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Not Back to School 2025 - Interview with Stephen Kendrick · Passing On The Faith

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_02: What Stephen would you say is the goal, the end goal of discipleship?
• 0:06
  SPEAKER_01: First, d I would say John seventeen four, three and four, where Jesus uh John seventeen three, I think it is, Jesus said, This is eternal life.
• 0:18
  SPEAKER_00: To know you, God, and Jesus Christ, whom you've sent.
• 0:22
  SPEAKER_01: You're like, eternal life is not just longevity or heaven, it is also quality.
• 0:29
  SPEAKER_01: It is the life and life abundant that Jesus brought us to.
• 0:33
  SPEAKER_01: It is walking in the provision, the blessings, the calling of the Lord that is on your life.
• 0:40
  SPEAKER_01: We want our kids to walk and live in life and life abundant in Christ.
• 0:46
  SPEAKER_01: If you think about it, you say, Well, do you love your kids?
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_01: What do you want to happen with your kids long term?
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_01: And you'll start saying, Well, I want them to do God's will.
• 0:57
  SPEAKER_01: I want them to obey the Lord.
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_01: I want them to have healthy marriages.
• 1:00
  SPEAKER_01: I want them to be uh wise financially.
• 1:03
  SPEAKER_01: I want them to, you'll start describing abundant life in Christ, whether you realize it or not.
• 1:09
  SPEAKER_01: Well, abundant life in Christ, what is true abundant life?
• 1:13
  SPEAKER_01: It's knowing God intimately, it's walking with Him.
• 1:16
  SPEAKER_01: Jesus is not just a means to the end, He is the prize.
• 1:20
  SPEAKER_01: He is the end game.
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_01: Knowing God is the ultimate.
• 1:24
  SPEAKER_01: That's where love and joy and peace are in him.
• 1:27
  SPEAKER_03: You're listening to Passing on the Faith, a podcast for generations.
• 1:32
  SPEAKER_03: Every week we bring you a powerful moment from one of our sermons.
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_03: Audiobooks, webinar, beautiful typical foundation for your family.
• 1:43
  SPEAKER_03: This week's episode is from a 2025 homeschool kickoff webinar.
• 1:48
  SPEAKER_03: Entitled Not Back to School.
• 1:50
  SPEAKER_03: You can do this with Stephen Kendrick.
• 1:55
  SPEAKER_02: The thank you so much for uh taking the time to be part of our Knock Back to School, Homeschool Kickoff event.
• 2:03
  SPEAKER_02: And uh I know that you're headed off to Brazil soon.
• 2:07
  SPEAKER_02: And uh I just really appreciate you setting aside this time uh to speak this message uh to the families in our listening audience since you weren't gonna be able to participate in the live event.
• 2:17
  SPEAKER_02: Thanks for setting this time aside.
• 2:19
  SPEAKER_01: I'm honored.
• 2:20
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you, Daniel, for letting me be a part of it.
• 2:22
  SPEAKER_02: Well, as I mentioned, uh this is all about not back to school because we're talking to homeschool families here.
• 2:29
  SPEAKER_02: And uh for the homeschool families that are listening, discipleship is very important.
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_02: It's top of the list, and I know that's a huge part of your guys' most recent movie, Forge.
• 2:42
  SPEAKER_02: And so I feel like we're gonna have something to talk about here.
• 2:44
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but the reality is, is you know, uh, Steven, I don't know if you know this, but we just had our fifth child.
• 2:51
  SPEAKER_02: We're homeschooling.
• 2:52
  SPEAKER_02: And the reality is when you get into the day in and day out of homeschooling, sometimes discipleship just doesn't come naturally.
• 2:59
  SPEAKER_02: Um, it can be a little bit against the grain of our flesh as parents, and certainly against the grain of the flesh of our children.
• 3:07
  SPEAKER_02: So we need to be encouraged and inspired on why this is so essential.
• 3:12
  SPEAKER_02: Can you speak to uh the essential nature of discipleship for our children as parents?
• 3:18
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 3:19
  SPEAKER_01: So if you define the word disciple, it means follower.
• 3:24
  SPEAKER_01: And it doesn't just mean follow my words or teaching, it means follow me in close relationship and follow my example to in order to embody what my message is.
