesians 6:10-18 (A Free Devotion for Father’s Day)

Tim Wesemann — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 06:51:43 +0000

The Old Testament prophet Amos once commanded God’s people, “Hate evil, love good” (Amos 5:15).

Four words. So simple. So obvious.

In response, words of agreement flow easily from our mouths: “Of course we hate evil and love what is good!” We want to believe it. But Amos packed more into his command than we might grasp at first.

Love. Hate. Those verbs come packed with passion. Love embraces and holds tight. Hate commits us to fight with our whole being. Do we “hate evil” and “love good” with that kind of zeal?

Our culture teaches us to tiptoe around the truth so as not to offend. But God’s Word speaks much more plainly than our politically correct society. For example, the Scripture clearly teaches God’s love for all people (John 3:16), but it also warns us against making light of sin (Proverbs 15:9, 26).

When I examine myself critically, I realize how seldom I truly hate much of what God hates and how seldom I am willing to take a stand for what God loves.

This realization drives me to Calvary’s cross. Here, Jesus took a stand. Here, he went to battle for each one of us on a Friday we call “Good.” In true love, Jesus died. In true love, he rescued us from the power of sin, the lies of an evil world system, and the accusations of Satan. In true love, Jesus earned for us a life of victory, a grace-filled, forgiven life.

Christ lives victoriously with and in his people, creating a wellspring of strength and courage to flow within us. That living water creates a hatred for evil and a delight in what is good and godly (Romans 12:9). It musters up the fighting Spirit within us, reminding us of what is at stake.

Authentic love and righteous hatred both make sense at the cross. And the cross of Christ makes both possible.

I’ll meet you there! You’re going to love the new strength Jesus gives. You have his Word on it.

Prayer starter: Lord, I’m not sure there’s much of a fight left in me, but then again, I’m not always fighting for things you love. Thank you for fighting victoriously for me and for my salvation. Empower me to take a stand . . .

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Dads, Mentors, Friends–Celebrating Father’s Day Thoughtfully

Jane Fryar — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 06:09:46 +0000

The New Testament never mentions Father’s Day. But we can learn a lot about how to celebrate it by thinking about the mentoring ministry God gave the apostle Paul. Paul knew the satisfaction of investing in the lives of others. Living a single life in a Jewish culture that celebrated marriage and children, Paul became a mentor, an encourager, a father in the faith for Timothy, Titus, and other young men like them.

While not a dad himself, Paul knew the courage it takes to confront and correct rebellious children. He writes to the church in Corinth:

I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you. For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. Therefore I urge you, imitate me. (1 Corinthians 4:14–16)

Paul seized the grace of God for the strength he needed to keep his focus on his Savior as he lived a life worthy of imitation. Leaning on his heavenly Father, Paul lived as a man of courage.

Every dad, every man of faith can find much in this apostle’s life to admire and imitate. Especially on Father’s Day, Paul’s life offers several key insights:

† Parenting is not just for moms. God wants dads to know the joys of nurturing, mentoring, and guiding those young in years and young in faith. Single men, strong in their relationship with Jesus, can make an eternal as they model, teach, and witness to Jesus’ faithfulness and forgiveness. Congregations need to create opportunities for this to occur and recruit faith-filled male leaders.

† Not all men who want children have them. A man’s “highest calling” is the calling God himself gives. Father’s Day can stir up a unique and deep pain for infertile couples and for families who have experienced a miscarriage—even if that loss happened decades ago. Sensitive to this, church leaders will find ways to celebrate dads on Father’s Day, while still ministering to the men (and women!) who live as singles or in families without children.

† No one lives in a perfect family. Paul himself worried about his spiritual children in Corinth and elsewhere. Use Father’s Day to encourage dads who struggle with debt or job insecurity, rebellious teens, shaky marriages, and the everyday crises common to family life. Remind worshipers that Jesus died for the sins we commit in our relationships—the angry comment, the biting criticism, and the forgetfulness that makes those we love feel unimportant or underappreciated. We can confess our sins to one another, forgive one another, and begin each day anew in the shadow of Christ’s cross.

