Sharing the learnings from his late father, who reflected the character of God to him, Christian singer Michael W. Smith called for the Church to "rise up" as "surrogate fathers" to the fatherless.
Speaking to The Christian Post, Smith said that thousands of young people today need "surrogate dads" and it is the responsibility of the Church to step in to fill the role.
"We need a lot of surrogate dads. We have thousands of young men who need mentors, and I don't think that's the government's job. I think it's the Church's job to mentor," he said.
"It's a crisis that we need to wake up to, realize that we've got to be a part of the solution, and we have the tools to be a solution and help. Let the Church rise up, and I'm pointing the finger right at me too," he further stressed.
The singer uncovered that he learned about the character of God through his father.
"He was there for me my whole life. He loved me. He had so many attributes of God, and his glass was always half full. He was upbeat, he smiled and laughed every day. He fed the homeless, and he loved my mom well," he added.
He disclosed that his father, Paul Smith, was very proud of him. He shared about an incident wherein his father had an accident, and while Paul was on a stretcher to be transported to the hospital, he told the paramedics that Michael was his son.
Afterwards, he revealed that God spoke to him.
"That's how I feel about you," God said.
"It took my breath away. It was an epiphany moment for me. I have told that story at many concerts at the end of the night, equating that with the love of God," Smith stated.
He pointed out that many people cannot relate to God as a friend because of how He is being portrayed in the churches, as well as due to their experiences with their abusive fathers.
The singer also highlighted that a person will not be able to reach his full destiny until he knows that he is loved, adding that understanding the enormity of God's love will lead to an individual to respond through obedience.
To support this movement, Smith founded the Rocketown of Middle Tennessee, an outreach group that ministers to the youth through the love of Christ. Since its establishment in 1994, the organization has already served over 1 million young people in Nashville through various programs and activities.
For children to grow in the love of the Lord, the artist advised the parents to love their kids as Jesus does, communicate with them and apologize when they make mistakes. He said that trials are inevitable but parents should stay consistent and pray for the protection of their children.
Smith shared about the life and inspiring character of his father through his new book, "The Way of the Father: Lessons from My Dad, Truths about God."
The singer also announced that he is set to re-release his highest-selling album, "Worship," on Sept. 11. The album includes his new song, "Sing Again," which speaks about hope during this pandemic.
"Keepers of the light is hope, and that's the Church. We have this thing where we're keepers of the hope of Christ that the world desperately needs to hear about. That's what the song's about," Smith stated.
