Father’s Day can be tricky in children’s ministry. We want to celebrate fathers while being sensitive to kids who come from difficult family situations. It sounds simple enough, but it’s a challenge most of us accidentally overlook.
The Problem with Traditional Father’s Day Lessons
Most Father’s Day lessons follow this pattern: “If you think your earthly dad is good to you, wait until you hear about your Heavenly Father!”
While God is certainly an amazing father, comparing Him to earthly fathers can leave some kids with more questions than answers. There are kids in your group whose dads have left the family, who only show up when they’re angry, or who are forced to visit against their will.
So how do we reach kids from broken homes? How do we explain our amazing Heavenly Father without comparing Him to a disappointing earthly dad?
(And first of all, don’t call their earthly dad “disappointing” in front of them!)
A Better Approach: Take the “Sunday School Shine” Off Biblical Fathers
Here’s an idea that works…
Let’s look at David—one of the Bible’s most famous fathers—but let’s be honest about his whole story.
The Sunday School Version of David:
- David the shepherd defeats Goliath the seasoned soldier
- David goes from caring for sheep to ruling an entire kingdom
- David conquers Jerusalem and brings back the Ark of the Covenant
- David’s name describes where Jesus would be born: “the city of David”
David is no small figure in the Bible. He’s a man almost everyone considers a hero of the faith.
The Real-Life Version of David:
But David had plenty of issues that some kids might recognize from their own homes:
- David had affairs while he was married
- David’s actions hurt people around him—some even died because of his choices
- David left a trail of broken relationships with wives and children
- Several of David’s sons did terrible things that would land them in jail today
Why This Matters
These actions don’t suddenly make David a disappointment—they simply make him human!
All of a sudden, David sounds more like a dad from a complicated family. David becomes more relatable than the perfect Sunday School character he’s often portrayed as.
This honest look at David’s life should tremendously encourage kids showing up for a Father’s Day lesson. The very man listed in Jesus’ family tree—one of the most famous characters in the entire Bible—was a flawed, messed-up human being. He was a dad who was far from perfect.
And yet, God still chose him for greatness.
Not only that, but David’s son Solomon would build Israel’s first permanent temple.
The Pattern Throughout Scripture
If you look through the Bible, many of the most famous characters are deeply flawed. It seems God primarily chooses messed-up people from messed-up places to accomplish the greatest things for His kingdom.
This Father’s Day, Include Everyone
Don’t let anyone feel left out, regardless of their family circumstances.
Talk about the fact that there are probably kids in the room who don’t have a great dad in their life—and that is completely okay.
Having a “perfect family” is not a requirement for God to love them or use them! In fact, God loves using people with complicated family histories.
That’s just the kind of Father He is!
