Let’s just go ahead and say it: raising godly children in today’s world feels a bit like trying to keep a candle lit in a wind tunnel during a rock concert. It’s loud, it’s chaotic, and someone’s probably trying to film it for social media.
If you’ve ever found yourself wondering if your dinner time devotions are being absorbed or just endured, welcome to the club.
But here’s the twist: We’re not raising churchy robots. We’re raising Christ followers, real humans who know how to walk out their faith in an ungodly world without hiding under a spiritual rock.
You don’t need a theology degree or a Pinterest-worthy morning routine. What you do need is God’s Word, God’s grace, and probably coffee. Lots of coffee. Read on for how to raise godly children in this day and age!
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God Doesn’t Need Perfect Parents, Just Willing Ones
Let’s call this the first principle: The first step in Christian parenting isn’t a worksheet on the fruits of the Spirit, it’s this:
Love God yourself.
Seriously, that’s the best guide for raising godly children.
Be the real deal. Let them see you mess up, fess up, and run right back to Jesus Christ.
Because if your kids grow up thinking the Word of God is just something we quote to correct their sass, but not the Good Book we run to for comfort and direction, we’ve missed the main goal…and that is to raise godly adults, not just well-behaved kids.
Instill Christian Values, not just polite kids
Shift the angle a bit.
What do I mean by this?
Well, too often, Christian parents confuse good behavior with a godly child. Spoiler alert: a clean room and a polite “yes ma’am” doesn’t equal the instruction of the Lord. That’s just a small child being socially acceptable.
But raising a man of God or a young woman of faith? That’s different. That’s about shaping the heart of a child to love the things of God, to hunger for the Word, to care more about eternity than appearances, and to teach kids bible verses that mean more than memorization practice.
That’s the importance of parents: to guide, not control. To correct, not crush.
To be good examples, yes, but also to tell our own stories of failure, redemption, and God’s discipline in our lives.
Raising godly kids means pointing them toward Jesus in both the ordinary and the chaotic moments of life, not just during Sunday school or bedtime prayers. It’s teaching them that faith isn’t a performance but a relationship, one that grows stronger through obedience, trust, and even wrestling with doubts.
It’s about equipping them with a biblical worldview, to instill christian values, so they can stand firm when culture pushes back, while also giving them the grace to stumble and learn.
Ultimately, it’s less about producing “rule followers” and more about nurturing children who genuinely love God and desire to serve Him with their whole hearts.
Use the Time You’ve Got Raising Godly Kids…and Use It Well
Here’s the best way to influence your children’s futures: spend much time in conversation. Not lectures – conversations.
Yes, play the Bible study audio while you drive. Yes, do family devotions (even if they turn into a full-blown discussion about dinosaurs). But also talk while folding socks. Ask questions. Be their best friend and their spiritual guide.
So, how to raise godly children? Teaching time doesn’t have to be official. Sometimes, the most powerful truths hit during dinner time, a casual walk, or a meltdown over algebra. Even Sunday school can’t replace a parent who listens, prays, and speaks the truth of Genesis at just the right moment.
Imparting Christian values To Avoid this Disturbing Trend
We’re seeing a disturbing trend of young people walking away from the faith. Not because they weren’t taught, but because they weren’t shown. They weren’t shown how to walk with God.
There’s a big, soul-shaking difference between when you instill christian values and loving the Christ behind them. Between memorizing verses and living the Word. Between reciting the things of God and actually being hungry for the Word of God.
Here’s the sobering truth: Our kids are growing up in a pressure cooker of contradictory messages. Kids today are bombarded by the secular world, and too many older children leave home with knowledge about God but no love for Him.
The secular world isn’t just whispering, it’s streaming, scrolling, and shouting 24/7. While many Christian families are prioritizing Sunday school, youth group, and even homeschool curriculum that teaches the inspiration of God, too often, the heartbeat of the home doesn’t match the faith we’re hoping to pass on.
And so, we end up with older children and young adults who leave home with well-polished answers and surface-level theology but no roots.
They’ve heard about God’s Word but never seen it applied when mom and dad hit rock bottom. They’ve heard about eternal life, but they’ve never seen how God’s discipline and mercy coexist when you lose a job, bury a loved one, or just feel burned out from parenting.
That’s the right direction to turn now. The holy countermove. Not a frantic scramble to protect, but a steady, faithful example of what it means to abide.
Let’s change that. Let’s build an incredible faith legacy.
Let’s show our kids how to suffer well, repent loudly, and rejoice often.
Let’s raise kids who know how to suffer well because they’ve watched us lift trembling hands in worship when life doesn’t go our way.
Let’s raise kids who know how to repent loudly because we’ve been quick to say, “I was wrong, will you forgive me?” even when it stings our pride.
Let’s raise kids who rejoice often, not because life is perfect, but because Jesus Christ is our joy when nothing else makes sense.
When the world tells them they are their own gods, we counter with the truth of Genesis: that they were created, male and female, in the image of the One who loves them deeply. When friends at activities or even church start chasing influence over integrity, we model what it means to live for an incredible faith legacy, not followers.
