This article was originally written by Ray Ortlund and published to Lifeway Research.

How many parents in our churches are feeling, with deep conviction, that their daily family routines are noble, significant, and worthy of sacrifice? And how many are quietly feeling trapped, at times resentful, under endless duties and demands?

This world doesn’t encourage the hearts of Christian parents. This world belittles all of us. Never does this uncomprehending world honor Christian parents, especially, as people of historic stature. But God does.

Let’s help the parents in our churches feel uplifted by His promises in Scripture. Let’s help them dare to live like His Word is true—because it is. In all this fraudulent world, the purposes of God are worth living for.

So then, how might we pursue this ministry of encouragement to the parents in our churches? Here are three steps every church can take.

1. Cast vision

Wouldn’t it be thrilling if more and more parents started seeing and being inspired by the grandeur of God’s vision for the generational impact of Christian families? It would be a game-changer. Parents would feel less fearful as they looked into the future. Their courage would rise—not because social trends improve but because God has spoken words of hope to their hearts.

What if we give parents a guided tour through the promises of God to them and their families? And while we’re at it, let’s also include Christian grandparents and aunts and uncles, Sunday School teachers, youth ministers—all who are investing the gospel in the rising generations. God declared His promises in Scripture to lift our eyes from this trainwreck world and from our own weaknesses to His faithfulness. His Word can strengthen all our hearts, as we press on by faith.

Far from being small and uninspiring, God’s promises are so great we might struggle to believe them. For example,

“Know that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps his gracious covenant loyalty for a thousand generations with those who love him and keep his commands.” – Deut. 7:9, CSB

“My Spirit who is on you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, will not depart from your mouth, or from the mouths of your children, or from the mouths of your children’s children, for now on and forever,’ says the LORD.” – Isaiah 59:21, CSB

“His mercy is from generation to generation on those who fear him.” – Luke 1:50, CSB

In addition to His many lavish promises, God also calls parents—and parental figures—to do their part as well. By His grace, we can leave a profound gospel imprint on the next generation. We see this throughout Scripture.

“For I have chosen [Abraham] so that he will command his children and his house after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just. This is how the LORD will fulfill to Abraham what he promised him.” – Gen. 18:19, CSB

“He established a testimony in Jacob
and set up a law in Israel,
which he commanded our ancestors
to teach to their children
so that a future generation—
children yet to be born—might know.
They were to rise and tell their children
so that they might put their confidence in God
and not forget God’s works,
but keep his commands.” – Psalm 78:5-7

“One generation will declare your works to the next and will proclaim your mighty acts.” – Psalm 145:4, CSB

Inspired by God’s promises and commands, we Christian leaders must tell the dads and moms in our churches how much they truly matter—far into their family’s future. Let’s cast this bold, biblical vision. Those parents will feel energized.

2.  Offer next steps

Now, how can the faith rising in parents’ hearts become actionable in everyday life at home? We who preach and teach always want to open doors into practical follow-through. It will be needed in this vital area of generational influence. Such a vision will be a new thought to some people. As we cast this big vision for Christian family life and parents’ hearts come alive, we want to honor their bold faith with our bold shepherding.

How, exactly?

One way could be through a book my wife Jani and I wrote to answer that question. It’s entitled To the Tenth Generation: God’s Heart for Your Family, Far into the Future. This new book is crammed with suggestions for building a home environment where children can find it easy to believe in Jesus. For example, study your child as an individual. Be careful not to crush your child’s spirit. Teach respect for people and property. Require obedience. Give grace. Teach hard work. Enjoy free play. Jesus will be there in it all.

What if you had small groups of young parents and not-so-young grandparents read and discuss To the Tenth Generation, chapter by chapter? Just thinking it through together, they might come up with the best ideas for making their homes into happy discipleship environments. Their conversations would be honest, sincere, supportive, and uplifting.

We’ve also written a children’s version of the book— Your Family is God’s Plan: His Mercy from Generation to Generation.

3.  Pray like crazy

There’s no better place for us to land than here—on our knees in prayer. Jesus taught us “to pray always and not give up” (Luke 18:1, CSB). Our book To the Tenth Generation offers ways we can all pray, including a prayer for your granddaughter, a prayer for your grandson, a prayer for your married children, a prayer for your family to the tenth generation, and more.

Why not create a prayer event for parents and adult family members in your church? Many broken hearts are among them. And God loves it when His brokenhearted family comes to Him for help. Or why not designate one week in the church calendar for small groups to devote their time together to nothing but prayer for one another’s families? We all understand the anguish of the apostle Paul: “My children, I am again suffering labor pains for you until Christ is formed in you” (Galatians 4:19, CSB). Let’s pour that anguish out before God.

Every Christian parent you know needs hope—the solid hope that comes from God’s promises, that lands right in the center of real life at home, and that keeps us asking God for what only He can do. May our churches serve up a feast of hope for Christian parents and grandparents.