It Was True Then… and It’s Still True Today
“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” 3 John 1:4
It was true then, and it’s still true today.
In 2004, Tammy and I were reflecting on ten years of marriage and full-time ministry. Our focus at the time was primarily on students, middle and high schoolers between the ages of 12 and 18. We loved teaching, coaching, pastoring, and praying with them.
But one question began to weigh on our hearts: “How many of these students will grow into adults who own their faith in Christ?”
As we thought back, a pattern emerged. The common denominator wasn’t a youth event, a sermon, or a mission trip. It was this: their parents owned and lived their faith genuinely.
To be clear, that’s not the only way a child will grow into mature faith, but it was the most consistent indicator we saw. We realized God was calling us to minister not just to the next generation, but through their parents.
We picked up Age of Opportunity by Paul David Tripp and began leading Bible studies for parents. And as we did, God showed us something else: Christian marriages were struggling.
On the outside, things looked fine. But inside many homes and hearts, there was quiet conflict. A kind of soul-level turmoil that created disunity in the family. No one wanted to admit it, but everyone was feeling it.
So, we began investing intentionally in marriages, and quickly realized how much work we had to do in our own. We thought we were doing great. But the Lord wanted to bring deeper healing.
The work isn’t finished, but 21 years later, we can say this with confidence:
When you draw from the Lord, He gives you the capacity to love and forgive in ways you never imagined.
The Ongoing Reality
That same need we saw in 2004 still exists today.
Recent studies confirm it:
- According to Barna Group (2024), 42% of practicing Christians say their marriage has faced serious strain in the past two years.
- The American Family Survey found that while 85% of parents want to pass faith to their kids, only 34% feel they’ve done it effectively.
- And Pew Research (2023) notes that only 31% of Gen Z who grew up Christian still actively practice their faith as adults.
Why?
Because when marriages limp along in survival mode, faith rarely thrives in the home.
Children and teens grow up uncertain if they want what their parents modeled.
Love existed, but liking each other felt unreachable.
Scripture Reflection:
“Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8
“Let all that you do be done in love.” 1 Corinthians 16:14
“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2
Questions for Guided Conversations:
- Is your faith being lived out genuinely in your home?
- What would it look like to invite God into the hidden places of your marriage?
- Are you willing to shift from performing love to living by faith in love?
Closing Thought
The future faith of the next generation begins with the present faithfulness of this one. When love wakes you up, your family and your faith will never be the same.
