Jonathan Brenneman

Are You My Spiritual Father? Jonathan Brenneman

This short book is adapted from a chapter of "I Am Persuaded: Christian Leadership As Taught By Jesus."

Jesus said, "Call no man on earth father, for you all have one Father who is in heaven." Yet Paul called Timothy, Titus, and Onesimus his "sons" and sometimes used "father" language when addressing the churches. Was Paul contradicting Jesus?

Instead of cherry-picking scriptures, adapting extreme views, and reviling anyone who sees differently, we need to get to the heart of the issue. "Spiritual Fathers Or Brothers?" clears up the confusion and helps us to understand the heart of both Paul's teaching and Jesus' teaching. While acknowledging that Christian leaders should share in the father heart of God, it also highlights the unhealthy dynamics that result if we go beyond scripture in our emphasis on "fathering" young disciples.

The reader should have a more complete and balanced perspective by the end of this book, whether or not he fully agrees with the author's conclusions.