This is Dr. James C. Dobson, the founder of the conservative Christian ministry “Focus on the Family.” I remember as a young Christian listening to his radio programs and being challenged to think practically regarding life’s issues with a biblical point of view. He introduced to me many issues that initially seemed insignificant, but now I can see how they are dominating our culture today. He passed away at the age of 89 on August 21, 2025. He was a child psychologist who became an influential figure in American evangelicalism and also in politics. He was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, in 1936. As the son, grandson, and great-grandson of Nazarene evangelists, he was raised in the Nazarene faith and attended Pasadena College, a Nazarene religious institution. While he did not feel called to be a minister like his father, he pursued a career in psychology, earning a Ph.D. in child development from the University of Southern California in 1967.

In 1977, Dr. Dobson launched a radio show on parenting, which evolved into the Focus on the Family ministry. The organization grew to be one of the largest evangelical organizations globally, broadcasting in 27 languages across 160 countries. The ministry’s work was dedicated to “strengthening marriages, guiding parents and defending biblical values.” He has also authored over 70 books, including the well-known “Dare to Discipline.” He left Focus on the Family in 2010 and founded the Dr. James Dobson Family Institute, and continued his radio program, Family Talk with Dr. James Dobson.

Here is Dr. Dobson sharing his testimony as he talks about how his father influenced Christian faith to him:

In my opinion, Dr. Dobson and Focus on the Family’s work had an influential impact on many people, particularly politically conservative Christians in America. The ministry provided advice on parenting from a conservative Christian perspective and became a platform for social policy campaigns and mobilizing evangelical voters. Although many Christian leaders shied away from talking about political matters, Dr. Dobson tackled them as best he could from a biblical point of view. Some view his work as a positive force that strengthened families and promoted biblical values, while others have been critical of his parenting strategies. Some people who grew up in households influenced by Dobson’s teachings have spoken about experiencing religious trauma, a lack of boundaries, and difficulty expressing emotions later in life. Nonetheless, his teaching and work became a talking point for many Christians on what it means to be a Christian, godly parents, American citizen, and spiritual leaders in churches.

Dr. Dobson’s influence carried over into politics, as he advised or counseled five U.S. presidents: Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Donald Trump. He was one of the leading figures in shaping evangelical activism around issues of family and morality. He was a staunch opponent of abortion, and in 2022, he praised President Trump for appointing conservative Supreme Court justices who were instrumental in overturning Roe v. Wade. He also campaigned against LGBTQ+ rights and was a vocal opponent of conversion therapy bans, which he viewed as a way to help people who “no longer struggle with homosexuality.” He also advocated for what he referred to as “biblical standpoint” ideas that pushed back against progressive parenting of the 1960s. Although many of his talks were controversial, they made people like me think deeply and critically about the complicated contemporary issues and sort them out from a biblical point of view. Thank you, Dr. Dobson. We will miss you dearly, and may your work continue to bless many more generations to come!