• 3:37
  SPEAKER_01: You know, Jesus uh rebuked the Pharisees because they taught one thing and they did another, but he kept saying to his disciples, uh, I have left you an example to follow.
• 3:48
  SPEAKER_01: And so the words, follow me as I follow Christ, as one translation says in 1 Corinthians 11:1, or follow my example as I follow Christ.
• 3:58
  SPEAKER_01: One translation says, imitate me as I imitate Christ, that's an excellent description of what true discipleship is.
• 4:05
  SPEAKER_01: But so much is at stake because you're, you know, eternity is at stake.
• 4:10
  SPEAKER_01: You're either going to lead your kids to heaven and to Christ, or you're gonna lead them to hell or away from God.
• 4:15
  SPEAKER_01: You're either gonna lift them up and provide a godly example, or you're gonna be a stumbling block to their future.
• 4:21
  SPEAKER_01: So when we're discipleship is happening no matter what.
• 4:24
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 4:24
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and the world is gonna be discipling them.
• 4:27
  SPEAKER_01: They're not gonna use the word disciple, but they're constantly with their music, their movies, you know, every the whole entire culture is discipling people to do the opposite of God's word.
• 4:38
  SPEAKER_01: We're not to be conformed to this world.
• 4:40
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, we we've got to realize the enemy, Satan, is constantly saying to each generation the opposite of the truth.
• 4:48
  SPEAKER_01: He's a father of lies, he's dependable in the sense that he's always gonna say the opposite of what God's word is gonna say.
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_01: And so the example that the culture is gonna give you is not gonna be to life and life abundant, even though they promise that.
• 5:02
  SPEAKER_01: It's gonna be like Satan talking to Eve saying, Oh, look, it's gonna be so good when you sin, you know, it's gonna be so pleasurable when you but we in our relationship with our kids are given this amazing opportunity to love them more deeply than anyone else, to win their hearts, and in the proximity, not just of having a Bible study at the couch, you know, but day in and day out, we're saying, follow my example as I wash the dishes, let me show you how to do this.
• 5:32
  SPEAKER_01: Then when we point them to Christ and they're seeing us pray before we make major decisions, they're seeing us open up the word of God in our own quiet time, it develops an appetite in them where they're like, I want to know the God of my mom and my dad.
• 5:46
  SPEAKER_01: And that was that's what happened with us.
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_01: We we saw hypocrisy in the church many times, but authentic Christianity lived at home.
• 5:55
  SPEAKER_01: And we saw two imperfect people who would apologize when they blew it, they would repent, you know, when they messed up, even to us.
• 6:03
  SPEAKER_01: And but we saw answers to prayer, authentic faith, hospitality towards others, love for the word of God, love for serving God, love for the church and all of her brokenness, and it caused us to want to know the God of our parents and to follow them.
• 6:19
  SPEAKER_02: You know, there's something very sobering about this because you're saying your kids are watching you every step you make.
• 6:26
  SPEAKER_02: But at the same time, there's something uh relieving about this because it helps us understand this whole concept of homeschooling and home discipleship isn't just how well they can do on the math test.
• 6:38
  SPEAKER_02: It's this all of like organic uh relationship in which God is teaching our children through us by his grace.
• 6:47
  SPEAKER_02: That's yes, that's exciting.
• 6:49
  SPEAKER_01: I think about Proverbs.
• 6:51
  SPEAKER_01: Proverbs, you we're watching Solomon pour into his son, and he keeps saying, My son, you know, do this, my son, avoid this.
• 7:00
  SPEAKER_01: And he's he's multiplying what his dad David did to him.
• 7:03
  SPEAKER_01: He mentions that, that I learned to ask for wisdom from my own father David, and now I'm passing it on to my son.
• 7:09
  SPEAKER_01: But what's interesting is Hebrews 12 communicates that when we read when we read Proverbs, it's not just observing a man pour into his son.
• 7:19
  SPEAKER_01: It communicates in Hebrews 12 that God, our Father, is actually fathering us through those words in Proverbs.
• 7:27
  SPEAKER_01: That when I'm reading it, he's speaking to me.
• 7:30
  SPEAKER_01: God is speaking to me through his word.
