The Long View of Parenting: Faith That Multiplies
“And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.”— 2 Timothy 2:2 (ESV)
One of the questions that quietly sits beneath all our parenting labor is this: What is the end goal of all of this? We shepherd hearts, manage schedules, and often give more than we feel we have. Often, we don’t see immediate fruit, which is why I think we need to pause a moment to clarify: what are we aiming for? I know I need encouragement when I feel discouraged, when my efforts seem to have little to show for it.
Thankfully, Scripture gives an answer—one that stretches beyond our homes and even beyond our children themselves.
God’s Work Is Not Ours
God’s design has always been that faith would be received, rooted, and then passed on to our children (Ps. 78:4). In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus, by His authority as the risen Christ, now sends us out to make disciples as we walk through life, starting with the children in our own homes. Just as the new church started right where they were in Jerusalem, spreading out to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8), we are to be His witnesses starting at home and then sending our children out.
Paul captures this vision in 2 Timothy 2:2. Though he is speaking in context of the church and not the home, this vision is in line with the outward spread of the Gospel that we see throughout Scripture. Here, he describes a chain of faith entrusted, taught, and then entrusted again. This is not merely about personal maturity but about a faith that continues beyond the individual.
Admittedly, when we grasp the immensity of this task, it can feel heavy—especially as parents who already feel the weight of doing so much “right.” We may feel pressure to produce spiritually impressive children or fear that we are failing if our children struggle to articulate their faith clearly.
But reproduction in Scripture never begins with human effort. Jesus tells His disciples in Acts 1:8 that they will be His witnesses when the Spirit comes upon them. That power does not originate with them. Likewise, Paul reminds the Corinthian church that while some plant and others water, it is God who gives the growth (1 Cor. 3:6–7).
This truth matters deeply for us as parents. Our role is not to manufacture outcomes, but to walk by faith—to be faithful with what is entrusted to us and to leave the results to God. Reproduction belongs to Him.
Modeling a Faith Worth Passing On
Throughout this series, we have talked a lot about modeling our faith in so many ways to our children: in our God-awareness, displaying His character, and articulating our need for Him. If they come to faith it continues, in how to walk with God, growing in wisdom, and stewarding their gifts. In the same way, before our children ever learn how to speak about Christ to others, they are watching how we speak to Him ourselves. They are learning what we trust, what we fear, and where we look for help.
A faith that multiplies is not a polished one—it is a dependent one. When children see us pray honestly, repent humbly, and lean on God rather than our own strength, they are learning something essential: faith is not a performance; it is a relationship.
This is especially important to remember when our parenting feels weak or imperfect. God often uses the very places where we feel insufficient to teach our children what it looks like to trust Him. Ironically, my children learn far more through my imperfections because it actually gives them hope that in their own weakness, God is still near.
Helping Children Learn to Speak Their Faith
As our children mature in thought and communication skills, we can begin helping them put words to what they believe. This does not need to be complex or formulaic, nor does it need to be rushed. In fact, simplicity is often better.
One helpful place to start is practicing a short, clear explanation of the gospel: who God is, what sin is, who Jesus is, and how we respond to Him. This can be done casually—in the car, at bedtime, or during family devotions—without pressure or expectation.
Another practice is helping children articulate how they came to trust Christ. Their testimony, a brief “how I met Jesus” story, practiced and revisited as opportunities arise, builds confidence without forcing them into situations they are not ready for.
We can also encourage discipleship within the home or church by inviting older children to mentor younger ones—reading Scripture together, helping with Sunday school tasks, or simply spending intentional time with a younger child. These are small but meaningful steps toward learning how faith is shared.
Encouraging External Witness and Action
As children grow older, we want to help them move their faith outward. Witness is no longer just something they learn about; it becomes something they practice in real relationships. Taking time to think of friends they can share with and when these moments naturally arise can help them steward these opportunities.
While we start locally, we also want to think broadly (Acts 1:8). For most families, this begins with ordinary life—neighbors, friends, teammates, and classmates. Showing hospitality becomes one of the most ordinary—and accessible—ways children learn gospel witness.
Parents can guide this by modeling hospitality and inviting children to participate—helping prepare, welcoming guests, and observing how love and truth coexist in everyday conversations. For our family, we would often invite kids over to play while the parents talked.
We also took our hospitality out—at Christmas time, we made cookies and shared them with our neighbors. At other times, we cooked a second meal and brought it to share after their long day at work. This is a way service outside the church can also be a natural extension of witness. Whether through acts of kindness, community involvement, or intentional outreach, children learn that faith is lived, not just spoken.
Parenting With Open Hands
Many parents hesitate here—not because they don’t value multiplying disciples, but because they are afraid. Afraid their child will say the wrong thing. Afraid of awkwardness. Afraid of rejection. Afraid of spiritual failure.
Again, these fears often reveal a quiet assumption that outcomes rest on us. But Scripture repeatedly frees us from that burden. So if this is you, remember that God calls us to faithfulness, not effectiveness as the world defines it. When we release our children to witness, however imperfectly, we are teaching them something vital: obedience matters more than results.
Preparing our children for faith that multiplies requires encouragement and prayer far more than control. It means cheering small steps, praying boldly, and trusting God with what we cannot see.
We plant. We water. We pray. And then we wait—sometimes longer than we would like—believing that God is at work beyond what we can measure.
