Fathering the Fatherless by Todd Johnson

There are two kinds of fatherlessness. The first kind is where the father is never known to the child. The second, the father lives in the same home as the child but is emotionally unavailable and often physical absent too. Both of these have adverse effects on the child. Children need a special kind of love and nurturing from their father. There is some security that comes from having a father, especially in the formative years. Children cannot understand why other children have their fathers but they do not. 

Todd Johnson tells a very intimate and personal story about his childhood. He grew up in a single parent home. He talks of the struggles he went through as a result of not having that special father figure in his life. He outlines all the choices he made as a result of his home situation. He talks about how that situation shaped the man he is today and the father he is today.

The most important thing in this book is the role of God in a single parent home. One can ask God to fill that void left behind by an absentee father. A fatherless child/person can find the love and care they need from God. It urges on the importance of God –lead fatherhood. 

This book is centered on a very important subject. Fatherless homes are very common not only in America but on a global scale. In fact, the book starts with some very interesting numbers. Numbers never lie. They indicate the percentage of children affected by lack of a father or having an emotionally unavailable father. The numbers give the book a serious tone. One will understand the true weight of this subject. 

Fathering the Fatherless makes proper use of scripture. It conveys the message God has about fatherhood. One will have a better understanding of their role once they have read through the verses given. He will understand that being a father has nothing to do with DNA but everything to do with nurturing, caring and loving. That, the kind of father one has great potential to shape character and identity. 

The author is obviously very passionate about the subject. It is a personal endeavor. However, the weak delivery of the matter deters proper message conveyance. There are many broken statements and grammar mistakes. The prose does not flow. It does not keep the reader interested and attentive. 

At some point, the author just strings together verses from the Bible and at times repeats verses. His personal story is also a little bit incomplete. The fact is that this book is way too short for such an important subject. If rewritten it could really start a discussion.

The only way to gain something from this book is to move away from the quality of writing and grammar. One should only pay attention to the intended message. Only then can one gain insight into what fatherlessness really is. That said, the subject matter is important. Author just needs a little help communicating better. It gets two stars out of five for addressing an important issue