Are Fathers Necessary?

Joel Balin
Jun 17
4 min read

I suppose it was a justifiable reason to be late to our Father’s Day church service.

I was deep in thought and prayer, crafting Father’s Day card messages for our son and son-in-law. I wanted more than a simple “Happy Father’s Day.” I wanted to speak life—to affirm, honor, and remind them just how vital and irreplaceable their role is. Not just as providers or pals—but as fathers.

It may seem obvious to us, but in today’s world, the importance of fatherhood is actually being debated—and, in some cases, denied.

Dennis Prager tackles this crisis in his video, “Are Fathers Necessary?”. He cites major publications casting doubt on fatherhood’s relevance:

The Atlantic ran a piece titled, “Are Fathers Necessary? A paternal contribution may not be as essential as we think.”
Hanna Rosin of New York Magazine wrote, “I’m not sure whether a child needs a father.”
HuffPost went so far as to publish, “Fathers Are Not Needed.”

That’s not just bad sociology. It’s a spiritual deception.

Prager responds with what we know in our gut, what we see in our world, and what Scripture affirms again and again: Fathers are absolutely necessary.

Boys and girls both need fathers—not perfect ones, but present ones.

Our role as fathers isn’t just cultural—it’s spiritual. Fatherhood was God’s idea from the beginning. Earthly fathers were meant to be living reflections of God the Father, revealing His heart, His care, and His character.

No book affirms the centrality of fatherhood more clearly than the Bible. From Genesis to Revelation, we see the design and desire of God to relate to His people as Father. Not just as King or Judge or Creator—but Abba.

God chose to reveal Himself as a Father through his Son, Jesus, who even taught us to pray, “Our Father who art in heaven…”

It wasn’t just comforting. It was revolutionary.

The Jewish leaders tried to kill Jesus for saying God was His Father (John 5:18). Why? Because to call God “Father” was to claim closeness, identity, and shared nature. It was intimate, powerful—and offensive to a culture bound in legalism.

But fatherhood has always been at the heart of God’s redemptive story.

The final words of the Old Testament don’t warn of economic collapse or political turmoil—they speak of a relational rupture that must be healed:

“He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers—or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction.”—Malachi 4:6

It’s not just poetic. It’s prophetic. Fatherhood is a spiritual gatekeeper to blessing or brokenness.

And the brokenness is real. Today, up to 63% of children in America live without a father in the home, depending on ethnicity. Fatherlessness has been linked to higher rates of poverty, emotional distress, incarceration, academic struggles, and severe behavioral issues. This is more than a personal tragedy—it’s a spiritual and cultural crisis.

Four hundred years after Malachi wrote about fatherhood, John the Baptist—called the “Elijah to come”—picked up that same message, preparing the way for Jesus by calling people back to the Father. And when Jesus came, He did more than teach or heal—He reintroduced us to the Father we’d forgotten.

This is the ache in every human heart. And this is the very gap the enemy targets.

Satan’s strategy is clear: Wound the image of the Father so we reject the reality of the Father. No wonder fatherlessness is at the root of so many social, emotional, and spiritual crises.

In Islam, there is no concept of God as Father. No wonder revival is breaking out in places like Iran through dreams and encounters with Jesus—the Son who reveals the Father.

Fatherhood isn’t just biological. It’s spiritual. The apostle Paul said:

“Even if you had ten thousand teachers in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.”—1 Corinthians 4:15

That kind of spiritual fatherhood is desperately needed today.

In the abortion crisis, we see another example of fatherhood’s impact. Studies show that in 80% of cases where the father wants the baby, the pregnancy is carried to term. But if only the mother wants the child, the survival rate drops to 17%.

Fathers matter.

And whether you’re a biological dad, a mentor, a coach, or simply a godly man willing to stand in the gap—you can father a generation.

Let’s turn our hearts back to the children. Let’s reflect the heart of our heavenly Father. Let’s father the fatherless—because fatherhood is not optional. It’s essential.

What Can We Do?

Turn Your Heart First
“He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children…” (Malachi 4:6).
Revival in the family starts with the father’s heart moving first.
Reveal the Father through Jesus "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” (John 14:9) Jesus is the exact representation of the Father—our lives should reflect Him too.
Be a Spiritual Father “You may have many teachers, but not many fathers…” (1 Corinthians 4:15) Raise up others in the faith. Adoption isn’t just legal—it’s spiritual.
Pray Like a Son “Our Father in heaven…” (Matthew 6:9) Don’t relate to God like a stranger. Approach Him like a son or daughter.
Stand Against the Attack on Fatherhood “Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” (Psalm 82:4) “I looked for someone to stand up for me against all this…to take a stand for me and stand in the gap.” (Ezekiel 22:30)