Let’s not just pray for a godly generation, let’s raise one, in the trenches, with God’s grace as our daily fuel and the instruction of the Lord as our compass.
Let them see a godly parent who fails forward, who clings to the Word not for image but for survival. Because that? That’s the kind of faith they’ll want for themselves when it’s their turn to lead.
Let’s raise a godly generation that knows the way God disciplines isn’t harsh, it’s holy.
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how to raise godly children Tips
Let’s bullet it down (because let’s face it, Christian families love a practical guide):
- Be in the Word of God yourself. Every day.
- Let your kids see you reading your Bible.
- Make prayer requests part of your family rhythm. Model praying in the moment.
- Talk about the kingdom of God like it’s your family business (because it is).
- Discuss the character traits of a godly parent and a godly child without making it a sermon.
- Let your high school students wrestle with doubts – and walk with them through it.
- Make Jesus Christ the hero of your home, not you.
- Celebrate the good work of little children, but remind them they’re part of a great ministry: advancing the Gospel.
- Prioritize bible study over ballet. Or at least pair them with a podcast on Colossians chapter 3.
Here’s how to do each one of those points:
1. Be in the Word Everyday
Your kids won’t chase what they never see you valuing. Whether it’s one verse while stirring the soup or 10 minutes before bed, be in the Word of God. And yes, sometimes you’ll be crouched behind a box of Cheerios whispering “Create in me a clean heart, O God” while your toddler screams about a lost sock (but even that counts).
I used to try reading my Bible before the kids got up. I love a quiet morning when even the sun is waking up, and I have my coffee in one hand and my Bible in the other.
However, that doesn’t really work these days. And recently, my 5-year-old barged in mid-reading and asked what I was doing. I said, “Mommy’s feeding her heart. I’m reading my Bible.” He now calls it “heart food time.” I’ll take it.
When raising godly kids, we should make sure they see us reading the Bible, from small wee ones to well into their teens….especially into their teens. It’s important we led by example.
Here’s a review of some amazing teen bibles I’ve researched! ⤵️
2. Let your kids see you reading the bible
They need to know it’s not just for them, it’s for you too. Let them catch you in the act. Leave your Bible open on the table. Talk about what you’re learning. Normalize turning to the Word in everyday decisions, not just Sunday mornings or when it strikes your fancy one or twice a month.
My teen walked in as I was journaling through Romans and said, “You write in your Bible?” It sparked a whole convo about how God’s Word speaks to me, not just some invisible super-parent prototype. Game.Changer.
3. Make Prayer requests part of your daily rhythm. model praying in the moment.
Don’t save prayer for bedtime or only before a meal. Pray for lost bras, grumpy moods, skinned knees, or a hard homeschool day. Show your kids that prayer isn’t a ritual, it’s relationship.
One day, I couldn’t find my keys, which was causing us to be even closer and closer to being late for our doctor’s appointments. I happen to say, “I can’t find my keys anywhere, and we’re going to be late!” to my little one in which he replied, “Pray about it.” Like it was the most logical, next step. Duh – because it is.
Why do we think we only have to pray about the hard things? Or only give praise and worship? It okay to pray about the mundane things as well! We should be praying about everything – lost keys, headaches, for you and your kids to have a good homeschool day today, pray about the news for the upcoming doc appointment and pray for safe travels to our destinations even if it’s to the grocery store, pray about the neighbor’s arthritis. Everything!
And don’t even get me started on praying for your homeschool on a regular basis. Girl boo.
/**/4. Talk about the kingdom of God like it’s your family business (because it is).
God’s mission should be part of your everyday conversation. Not as a lecture, but as purpose. We’re not just surviving around these here parts…we’re living for the kingdom of God.
Use mealtime to talk about how you saw God working today. Ask your kids how they want to serve Him. Talk about how God spoke to you about NOT replying to a snarky two-faced Facebook comment. Share with your kids your newly discovered Bible facts – such as the discovery of Noah’s Ark or how long it took to build that Ark.
Let them know you’re still learning and growing in God’s Word. That God’s Word never ends. Bring God into the conversations like, “You know what God said to me this morning?!” Talk as if He’s always around, always chatting. (Because He is.)
But not just in your home, to all your friends and family! People you pass by at the supermarket or while you’re sitting at the red light. (Hey, people really do this! I’ve seen it MANY times!)
One afternoon, my daughter asked if she could write notes to neighbors “to tell them God loves them.” I said, “That’s kingdom work, baby girl.” She beamed like I’d just promoted her as Assistant to the Regional Pastor.
5. Discuss the character traits of a godly parent and a godly child without making it a sermon.
Keep it conversational. Ask what they think patience means. Share how you’re working on something yourself, such as self-control. Use character topics to open hearts, not just correct behavior.
My son saw me apologize to someone and asked why. I said, “Because being a godly parent means being humble too.” Later, he apologized to his sister for grabbing her snack. It’s not always instant when you’re raising godly kids, but it’s planting seeds.
