AGBOR
BY RITA OYIBOKA
IN commemoration of Father’s Day, the resident Pastor, Good News Baptist Church, Agbor, Delta State, Pastor Richard Ijagun has charged fathers to live up to their God-ordained responsibility as heads of their homes.
He made this known, yesterday, during the church’s Father’s Day ceremony with the theme: “A Responsible Father.”
Taking his sermon from 1 Timothy 5:8, Pastor Ijagun reminded the congregation: saying, “But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”
He explained that a man who failed to care for his family cannot claim to be a Christian, no matter how committed he appeared in church.
Outlining 10 signs of a responsible man, Pastor Ijagun painted a picture of what responsible fatherhood should look like in today’s world.
He emphasised that a true man provides for his home without waiting to be begged, hides nothing from his wife, and lives a life worthy of trust, both inside and outside the house.
“A responsible man is not a mystery to his children. They should know him well enough to say, ‘That’s not my father,’ when rumours fly,” he said. “If your wife or child cannot vouch for you, then you have failed in trust.”
The Cleric urged fathers to set examples their children can follow, reminding them that Apostle Paul once said, “Imitate me, as I imitate Christ.”
According to him, a man must not only be dependable at home, but also consistent in character at work, in public, and even in private.
He frowned at the culture of secrecy among some men, saying many families suffer confusion and loss because the father died with all the secrets, bank details, assets, insurance policies, locked away. “That is not wisdom; that is recklessness,” he warned.
Ijagun further called on fathers to be men of their word, to spend quality time with their families, and to live lives that leave lasting legacies of peace, stability, and honour.
The ceremony also featured gift presentations by church members in appreciation of the men’s roles in the family and church.
