Dr. James Dobson: A Courageous Advocate for Families

Nearly 50 years ago I was part of a group of leaders who met in Washington, D.C. to hammer out some biblical stances on current issues that affected families in America. The topic of abortion came up; it was only a few years since the U.S. Supreme Court had legalized abortion, and at that time many churches and organizations were still coming to grips with how the Bible addressed the topic.

Some of the leaders advocated a soft stance on the issue, and then I was startled by one man who stood up and said if we were going to cave in on abortion, he was leaving the meeting. “Life is life, and I want to protect it,” he said.

“That guy’s got some convictions,” I thought. “He’s got a backbone.” And I agreed with him.

That was my introduction to Dr. James Dobson. This was at the beginning of his public ministry with the organization he founded, Focus on the Family. He went on to build a ministry that encompassed a far-reaching radio program, books, magazines, and much more. 

James Dobson graduated to heaven last week at the age of 89, leaving behind his wife of 64 years, Shirley, as well as two children and two grandchildren. He was one of the most influential Christians of the last few decades, a man God used to change countless lives and families.

One way God used Dr. Dobson was to help married couples and parents learn and apply biblical blueprints for the family. That was always the first priority at Focus on the Family; his radio program featured countless Christian writers and communicators, and he helped a generation of parents raise their children. I will always be grateful for the boost he gave to my own career when he interviewed me for the first book Barbara and I wrote, Building Your Mate’s Self-Esteem. (Focus on the Family replayed that broadcast at least a half dozen times in the years that followed.)

When Franklin Graham paid tribute last week to James Dobson, it was fascinating to see how his audience responded with stories of how God had used Dobson and Focus on the Family in their lives. For example:

“I would sit in my car waiting for our elementary children after school in the 80’s. I would listen to Focus on the Family each day and just be so encouraged and informed listening to Dr. Dobson.”

“Listening to a cassette tape by Dr. James Dobson 40 years ago brought me to surrender my life to Christ.”

“I went through a situation at work that was constantly trying to my soul. I worked third shift. One night on the way to work I heard Dr. Dobson on the radio. He seemed to be speaking to me as he reached out to someone going through a situation like mine. It gave me courage. After that I would listen each night. I believe God sent me strength through him.”

“Dr. Dobson greatly influenced my husband and I as a young couple wanting to be godly parents. His faithfulness to teach and live a life of sharing godly wisdom throughout the years has made a mighty difference!”

A second way God used James Dobson was as a courageous advocate for biblical family values in our culture. During his years of ministry, America went through a cultural upheaval on topics such as sexual permissiveness, divorce and cohabitation, homosexuality and gay marriage, gender roles, abortion, pornography, and much more. Dobson became a leading voice of biblical values and he bravely challenged a culture that was relentlessly battering and destroying marriages and families.

All this put him in conflict with the media and with political or religious leaders who opposed him. So it’s not surprising that, since his death, you’ll find many online articles and commentaries that speak of how “controversial” Dobson was. That’s the price he paid for standing up for biblical values on controversial issues in those years when so many evangelical leaders muted their voices. You might not agree with everything Dobson said, but you can’t deny his courage. He didn’t cave in to fear, but gave his voice to his beliefs.

I have some great memories of James Dobson that I share in my recent Youtube video, “Remembering Dr. James Dobson.” I hope you’ll watch it on our Youtube channel, and remember the Dobson family in your prayers. We lost a true hero of the faith last week, and I will miss him.