Fathers & faith Ahead of Father’s Day this month, Andy Frost looks at the important role fathers play and encourages fellow dads to make the most of the opportunities they have with their children.
I
t was a blustery November evening as I stood in the quiet intensive care unit with close family. My dad’s breathing slowed, surrounded by complex machines and cables, until he breathed his last and passed into eternity. All the technical apparatus that surrounded his bed could not maintain his earthly existence. His spirit had left... his empty body was now motionless... he had gone. He was 57 years old. In my dad’s last weeks on earth, as he battled cancer, he lived with the reality of death. It was almost as if he was in a departure lounge between this life and the full newness of life to come. During this time of soul-searching, I had the privilege that not all of us do, of talking with him and reflecting on his life. I had the opportunity to say goodbye. My dad had achieved great things in his years of ministry and he had some great stories to tell. He had led
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churches and written books. He had pioneered massive touring productions from which Cliff Richard’s Millennium Prayer reached number one in the charts. He had held massive televised services making the ITV News at Ten, with the likes of Princess Diana. He had travelled the globe speaking at prestigious conferences to thousands of people. And yet one thing I will never forget in those final conversations was what he described as his greatest pride. It was not the platforms he had preached from or the accolades he had received… but his greatest pride was raising me and my brother.
I always knew that my dad loved me…He made time to make memories…
It’s funny how the reality of the brevity of life helps us verbalise what is most important. Each day as I wake up and glance at my phone there are a barrage of messages and notifications vying for my attention. Thanks to the rise of the smartphone, we can all live busier and more distracted lives than ever and we can lose track of what is most important in life. Father’s Day is a poignant day for me. Each year on Father’s Day, I do two things. Firstly, I give thanks for my dad. Now it’s important to note that he was not perfect. I have memories of sitting in the car outside his office as he needed just “five more minutes” that would often morph into an hour. There were times when he put public ministry ahead of family. And there were times in my teenage years when our relationship was anything but harmonious. But despite his shortcomings, I always