• 7:32
  SPEAKER_01: And so parents are introducing this concept of attentively, respectfully, lovingly opening up your heart and your ears to your earthly father first and your earthly mother, but ultimately to God.
• 7:48
  SPEAKER_01: We're introducing our children that when they learn to listen to us, it helps prepare them to listen to God.
• 7:54
  SPEAKER_01: When they learn to receive our discipline, our correction, whatever, they're gonna learn to do that with God one day.
• 8:00
  SPEAKER_01: And when they disobey us, and if we don't teach them to obey, we're actually teaching them to disobey God one day.
• 8:08
  SPEAKER_01: And so it's it's huge what we're doing in the home.
• 8:12
  SPEAKER_01: And it is so important that we're praying, God, please help me in all of my inadequacy and ignorance and brokenness.
• 8:19
  SPEAKER_01: You know, every every parent is in that place.
• 8:22
  SPEAKER_01: I need your grace, your forgiveness.
• 8:24
  SPEAKER_01: Would you change me as I'm pouring into my children?
• 8:28
  SPEAKER_01: And this whole process of discipling your kids, it's very sanctifying for you.
• 8:32
  SPEAKER_01: Because your Heavenly Father is loving on you and growing you.
• 8:37
  SPEAKER_01: You learn best and remember the most when you're in the teaching role because you're having to process things, understand things, regurgitate things in simplistic ways to those that are following you.
• 8:48
  SPEAKER_01: So as we're teaching our kids scripture, as we're teaching them principles from God's word, as we're praying through them and helping them work through conflict resolution and humility and don't complain, we're learning those truths too.
• 9:01
  SPEAKER_01: And the Lord suddenly jumps and says, No, what about this in your own life?
• 9:05
  SPEAKER_01: Are you complaining?
• 9:06
  SPEAKER_01: What are you reconciling?
• 9:08
  SPEAKER_01: Are you humbling yourself?
• 9:09
  SPEAKER_01: Are you apologizing to your spouse the way you want your kids to apologize to one another?
• 9:13
  SPEAKER_01: So the Lord is working on us, making us more like Christ and drawing us close to Him as we're pouring into our kids.
• 9:20
  SPEAKER_01: There's so many good things that happen when we embrace discipleship.
• 9:24
  SPEAKER_01: I think a lot of churches have taken the word discipleship and it has become a six-week class, you know, on Wednesday night or Sunday morning, and it's lecture style teaching, one-way communication.
• 9:35
  SPEAKER_01: The teacher doesn't know the students, a lot of times, or half of them, has never been in their homes or doesn't know what they're dealing with.
• 9:42
  SPEAKER_01: They're not in the teacher's home, you know.
• 9:45
  SPEAKER_01: So I thank God for anybody who's teaching the word of God at church and with groups, but true discipleship is relational.
• 9:53
  SPEAKER_01: And it is, you we we're thinking long term.
• 9:56
  SPEAKER_01: It's I'm pouring into you as long as the Lord allows me to, and it could be years, you know.
• 10:03
  SPEAKER_01: Jesus is pouring in to his disciples for years, and we're inviting them into our space.
• 10:10
  SPEAKER_01: You know, there's something powerful when you don't just teach your kids how to have a quiet time, but they sit next to you and you say, Let me show you how I have a quiet time.
• 10:20
  SPEAKER_01: Here's my journal, you know, here's here's how I read the Bible, here's how I prepare a message.
• 10:24
  SPEAKER_01: Whatever you're wanting your kids to know and learn how to do, plan on speaking it verbally in a simplistic way to teach them and modeling it, that you're saying, you know, let me show you how I do this.
• 10:38
  SPEAKER_01: I'm not perfect, I don't always do it right, but let me show you how I do this.
• 10:42
  SPEAKER_01: Because when it goes from ears to eyes, it quickly, the understanding, uh, the remembering, all that stuff vaults up.
• 10:53
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, the apostle Paul says in 2 Timothy 2, he said, the things you have heard and seen in me, you know, he says that in Philippians 4, uh what you've heard from me in many witnesses, entrust to faithful men who'll be able to be able to teach others also.
• 11:10
  SPEAKER_01: That whole idea of the multiplication of discipleship, but that modeling example.
• 11:15
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, Jesus washed his disciples' feet and said, I've given you an example.