All of us at CTA are praying God will use your Father’s Day celebration this year to encourage all the men of your congregation in their faith and in their callings from God himself to serve one another in love, especially in their families.

(It’s not too late to checkout the meaningful gifts and free Father’s Day resources we offer, gifts intended to help men embrace the opportunities God gives them as dads, mentors, and friends.)

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Free Resources for Father’s Day

Jane Fryar — Wed, 12 May 2010 06:42:32 +0000

In some churches, Father’s Day has assumed a greater and greater importance. Pastors and those who lead family ministry use it as an opportunity to stress the value of family and the important ministry of all men who mentor others in the congregation, whether they are dads themselves or not.

As your partner in such ministry, CTA wants to provide resources you can use to make a big impact without spending hours and hours of time in preparation. Here’s a menu. Most of the items on it are free. Take and use what you need, knowing we are praying for you and for all the men of your church!

Here are around a dozen great ideas for Father’s Day devotions or sermons—some in Spanish! (Scroll down to “Father’s Day/Men’s Ministry.”)

Here is a PowerPoint presentation with theme art from Man of God and a PowerPoint presentation with theme art from Blessed for Life. Our PowerPoint presentations are intended for use with CTA’s free ministry messages. If you want to write your own message, you’re welcome to use our slides and replace the text.

Here is a page of free, downloadable resources—including invitations, thank-you notes, flyers, and bulletin covers keyed to the theme Man of God.

Here is a page of similar free resources, keyed to Blessed for Life.

And another, keyed to Strength for the Journey.

Still don’t see what you want? Poke around on CTA’s Father’s Day Web pages a bit. There are even more free resources that might help you.

Enjoy your Father’s Day celebration! And let us know what else we might provide to make that day more meaningful in your church.

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A Word to Dads

Lee Taylor — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 17:39:40 +0000

Most of the time, TV commercials are dull. Sometimes, you see something witty or clever that catches your attention, but not normally.

However, one recent TV ad has stuck with me. I think it about it when I consider the blessings of fatherhood. The catch phrase of the commercial was, “It takes a man to be a dad.” What a powerful statement! Especially when we consider the admonition in Ephesians 6:4, which says, “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (KJV).

Dads, it is a tremendous privilege to teach our children the things of God!

One of the fondest memories of my childhood focuses on waking up in the middle of the night and seeing my dad kneeling beside my bed, praying for me. He would then slip into my brother’s room and pray for him. Wow! I am so thankful for my dad.

Now it is my turn to hold my children before the Lord in prayer. It is my turn to model God’s love for them, his self-sacrificing love in Jesus and his cross. It’s my turn to teach them how to walk with God, and to show them by example how to do that.

It takes a man to be that kind of dad. May our Savior work that kind of courage and strength in all the men to whom he has entrusted the gift of fatherhood!

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Honoring Men on Father’s Day

Romondo Davis — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:52:24 +0000

If you are preparing your Father’s Day sermon, you might want to review CTA’s extensive collection of useful and inspiring Father’s Day articles and free resources listed in my previous post.

We’d also like to let you know that it’s not too late to order Father’s Day gifts to present to the men of your church this Sunday.

We can get your order out as late as this Thursday (6/18) with expedited delivery. Friday is cutting it close, but we may be able to get your order to you by USPS Saturday delivery. We suggest you call customer service for help at 888-285-3598.

Here’s the official verbiage we use on our website:

IMPORTANT! To ensure delivery in time for Father’s Day, we strongly urge all customers to choose Next Day Air as their shipping method. If you have questions, please call Customer Service at 1-888-285-3598.

And from this blessed father to all, Happy Father’s Day!

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Preparing a Father’s Day Sermon, Message or Lesson?

Romondo Davis — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 19:32:34 +0000

CTA has a sincere commitment to provide information that might assist pastors and Christian teachers in reaching and teaching the Word of God. Knowing that many church leaders will be preparing their Father’s Day messages this week, we offer this timely list of free resource of articles and ministry messages:

Father’s Day Articles:

Ministry Messages:

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Mother’s/Father’s Day–A Double Standard?

