It’s a Plague! The Wound of Fatherhood Abandonment: Expert Says it’s About Being Man Enough to Forgive

There’s a plague running rampant in Western society. But there’s no vaccine, no shot you can take. But it’s the infection causing so many other problems including crime, homelessnes, drug addiction, even suicide. The plague’s name: fatherlessness. More poignantly, it’s fatherhood abandonment. Men walking out on their children and the mothers who bore them, either through divorce or dysfunction. And what’s the root cause? John Smithbaker says it’s men’s inability to forgive. Is it that simple, that forgiveness is the antidote? Forgiveness is the foundation of the Christian Gospel, Jesus dying on a cross to bridge the chasm between loving God and a sinful humanity. But forgiving in relationships is probably the most difficult for humanity to emulate. On this episode of Lighthouse Faith podcast, Smithbaker, the founder of Fathers in the Field, talks about his book, “Man Enough to Forgive,” and why he created his organization: “To help men recapture their divinely assigned roles of pastor, provider and protector in the home as well as the church.”

Chapters:
0:00:00-The Impact of Fatherlessness in Society
0:12:32-The Lies and Consequences of Fatherlessness
0:19:06-Fighting Cultural and Economic Demands
0:30:38-Father Wounds and the Importance of Forgiveness and Masculinity
0:37:43-Healing and Forgiveness for Fatherhood Wounds