• 11:19
  SPEAKER_01: He gave them an example of suffering, he gave them an example of healing, of teaching.
• 11:24
  SPEAKER_01: And when he sent them out, he had already modeled everything he told them to do.
• 11:28
  SPEAKER_01: Even when he said, Be willing to leave father and mother, be willing to lay down wealth and riches and possessions, be willing to deny yourself.
• 11:37
  SPEAKER_01: He had done all of those things when he stepped out of heaven.
• 11:41
  SPEAKER_01: He left the Father's throne who in his right hand are pleasures forevermore.
• 11:45
  SPEAKER_01: He left the glory and the worship of angels, he left the possessions and humbled himself for our sake for the gospel and to come and meet our needs and to save us.
• 11:55
  SPEAKER_02: What what what, Stephen, would you say is the goal, the end goal of discipleship?
• 13:25
  SPEAKER_01: First, I would say John 17, 4, 3, and 4, where Jesus uh, John 17, 3, I think it is, Jesus said, This is eternal life.
• 13:37
  SPEAKER_00: To know you, God, and Jesus Christ, whom we've sent.
• 13:42
  SPEAKER_01: You're like, eternal life is not just longevity or heaven, it is also quality.
• 13:49
  SPEAKER_01: It is the life and life abundant that Jesus brought us to.
• 13:53
  SPEAKER_01: It is walking in the provision, the blessings, the calling of the Lord that is on your life.
• 14:00
  SPEAKER_01: We want our kids to walk and live in life and life abundant in Christ.
• 14:06
  SPEAKER_01: If you think about it, you say, Well, do you love your kids?
• 14:09
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 14:10
  SPEAKER_01: What do you want to happen with your kids long term?
• 14:13
  SPEAKER_01: And you'll start saying, Well, I want them to do God's will.
• 14:16
  SPEAKER_01: I want them to obey the Lord, I want them to have healthy marriages, I want them to be uh wise financially.
• 14:22
  SPEAKER_01: I want them to, you'll start describing abundant life in Christ, whether you realize it or not.
• 14:29
  SPEAKER_01: Well, abundant life in Christ, what is true abundant life?
• 14:32
  SPEAKER_01: It's knowing God intimately, it's walking with Him.
• 14:36
  SPEAKER_01: Jesus is not just a means to the end, He is the prize, He is the end game.
• 14:41
  SPEAKER_01: Knowing God is the ultimate.
• 14:43
  SPEAKER_01: That's where love and joy and peace are in Him.
• 14:46
  SPEAKER_01: And so if we have it in our minds that I want to disciple and train my kids to love God, to know God, to walk with God, uh, and He'll handle everything else.
• 14:59
  SPEAKER_01: You know, seek first the kingdom, all this other stuff gets handled.
• 15:02
  SPEAKER_01: And so uh I would say as you're as you're pouring into your kids, develop in them an appetite for the Word of God, developing them an appetite where they want to get alone and read the scriptures for themselves, as you talk about what God is teaching you from the Word, delight in the Lord in front of your kids.
• 15:21
  SPEAKER_01: Be like, be like, hey, I gotta tell you what, I just read this.
• 15:24
  SPEAKER_01: This is amazing.
• 15:25
  SPEAKER_01: Wow.
• 15:26
  SPEAKER_01: You know, or I prayed this on Monday, this happened on Thursday.
• 15:30
  SPEAKER_01: Look at how awesome our God is.
• 15:32
  SPEAKER_01: When you're walking around in creation, you know, you see the birds fly over and say, Jesus, hey, I'm gonna say something about your birds.
• 15:37
  SPEAKER_01: You know, Jesus said, when we see the birds, we can remember God's faithfulness because those birds would not be flying around right now if for thousands of years God had not faithfully taken care of them.
• 15:50
  SPEAKER_01: They're a reminder, he's always gonna take care of us because we're more important than the birds.
• 15:55
  SPEAKER_01: And so, but just look at that sunset.
• 15:58
  SPEAKER_01: This food that mom prepared today is fantastic.
• 16:00
  SPEAKER_01: You know, taste and see, the Lord is good.
• 16:03
  SPEAKER_01: I'm so grateful for your mother, her walk with the Lord.
