Pastor Mark Driscoll is facing backlash online after saying that men who are stay-at-home dads are living in sin.
“If you are a man who is able to work and refuse to, you are worse than an unbeliever,” Driscoll wrote on X, alongside a video of him preaching on the subject. “You need to repent, find a job, get to work, and support your family.”
Many responded to his post with criticism.
“I don’t remember the Bible saying that having a job requirement of salvation,” one X user replied. “Maybe I missed that part.”
"Eternal life is not imparted to a man based on his job profile. Please, preach the Gospel. Who has the Son, has eternal life," another replied.
Another added: "I do not agree. Nobody knows the best way for you to live your life but you. You are not in sin for doing what's best for your family."
Others took a different view. "Being able to provide is actually a huge positive feeling about being a husband and father. Even outside of what the Bible says," one person wrote in reply.
Recent data from Pew Research shows that there are more stay-at-home days in America than ever before. In fact, the number of stay-at-home dads in the country has skyrocketed from 11% in 1989 to 18% in 2023.
The reasons mothers and fathers give for not working for pay differ significantly. Nearly 80% of moms said they choose to stay at home to take care of their family and the home. Only 23% of dads said the same.
About one-third of stay-at-home dads, or 34%, said they were not working due to illness or disability, down from 56% in 1989.