The word church refers to the family of God. And in that family every human is a child. Not everyone human on earth is a member of God’s family but everyone on earth is a potential member!
Jesus told a story in Luke 15 that shows to us that everyone on earth is either a child in the family of God or a child that that is lost due to rebellion.
You are a child of God. You have access to God as your father. Let’s rejoice in this truth and give our all to prayerfully call all the lost children home!
“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,” John 1:12 ESV
This is a good time to remember that no spiritual leader can ever become father to a church. We have one Heavenly Father.
However, there are situations where we see a person become a father figure to a child of God. They take responsibility for the total well being of the child of God and mentor them spiritually. In this case we can call that person a spiritual father of that individual, like the relationship of Paul and Timothy!
This is true especially when the leader was involved in the salvation process of the newer believer.
“I do not write these things to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. I urge you, then, be imitators of me. That is why I sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church.” 1 Corinthians 4:14-17 ESV
Paul here is encouraging the Corinthian church to understand that he loves them like a father. That they should live fully for God like he does!
You are a child of God! Live fully for Him!