3 Habits Of Highly Successful Husbands And Fathers

Tonight, I have the privilege of visiting the wonderful First Baptist Church Woodstock and teach leadership to over 100 men.  This is being done through Real Momentum.  This is an amazing ministry!  Led by Keith Boggs, Real Momentum offers tailored men’s ministry coaching, local church events and strategic mission partnerships.  They help churches develop an effective disciple making ministry to men with others in mind.

The content will come from my new book Timeless: 10 Enduring Practices Of Apex Leaders (order your copy HERE).  The following are my speaking notes for the 3 Habits Of Highly Successful Husbands And Fathers:

INTRODUCTION 

1. Writing this book was a labor of love.
2. The lessons learned were gained from over 185 posts about the best of the best in their fields.
3. These principles are transferrable.  They will make you a better husband and father.

Part 1 – Apex Leaders Continually Improve // Quiet Times – Prayer – The Word of God

1. The Gift of The Gap – There is a natural gap between where you are and what God has called you to do.
2. Leadership Development vs Leader Development.  Leadership development is gaining the skills, talents and abilities to accomplish a task or assignment given to you by God.  Leader development is becoming the type of man or woman who can accomplish a task or assignment given to you by God.  These are totally different.  Lasting leaders spend equal amounts of time on both.
3. My personal growth plan consists of three areas – Character, Competence, and Creativity.
4. Character is grown through daily quiet times, Bible study, and prayer.
5. “You start every day in the Word.” – my wife Sonya gave me the highest compliment.

• “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” – 2 Timothy 3:16
• “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” – Romans 15:4
• “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” – Joshua 1:8
• “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” – Hebrews 4:12-14
• “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” – Isaiah 40:8
• “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.” – Psalm 1:1-3

Part 2 – Apex Leaders Make Others Better // Servant Leader

1. “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” – Mark 10:45
2. Men with either wash hands or wash feet.  The serve themselves or they serve others.
3. Tell my story of Lenis Black, the Sunday school teacher who changed my life.  You can read that story here.
4. “You give of yourself.  You give of your time.  You give of your resources.” – Sonya to me.

Part 3 – Apex Leaders Are Consistent // “You Are Always There”

1. Talent, skill, money, connections, experience and education are all over-rated.  Consistency and faithfulness are under-rated.
2. Consistency is your platform for greatness.  Focus on consistently serving God, your family and others and He will expand your platform.  When God then brings you the assignment, you can presuppose He has already prepared you for the assignment because you did not seek it out or campaign for it.  Your focus was on consistency and faithfulness.
3. “I didn’t enjoy it when I was a kid but as I look at other people and how disinterested they are in their children’s lives, I’ve come to appreciate that you were always there.” – My daughter Anna
4. “The Dodd family goes to church on Sunday?” – Anna quoting our family mantra
5. Henry Aaron’s home run totals from 1955 to 1974.  27-26-44-30-39-40-45-44-24-32-44-39-29-44-38-47-34-40-20.
6. Consistency is the foundation of your greatness as a Godly man, husband and father.

• “Then the high officials and the satraps sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, but they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him.” – Daniel 6:4
• “When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.” – Daniel 6:10
• “As he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out in a tone of anguish. The king declared to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?” – Daniel 6:20

Mistakes – Emotional IQ.  I often lack empathy and in many ways raise Anna like I would have a boy.

Table Questions – Discussion topics for table discussions after my session.

Continual Improvement

• Do I have a natural rhythm when it comes to prayer and Bible study?
• What does that look like?
• When is the last time I got a fresh word from God and what was it?

Make Others Better

• How do I add value to my wife?  Where can I add value to my wife?
• How do I add value to each of my children?  Where can I add value to each of my children?

Consistency

• Do I keep my word as a husband and father?  Explain.
• Am I consistent in my church attendance?
• Am I consistent in my behaviors, character and walk with Christ?

What is one thing you can take from our time together which will make you a more effective husband and/or father?

Click HERE or on the image to the left and as a free gift for subscribing to this site, you can receive my new Ebook 1269 Leadership Quotes: Timeless Truths From 2016’s Top Christian Leadership Conferences.  Featured are the Johnny Hunt Mens Conference, ReThink Leadership, Orange and Leadercast Conferences among others.  If applied, these insights will make you an exponentially better leader.  Enjoy!!!