With Father’s Day approaching, we have an opportunity to push back against the cultural storyline that treats dads as accessories. Fatherhood is not a casual role for the mildly interested; it is a God-ordained calling that secures the identity of a home and, by extension, the vitality of a republic. Strong fathers cultivate citizens who are resilient, just, and free. Jesus underscored that truth in the parable we know as “the prodigal son.” The story is less a chronicle of youthful rebellion than a portrait of a father committed to presence, provision, and perseverance — qualities every household still needs.

Yet the national trajectory has been moving in the opposite direction. The U.S. Census Bureau reports nearly one in four children lives apart from their biological father. Social science is unambiguous: father-absence magnifies risk. A child without a dad is five times more likely to experience poverty, nine times more likely to drop out of school, and far likelier to battle identity confusion — including the sexual disorientation surging among adolescents. The Centers for Disease Control links fatherlessness to higher incarceration rates, earlier sexual activity, and increased teen-pregnancy numbers. Academic setbacks multiply, and mental health suffers.

Thankfully, the opposite is equally clear. Long-term studies from the University of Michigan, Pew Research, and the National Institutes of Health converge on one conclusion: when fathers are both physically present and spiritually engaged, families thrive. Marriages grow sturdier, substance abuse plummets, academic achievement rises, and the next generation inherits a durable faith and a stronger sense of purpose. Secular sociology, it seems, is finally catching up with Scripture — fathers matter, and they matter a lot.

Dads — and granddads — hear this: it is never too late to up your game. The father in Jesus’s parable put bread on the table and wisdom in his children’s souls; we can do the same, but only if we are both present and prepared. To help, Family Research Council is launching the Twenty-One-Day Family Bible Challenge from June 11 through July 2. In roughly 15 minutes a day, your family can read a designated passage each day, use a weekend discussion guide to spark conversation, and reinforce lessons with age-indexed activity sheets — including coloring pages for the little ones. We’ve set the table; fathers, all you have to do is serve.

Some may wonder why the head of a public policy organization is talking about Bible reading on a political broadcast. My answer is straightforward: the data demands it. Families that worship and study together experience markedly lower rates of crime, drug abuse, depression, and suicide attempts. Strengthening the spiritual life of the home is not merely a theological priority; it is a proven public health strategy and an indispensable pillar of national stability.

So as Father’s Day approaches, let’s reject the myth of the dispensable dad. America needs men who understand their purpose, love sacrificially, and lead spiritually. Accept the challenge — open the Scriptures, pray aloud, ask questions, and model faith in action. When fathers step up, families heal, communities fortify, and the republic we cherish gains its best chance to flourish for generations to come.