But for those of us in Christ, the grace of God is greater than the guilt of parenting. “No matter how hard you try to be a good parent,” Gaffigan writes, “you always know deep down that you could do more” (26). Gaffigan recounts many ways parents feel guilty because they don’t live up to the lofty expectations of others (and often themselves): when he travels when he doesn’t spend enough time with his kids when he spends too much time with his kids as he should be doing something else. Second, Dad Is Fat portrays the nagging parenting guilt experienced by many moms and dads. As churches minister to families, then, we must find ways to highlight the countercultural glory of children. As birth rates drop, many see children as a luxury item to enjoy only if they don’t disrupt personal pursuits. Whether it’s through the comments of people about how many children he has (“Don’t you know what’s causing that?”) or the reactions of onlookers as they hustle their horde of kids onto a packed subway train, Gaffigan repeatedly reveals how contemporary culture sees children as strange.

First, Dad Is Fat highlights the cultural oddity of kids. Several themes shaping Gaffigan’s portrayal of American families can frame an appraisal of evangelical family ministry. Though Gaffigan is a nominal Catholic, and the work contains some vulgarity in both word choice and subject matter, Dad Is Fat offers a window into the common American family experience that can help evangelicals evaluate their ministry to families. And this account could even help evangelical churches love and serve this culturally endangered species. Gaffigan provides a humorous (and at times humiliating) inside look at married life with young children. Have you ever wondered what parents in your church are thinking as they experience the joys and trials of raising young kids? In the fast and funny book Dad Is Fat, well-known comedian Jim Gaffigan offers that insight as he recounts the ups and downs and the ins and outs of raising five kids in a two-bedroom, walk-up apartment in New York City.

Jim gaffigan fat