Supernatural Fathers

Ancient wisdom for a Spirit-filled life today
What if the ordinary Catholic life is meant to be far more alive, holy, and powerful than you’ve dared to imagine? In Supernatural Fathers, Patrick Reis gathers the early Church Fathers as living mentors to show that life in the Holy Spirit—His gifts, His power, His presence—is not an optional upgrade. It’s the original operating system of the Church.

Drawing on years of researching, studying, and praying with teachings of the Fathers, Patrick Reis unveils an older “normal”: a faith that expects God to act—through Word and power together—rooted in Scripture, tested by tradition, and ordered by the Church’s wisdom.

Inside, you’ll learn:

To read Scripture with the Fathers and recover a faith that expects the Gospel message to be confirmed with supernatural signs.
To grow in Personal Transformation: renewing your mind, healing the heart, and yielding to the Holy Spirit to conform us to the image of Jesus through the wisdom and pathways the Fathers provide.
To take faith-filled risks through Spirit-Led Boldness and make Jesus known in the world around you as modeled by the Fathers.
To receive ancient wisdom for a life of Prophetic Encouragement that builds up, strengthens and consoles in love the world around you.
To build a sacramental-charismatic worldview in which the gifts and charisms of the Holy Spirit are the ordinary Catholic norm of discipleship: ancient, integral, and time-tested, not a novelty.
As you read and pray, expect:
A renewed mind, a steadied and emboldened heart, a deeper love for Jesus and His Church, a clearer discernment, and a greater faith for the exercise of spiritual gifts in your vocation and sphere of influence. The Fathers will help you welcome the Holy Spirit more fully—so that your life becomes a living testimony that the Gospel is power, here and now.

Patrick Reis (B.A. Franciscan University; M.A. Holy Apostles College and Seminary) is the Co-founder and Executive Director of Encounter Ministries and has a passion and drive to see Catholics empowered to walk in the power and love of the Holy Spirit. Patrick leads the Encounter School of Ministry and was featured in the groundbreaking "Fearless" and "Revive" documentaries. He and his wife Emily have six children and reside in Brighton, MI.

Supernatural Fathers by Patrick Reis is a Christian non-fiction book that explores the idea that ordinary dads are called to live with extraordinary, even “supernatural,” power through the Holy Spirit. Reis writes mainly for men, especially fathers, who feel the weight of their responsibilities at home and in a culture that often either sidelines fatherhood or portrays it as weak and ineffective. His core message is that fatherhood is not just a social role or a biological fact; it is a spiritual calling. A father is meant to reflect God the Father to his children and to the world, not by perfection or control, but by living a life deeply rooted in God’s presence, healing, and authority. Through stories, teaching, and reflection, the book invites men to move from passive, distracted, or wounded fatherhood into active, faith-filled leadership that brings blessing, protection, and spiritual breakthrough to their families.

Reis begins by looking honestly at the crisis of fatherhood in modern society. Many families are marked by absent dads, emotionally detached dads, or men who are physically present but spiritually asleep. He suggests that this brokenness has deep consequences: children struggle with identity, families lack stability, and faith is often not passed on well from one generation to the next. He connects this to his own experiences and to the stories of men he has worked with in ministry, showing how many fathers carry hidden shame, disappointment, or a sense of failure. Instead of shaming them further, he argues that the answer is not more pressure or self-help, but a new kind of dependence on God. A “supernatural father” is not a flawless hero but a man who lets God work through his weakness, who says yes to grace and allows the Holy Spirit to transform his heart.

A central theme of the book is identity. Reis points out that many men try to define themselves by work, success, sports, sexual conquest, or the approval of others. These identities are fragile and easily threatened. He insists that a father’s true identity must be rooted in being a son of God first. Before a man can be a good father, he needs to receive the love and affirmation of the heavenly Father. The book often returns to this point: you cannot give what you have never received. If a man has never allowed God to heal his wounds, speak truth into his life, and claim him as beloved, he will struggle to love his children freely and consistently. Reis encourages dads to spend time in prayer, Scripture, and honest reflection, letting God redefine who they are. In doing this, fatherhood becomes a fruit of a deeper relationship, not just a duty that must be carried out on sheer willpower.