Ken Church — Mon, 18 May 2009 12:58:54 +0000

I once read the following joke:

Mother’s Day: A time to honor and cherish women for being wonderful moms.

Father’s Day: A time to beat up men for being lousy dads.

Funny? Sure. True in most churches? Unfortunately. Ouch!

Men – dads, in particular – have become popular punching bags in this post-Father Knows Best culture of such pitiful patriarchal role models as Victor Newman, Homer Simpson and K-Fed. Am I the only one who occasionally wonders, “Where did Heathcliff Huxtable go?”

Sadly, as in other ways, the church has been influenced by the culture instead of the other way around. When is the last time – outside a testosterone-packed Promise Keepers or Iron Sharpens Iron conference – that you heard a good sermon extolling the virtues of fatherhood or just plain manhood? It’s probably been a while.

To make matters worse, fathers are often made to feel like second-class citizens around this time every year. Moms are hailed as virtuous on their special day in May, while a month later, dads are often portrayed as villains. Does a double standard exist even in the church? You tell me. I recently read that one pastor requires husbands on Mother’s Day to beg their wives’ forgiveness and pledge to stop making foolish mistakes. Of course, no such turnabout comes when it’s time to “celebrate” fathers in June.

Now I’m not here to vilify women. They deserve praise, honor and encouragement – especially on Mother’s Day. But don’t dads deserve the same treatment?

Countless books line Lifeway and Barnes & Noble shelves about the dire straits of fatherlessness in America. But there are rays of light breaking through the darkness. The Department of Health and Human Services reports that fathers are now spending more time raising their children and that they play a critical role in helping their sons and daughters in the following areas:

· Developing intellectually and achieving educational milestones;

· Saying no to drugs and illegal activity;

· Avoiding teen pregnancy;

· Feeling more secure and confident emotionally;

· Increasing their self-esteem.

In defense of pastors who are often hard-pressed to find new inspiration before every Father’s Day, the sacred Scriptures are not exactly stacked with success stories of heroic dads. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David and on down the line – great leaders in many ways, but often not the best models of fatherhood.

My recommendation: go to Luke 15 and inspire men with the Parable of the Prodigal (Extravagant) Son. If you read it with fresh eyes, you might find that it’s really about the Extravagant Father—our heavenly Father—who loves and forgives unconditionally.

Now there’s strength all of us dads can rely on as we model God’s love for our kids.

I’d love to hear how your church has honored – or dishonored – dads in the past and what it plans to do this year. Maybe we just need to share some positive ideas!

For great resources and ideas on how to truly honor your men this Father’s Day, check out CTA’s options.

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814 Ideas to Impact the Celebration of Mother’s Day (give or take 800)!

Tim Wesemann — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 14:41:07 +0000

As you plan your celebration for Mother’s Day, here are some ideas to consider …

Children might enjoy handing out your congregational gifts on Mother’s Day (and there’s no doubt the women will enjoy receiving it from a child).
If you’re associated with a pre-school or Mother’s Day Out ministry, order additional gifts for moms who are from your community but not affiliated with your church.
Will Mother’s Day recognition gifts stretch your church budget? Invite a men’s group to purchase them for the ladies. In turn, might a woman’s group be interested in sponsoring gifts for Father’s Day?
Suggest Sunday School children write a note or draw a picture to include with the Mother’s Day gifts.
Have you included gifts for women who are homebound or in assisted living situations?
Does your church partner with an area crisis pregnancy center? CTA gifts with a Christ-centered message might truly bless those moms-to-be.
Pastors, are you using the gift’s theme and Scripture reference as a title and text for your Mother’s Day message?
If ordering Be Blessed mugs, purchase extra to keep in your church’s kitchen or staff work room.
The CTA gifts for women (and men) can be used year-round for hospitality or evangelism visits.
Have you considered using the product’s theme for your women’s retreat?
Is this the opportune moment to recognize the support ministry of your pastor’s spouse with a special gift?
Have you considered coordinating your sanctuary’s Mother’s Day decorations with the colors of the gifts?
Have gifts been mailed to women away serving in the military or given to family members to share upon their return?

What ways have you used (or will use) to make an impact as your celebrate Mother’s Day?

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