A Father’s Heart Turned toward His Children
Many fathers want to lead their families spiritually but feel unsure how to do so without becoming authoritarian, absent, or hypocritical. They desire to love their children well, point them to Christ, and leave a lasting legacy of faith, yet often wonder what faithful leadership looks like in everyday life. In this session, Matthew explores Malachi 4:5–6 and the call for fathers to turn their hearts toward their children—leading through love, presence, gentleness, and example, and pursuing the deeper work of winning their children’s hearts.
Matthew McDill and his wife, Dana, live in North Carolina with the youngest four of their nine children. Of those who have left home, the four oldest are married. They have been homeschooling for 25 years and have served together on the North Carolinians for Home Education (NCHE) board for more than a decade. For the past six years, Matthew has served as NCHE’s executive director. Together, Matthew and Dana enjoy mentoring young parents and speaking on topics related to following Christ, discipleship, parenting, and homeschooling.
