Recently I was introduced to one of the most contagious pastors I’ve ever met. Pastor Alex Hardy, is the pastor of New Dimension Worship Center in Frederick Maryland and he asked if I would come to their Father/Son Summit to minister to the boys in attendance. Although he was targeting the men of his community through various sessions, it was his desire that the boys would also be challenged in their walk as sons and as future men in the community.

I was encouraged from the very beginning of the summit when Pastor Hardy challenged the men to be strong leaders in their family, especially spiritual leaders. He stressed the importance of raising Godly sons and that their community will only change through men that follow after God.

The topic I chose to share with the boys that day was obedience. It seems that obedience to both God and parents is the foundation for strong relationships and I was led to share this with the boys. We discussed the importance of being obedient and that God commands it. If we know we are to be obedient to God then it follows that we must be obedient to our parents. Ephesian 6:1-3 says, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother‚Äîwhich is the first commandment with a promise‚Äî that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.‚Äù

Everything that day revolved around obedience. As the day progressed we made a few gifts for the fathers as well as reinforcing our topic with some fun games.

It was a blessing to see a pastor that desires to turn his community around by reaching the spiritual leaders of the home first. May God continue to work in the lives of the men that attended and may they influence many other men who will turn their hearts to Jesus.