In fact, I usually hate bringing him up but this time, it’s for a good reason…. So my ex (my baby daddy) used to always tell me how impressed he is that I would apologize whether I was in the wrong or not. Why do I do that, still, even to this day with anyone? It’s because I genuinely am sorry for my loved on being in pain or upset.
So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
James 4:7
6. Let your high school kids wrestle with doubts…and walk with them through it.
Faith that’s never questioned is rarely owned. Think about that for a second. What comes to mind after reading that sentence? Again:
Faith that’s never questioned is rarely owned.
Speaking in terms of our future generations, our young men and young ladies, don’t freak out when yours challenges things.
When they do, invite discussion. Dig deeper. Inquire further. Walk them through it, yes, but also be sure they walk through it themselves. Teach them how to walk through it. Point them back to the Word of God, and don’t panic. God’s not scared of questions.
My high schooler once asked if we just believe in God because we were raised that way. I took a breath and said, “That’s a good question. Let’s dig into it together.” That convo ended in prayer and tacos, so I call that a win.
(If you want to know how we got to the conclusions together, comment on this blog post!)
/**/7. Make Jesus Christ the hero of your home, not you.
You’re not the Savior. He is. When you mess up, say so. When something goes right, give Him credit.
Not yourself!
There are a lot of narcissistic-tended moms and dads nowadays, it seems. Everyone wants to be the loudest, the smartest, the cleverest. Everyone acts like they are the main character of their own movie 24/7.
Therefore, it can be very difficult for people who aren’t used to humbly giving credit away to someone other than themselves. Or maybe they give credit to God, but they have to make sure you know they did it.
So this one can be more toughy. Seems easy on the surface, sure. But this is about raising godly kids. And to do so, you have to remove yourself from the equation. Let it all be for God’s glory. God’s glory. Not Sally Joe’s glory. Not Cindy’s glory. Not Karen’s glory. Not Mama Dottie’s glory. God’s glory.
And once you do this, you don’t stop there. You continue on by celebrating what He’s doing! Even in the messy middle.
I once made a huge homeschool mistake ordering the wrong math level. My pride wanted to fix it quietly. Instead, I told the kids, “Mom blew it, but thank God He helps us figure things out.” Jesus got the glory, not my problem-solving skills.
8. Celebrate the good work of little children, but remind them they’re part of a great ministry: advancing the Gospel.
Little hands can do big things in God’s kingdom. A note to a neighbor, a kind word to a sibling, a prayer for someone hurting. Good work doesn’t require a microphone. Show them they’re already part of something eternal.
My youngest started “blessing the mailman” with cookies and sticky-note verses. That small act led to conversations with three neighbors about faith. All because a 6-year-old decided mail delivery was a ministry!!
9. Prioritize Bible study over ballet
Or at least pair them with a podcast on Colossians chapter 3. Your schedule shows your values. I’m not saying ditch every extracurricular, but if your calendar’s too full for bible study, it’s too full. Don’t treat spiritual formation like an afterthought.
It doesn’t mean you have to pull your kids out of dance class or quit every extracurricular activity cold turkey (unless God’s leading you to). The phrase is a metaphor, a nudge to evaluate your family’s priorities.
👉 If your calendar is so jam-packed with activities, sports, rehearsals, and errands that you no longer have any time or margin left for God’s Word, prayer, or family discipleship… something’s off.
That doesn’t mean activities are bad. Ballet, soccer, co-op classes, STEM clubs – these can all be good things.
But the Bible is clear: the best thing is to seek first the Kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33). So spiritual formation – building your kids’ eternal foundation – can’t be treated like an afterthought or a 5-minute squeeze-in before bedtime.
During recital season, we’d listen to a podcast on Colossians chapter 3 in the car, then talk about “putting on kindness” like it was part of the costume. They got their ballet, and God got their hearts.
It’s the real-life workaround when you’re still living in the chaos.
If you can’t cancel ballet practice (and you probably can’t), you can turn car rides into a holy moment.
Bottom line? You don’t have to cut everything. But you do need to measure what’s shaping your child more: Is it the Word of God, or the world’s expectations for success?
And when there’s no time for both…
Choose Bible study. Choose Jesus. Every time.
Because no trophy or performance will outlast eternal life.
And Single Moms? You’re Not Left Out
I see you, single moms. You’re doing holy work. You may not have a full priority list of support, but you have the grace of God, and that is more than enough.
Your faithfulness, your late-night prayers, your exhausted Scripture reading at midnight… it all matters. You are sowing seeds for eternal life, even when you feel like you’re barely surviving.
I should know. I’m a single mom right there with you. 😉
How To Raise Godly Children When You’re Outnumbered
So what’s the important thing in all this? Don’t aim for outward success. Aim for inward transformation. Use that rod of correction when necessary, yes, but also heap on the hugs, the Scriptures, and the “I’m sorry”s.
Because the goal isn’t just raising children, it’s raising Christian children who grow up to be godly adults with a heart that beats for the Lord Jesus Christ.
And maybe, just maybe, you’ll one day sit across from your adult children, watching them leading their own families in the godly way, and think: “This is it. This is the Good News. This is the life change. This is what it means to have been a successful parent in the world today.“
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