Archive for February, 2009

Voddie Baucham’s latest book, What He Must Be . . . If He Wants to Marry My Daughter, is now available. Hear Voddie’s passion for raising godly men and women in the following excerpt from Chapter 1:

I am convinced that one of the most crucial questions I face is, whom should my daughter marry? Notice I did not say, will but should. Far too often we think about the marriages of our children like pagan mystics. We close our eyes real hard and just hope against hope that the stars will align and the right man will come along. I think this is a mistake. The issue of whom our daughters will marry is far too important to be approached in this unbiblical fashion.

I believe God has spoken rather decisively in his Word about what our daughters should look for. Moreover, I believe there are some non-negotiables that our daughters must be looking for. There are some things a man simply must be before he is qualified to assume the role of a Christian husband. For instance, he must be a Christian (2 Corinthians 6:14); he must be committed to biblical headship (Ephesians 5:23ff.); he must welcome children (Psalm 127:3–5); he must be a suitable priest (Joshua 24:15), prophet (Ephesians 6:4), protector (Nehemiah 4:13–14), and provider (1 Timothy 5:8; Titus 2:5). A man who does not possess—or at least show strong signs of—these and other basic characteristics does not meet the basic job description laid down for husbands in the Bible.

Moreover, as a father, it is my responsibility to teach my daughter what these requirements are, encourage her not to settle for less, and walk with her through the process of evaluating potential suitors. Of course, these ideas may come as a shock to many in contemporary Christian circles (not to mention society at large). However, I have found that there is a growing discontentment among young women today. They are tired of being thrown to the wolves. They are also tired of feeling like they have to settle for less than God’s best. My question is, why should they?

I am not talking about setting an unreasonable standard. In fact, if you think the aforementioned list is unreasonable, I recommend you look at it again. We’re not talking about requiring a man to be six feet tall or have a six-figure income, a college degree, or a two-car garage. We’re talking basic, biblical requirements. And if we desire to see God’s favor in generations to come, we had better be committed to upholding his standards when it comes to “giving [our] daughters in marriage” (Jeremiah 29:6).

Read the rest of the first chapter entitled  “Multigenerational Vision”.

About the Author:

VODDIE BAUCHAM JR. is the preaching pastor of Grace Family Baptist Church in Spring, Texas. Author of Family Driven Faith and What He Must Be . . . If He Wants to Marry My Daughter, Baucham and his wife, Bridget, live in Texas with their five children.