If he doesn't want to believe in something, you can't make him.  Do you have any idea how difficult it is to change your beliefs, even if you want to do so?

If you push too hard, you could end up damaging your relationship with your father.  If you truly believe that he's going to go to hell (or whatever) for not believing what you believe, then hadn't you best make the most of your lives together right now?

You could try reading books with him.  Get two copies, and then talk with him about what you've read in the book.

Try anything by Ravi Zacharias, he is the most intelligent christian apologist right now, and it will afford you and your father some good material to discuss God with.  Another good author or book would be Mere Christianity by CS Lewis (it won Chuck Colson over from the doubt side).  Or, anything by Lee Strobel.  Some of his titles are The Case for ___ [Christ, God, the Bible, Creationism, etc].  He used to be a firm atheist, and when he went to discredit Christianity, he was won over, too.

Ultimately, it is always the Holy Spirit that convicts and softens hardened hearts and wins souls, so don't think that it all hinges on what you do.  Just be a loving caring daughter, and let God handle it.  He found a way to win your heart didn't He? (wink)

I used to be an atheist, and used convoluted and confusing philosophical discussions to foil other people's religious arguments. In reality, I was not an atheist due to the convincing philosophies of atheism, but because of my frustrations at how life is.

Your dad may have a different reason for falling away, but nobody can know for sure except for God. Keep praying for God to reveal Himself to your dad. Don't make it your responsibility to "save" your dad. God saves, you don't. Just be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and let yourself be a channel of God's love. Be a good and alert listener when your dad discusses God, religion and life. Maybe he's jaded, maybe he's disappointed. Try to understand his point of view. You don't have to win the arguments, but where appropriate, share what the Bible says on similar issues.

Jesus Christ is a God of wonders and miracles. Anything is possible for Him. So trust God with your dad's salvation. For who better to give this task to than the Lamb of God?

God helps those who help themselves.

While I do trust God in everything, you can't sit back and do nothing and expect God to do what you ask. 
While I trust God will make himself known to my Dad when the time is right, He will do it through other people. 

I have been praying about this situation for about a year, since it became a real issue in family life.  Friends have told me this previously and I have recently been getting the same feelings from my prayers.  I need to let God work THROUGH me. 

But I can't just sit back and do nothing and expect results. 

Thank you to those who have posted books and articles to read. I think my dad will like those :)

First off, chill - don't consider saving your father your duty. Salvation is God's territory.

Second, he respects you and your opinion - that's an excellent starting point. By sharing your faith and perspective you give him something to mull over - seeds.

Thirdly, by loving and respecting him you're more likely to influence him than if you're aggressive in presenting Christ to him.

Finally, prayer for and loving you dad isn't "doing nothing" - they're possibly the best thing you can do.

Sorry this weight is on you. Remember Christ's example - His love and acceptance of others is what caught their hearts, His words were addressed to an already captive audience.

i dont understand why you think yer dad needz to be changed into sumthing of yer design do not underestimate the design of g-d no matter how hard it might be for you to see

My parents are Buddhists, and I have never felt the need to save them. They are good people period who have never forced their religion or any religion upon me, I would not do the same to them.

However, if I felt that losing their religion, or their faith in the world and the meaning of life, meant losing their happiness or even satisfaction with their lives...I'd consider an intervention because I believe that a balance between science (logic) and religion exists, and that one without the other is either "lame" or "blind" as Einstein puts it. If I were in your shoes, I wouldn't press Christianity upon my father. No one returns to something if they are forced. They have to come willingly, and they have to walk all the paths they feel fit to walk, even if that path leads to a belief in nothing. If I were in your shoes, I would leave little reminders around...like a book on the coffee table, a book that may appeal to his logic like "Why Faith Matters" by David J. Wolpe. Bringing him back to faith in God or to a spiritual power, to greater meaning in life, in ourselves, beyond what we can see is, I believe, the first step.

@ThatSady_MittGurl@xanga - As @the2clements@xanga & @Issie have already said God saves us in spite of ourselves; God helps those that help themselves is not in the Bible. (Try to find it. It's not there.)

Instead we find things like:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3.

Come, everyone who thirsts,
come to the waters;
and he who has no money,
come, buy and eat!
Isaiah 55:1

We were dead in sins and transgressions (see Eph. 2:1-10) and weak and powerless (Romans 5:8).

We can do nothing to help or to save ourselves. We bring nothing to our salvation but our sin. We are spiritually bankrupt. Salvation is by grace through faith and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:1-10.

A dead man can't bring himself to life. Only Christ can bring men to life. We share the Gospel message with people, but Christ alone brings life to dead souls. That's what Jesus was talking with Nicodemus about in John 3.

HI, its not you that is going to get your Father to have a relationship with God but the Holy Spirit, The only thing God requires from you is to prayer for him and "remind" God of His promises in His Word.

example-God you say in your word in Act 16:31 Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ you and your family will be saved- so if You say it then I CHOOSE to believe it.

if u can't beat him, join him

Simply, live your own faith so purely that all will see and wonder at it. Francis says this; preach by your life. Love him, pray always for him and ask  ll to do the same. Then commit him to Jesus in your heart. He is free to choose then.  do not polarise him. And Church is not Jesus..He knows truth after all. Blessings and above all peace.

your father is an adult.  he can believe whatever he likes.  wouldn't you be insulted if he came to you and tried to change your beliefs?