An invitation for dads.

Dear Dads,

When I was 22, I entered into my first full time position in ministry as a Youth Pastor. One of the most surprising things I experienced in those first few months was the desperation and concern I heard from parents. I was taken aback by that for two reasons. First, it was a great group of kids, but more importantly, all I had at the time was a dog! I remember thinking,

“If you want advice on potty training, I might be able to help, but that’s about it.”

Fast forward 20 years and those conversations now make complete sense. We all worry about our kids. We wonder if we are doing enough to prepare them for the world. Time seems to speed up after they finish elementary school. If you’ve ever found yourself wondering, “have I been a good father?” you are not alone.

I share all of that so that I might strongly encourage you to join me for our next Guys Nights Out on Friday Night, January 20th.

We will be gathering to have a great dinner together, but more importantly I will be interviewing Shane Trotter who serves as the Strength & Conditioning Coach at Mansfield High School and is the author of the book, Setting the Bar; Preparing Our Kids to Thrive in an Era of Distraction, Dependency, and Entitlement.

I’ve been looking forward to Shane sharing with our men for about six months and the title of his book alone should explain why. Shane and wife Neely recently joined our church along with their two children. From reading his book and the conversations we’ve shared, I believe Shane has a compelling and important vision to share about how to prepare our kids well for the challenges they will face as they continue to grow.

His book does a great job addressing what they need to learn, but also speaks extensively to how we can best help them in their growth.

Have I been a good father?

Are my kids ready?

Have I been faithful?

If you’ve wrestled with those questions, I want you to know that I have as well. I know that being a part of Guys Night Out on January 20th will bless all of us seeking to be faithful in the sacred task we share of raising and empowering the next generation.

To learn more about Shane and his book, visit his website here.

If you have any questions please feel free to email us at info@fmcm.org.

To register for Guys Night Out, go here.

I look forward to seeing you on January 20th!

Pastor David