Summary
of Church of the Fatherless: A Ministry
Model for Society’s Most Pressing Problem by Mark E. Strong. Downers Grove,
IL: Intervarsity, pp. 183., $15.00, paper.
In defining the problem his book seeks to explore and find
answers to, Mark E. Strong states, “Gone are the days when it was ‘normal’ for
a child to grow up with both parents in the home . . . a figment of an
imagination rooted in antiquity” (10). This is a growing pattern and many
people continue to deal with the “issues inherent in fatherlessness” (11). Yes,
while a father may be present, he may still lack the skills necessary to be a
competent father (of which Strong names: the right temperament, an ability to
teach about life and God, to equip children to function effectively in society,
to discipline in a way that doesn’t destroy the child, to live in an exemplary
way, and to have a strong marriage). The church, as “God’s redemptive agent in
the community,” must respond to this issue. Strong sets forth three goals in
his book, which I attempt to reflect as I summarize its material: (1) to help
pastors/leaders gain a deeper understanding of the issues surrounding
fatherlessness, (2) to share practical ways a ministry can serve the
fatherless, and (3) to inspire readers to be a part of God’s answer to fill the
fatherless void (13). It is not an option, but a biblical charge and a mandate
(cf. Ps 68:5; Jas 1:27).