Reis also speaks about spiritual authority, a concept that might sound heavy but that he presents in a practical, accessible way. A “supernatural father” is someone who recognizes that what happens in his family is not only psychological or emotional, but also spiritual. He believes that fathers have a role in standing guard over their homes, praying for protection, blessing, and freedom from destructive influences. This does not mean controlling family members or being harsh; instead, it means quietly but firmly claiming God’s truth and peace over the household. Reis describes fathers as “priests” of their domestic church—men who intercede, worship, and lead by example. He urges dads to bless their children verbally, to pray over their marriages, and to resist patterns of sin and despair by inviting God into every part of daily life.

Another important thread in the book is healing of generational wounds. Many men grew up with fathers who were distant, abusive, alcoholic, overly critical, or simply emotionally unavailable. Reis acknowledges how deep those wounds can run and how they often get passed down, even when a man swears he will “never be like his dad.” He explains that patterns such as anger, addiction, pornography, infidelity, and emotional withdrawal often have spiritual roots as well as psychological ones. Becoming a supernatural father means allowing God to break these patterns. Reis invites readers to confront their past honestly, to forgive where needed, to repent where they have repeated harmful behaviors, and to trust that God can write a new story with them. The hope of the book lies here: that a man’s history does not have to determine his children’s future.

Throughout “Supernatural Fathers,” Reis emphasizes practical, everyday expressions of supernatural fatherhood. He is not talking about dramatic miracles or grand gestures; he is talking about small, faithful acts done with God’s help. Listening to your child with full attention, apologizing when you lose your temper, showing affection, speaking words of encouragement, participating in family prayer, modeling integrity at work and home—these are presented as supernatural when they flow from God’s grace and not just from human effort. Reis reminds fathers that the Holy Spirit is present in the ordinary routines: breakfasts, car rides, homework, bedtime stories. He urges men to invite God into these moments, turning simple interactions into opportunities for love, formation, and spiritual growth.

The book also addresses the relationship between husbands and wives, because Reis sees the marital bond as central to the family’s spiritual atmosphere. A supernatural father is also called to be a supernatural husband: someone who serves, honors, and protects his wife, who seeks unity rather than dominance, and who works through conflict with faith and humility. Reis argues that children are deeply affected by how their parents relate, and that one of the most powerful gifts a father can give his kids is a loving, faithful marriage. He encourages men to pray with and for their wives, to pursue deeper emotional intimacy, and to stand together against challenges rather than letting division grow. Again, the emphasis is on God’s grace enabling what might otherwise feel impossible.

Reis does not pretend this journey is easy. He acknowledges resistance: pride, fear, distraction, busyness, and the pull of old habits. He talks about spiritual warfare—the sense that when a man starts to lead spiritually, he may face new temptations or setbacks. But he insists that God is stronger than any opposition and that fathers are not meant to fight alone. The book frequently points to community: brotherhood with other men, involvement in church, and accountability relationships. A supernatural father, in his view, is not a lone warrior but part of a larger body, receiving encouragement and challenge from others who share the same call.

By the end of Supernatural Fathers, Reis wants readers to see fatherhood not as a burden they are failing to carry, but as a mission they can embrace with hope. He paints a picture of families where fathers are emotionally present, spiritually engaged, and courageously loving, even when imperfect. Children growing up in such homes, he suggests, have a much clearer sense of their own identity and of God’s love. The book closes with a tone of invitation rather than condemnation: wherever a man is starting from—angry, ashamed, apathetic, or already trying his best—God can take his “yes” and turn him into a father who lives and loves with supernatural strength.