Stay At Home Dads

Many young women pursue higher education and careers in today's culture. They find a good paying job, then finally get married. Sometimes, however, the man they married doesn't have as good of a job as she has so they decide that he will stay home with the children so they can have more money with the wife working. 

Mark Driscoll was a well-known pastor for a long time. (Yes, I know he was controversial but this isn't part of the post and he taught many good things. I hate to hear of any Bible-believing church falling apart.) I loved some of his sermon series. I listened to his sermons on Songs of Solomon and after the sermons he would answer questions from the audience.

One question he was asked was what he thoughts about stay at home dads.  He immediately quoted I Timothy 5:8 ~

But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he has denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

He believes there should even be church discipline for any able bodied man who does not work hard and provide for their families, unless they are injured or ill. Here are some quotes from that sermon.

We live in a perverted and stupid culture: hook up, shack up, and break up. Men that act like boys. Do not be conformed to this world! If you aren't providing for your family, you are not a man. Live simply if you have to and do not worry about the status quo.

Moms at home and dads providing for their families produce healthy kids and enduring marriages. The man should be lovingly leading his family, providing and protecting, while the women helps him and is his mate right alongside him. They are equal bearers of God who are different with different roles and tasks.

She is primarily responsible for the home. This safeguards marriages against divorce and is best for children. Women are nurturers and are more keenly aware of their children's needs.

The home must be established according to biblical principles. Nothing in scripture says women should work outside of the home and men stay at home. You need to go to the culture and find worldly wisdom and examples and then try to sanctify women working while men stay at home.

Moms do best at raising their own children.

He then said he couldn't imagine one of their sons going in flip flops to some day care and spending the entire day there. Gracie, his wife, became teary-eyed when he said this. Mark closed in prayer thanking the Lord for his incredible help meet and mother to his children. It was very touching. (I am not sure the series is available anymore.)

We told our sons as they were growing up to prepare to be the only provider for their family even if this meant bagging groceries and finding any other job they could find. Ken helped guide them to get the education they needed to have good jobs and they both do, praise the Lord.

In all toil there is profit, 
but mere talk tends only to poverty.
Proverbs 14:23