• 16:06
  SPEAKER_01: God has blessed us.
• 16:07
  SPEAKER_01: He didn't just make food, you know, nutritious, he made it delicious.
• 16:11
  SPEAKER_01: We have such a good God.
• 16:13
  SPEAKER_01: When you're delighting in the Lord around your kids, it will develop an appetite where it's like, I want to know that God.
• 16:20
  SPEAKER_01: You know, I want to get in his word.
• 16:21
  SPEAKER_01: You know, I want but the end game is that they know the Lord, that they're abiding in him, walking closely with him.
• 16:28
  SPEAKER_01: Discipleship ultimately means you're training them to be able to stand on their own two feet, uh, and they're complete in Christ, like Colossians 1 says.
• 16:38
  SPEAKER_01: The apostle Paul says, the end game, I'm preaching, warning, teaching, that I may present every person complete in Christ.
• 16:48
  SPEAKER_01: Mature.
• 16:49
  SPEAKER_01: They're sanctified, walking with God, ready to teach others, turning away from evil, not easily deceived by false doctrine.
• 16:56
  SPEAKER_01: You know, we want to train our kids up to where they're walking with the Lord and they're abiding in Christ, and they're embracing the mission God has for them, they're doing his will, and they're just like overcoming evil with good.
• 17:09
  SPEAKER_01: They're salt and light in this world.
• 17:11
  SPEAKER_02: And discipling the next generation.
• 17:13
  SPEAKER_01: That's right.
• 17:14
  SPEAKER_02: That's exactly right.
• 17:16
  SPEAKER_02: Stephen, how does this impact our approach to homeschooling in the coming year?
• 17:20
  SPEAKER_02: You know, we're getting our curriculum lined up, we're getting our schedules dialed in.
• 17:24
  SPEAKER_02: How does this fit into all of that?
• 17:27
  SPEAKER_02: Or how does all of that fit into this?
• 17:30
  SPEAKER_02: Sure, sure.
• 17:31
  SPEAKER_01: I would say your curriculum, your scheduling, you know, all of that stuff is secondary.
• 17:38
  SPEAKER_01: It's a tool that has its place, but it will become Martha in the kitchen stuff that you will be busy about.
• 17:48
  SPEAKER_01: It is secondary to you walking personally with the Lord as a parent.
• 17:54
  SPEAKER_01: That you're getting alone with God.
• 17:57
  SPEAKER_01: You're letting him fill up your heart, you're letting him comfort your hurts, teach you new truths that you're excited about sharing.
• 18:04
  SPEAKER_01: You're letting him help you to forgive.
• 18:08
  SPEAKER_01: You know, you're you're you're letting the Lord answer your prayers and encourage and inspire you.
• 18:15
  SPEAKER_01: We live out of the overflow of our own intimate walk with God.
• 18:20
  SPEAKER_01: We serve out of the overflow.
• 18:22
  SPEAKER_01: Everything our pastor says this often, everything God wants to accomplish in and through you, he will do out of the overflow of your walk with him.
• 18:31
  SPEAKER_01: And so I would say prioritize you be merry at the feet of Jesus first.
• 18:36
  SPEAKER_01: That's the priority.
• 18:38
  SPEAKER_01: That's more important than you getting to every lesson in math and checking every box when you think you need to do it.
• 18:44
  SPEAKER_01: And all that's good.
• 18:45
  SPEAKER_01: But if you will prioritize the Lord, he will free you up of stuff you don't need to be doing.
• 18:51
  SPEAKER_01: He'll send other people in to mow your grass so you got extra two hours or to or to bring the meal or to help.
• 18:58
  SPEAKER_01: He'll send other people to come alongside you if you prioritize him and you're abiding in the vine, and then you will see uh all of that curriculum, all that other stuff falling into its proper place in priority.
• 19:11
  SPEAKER_01: I'm not saying throw it out and neglect it.
• 19:13
  SPEAKER_01: I'm just saying keep it in its proper place.
• 19:15
  SPEAKER_01: It is it's so human tendency to wake up every morning and default to Martha mode.
• 19:22
  SPEAKER_01: Or we just I got too much to do.
• 19:24
  SPEAKER_01: I'm just I gotta go clean this and wash this and do this and be.
• 19:28
  SPEAKER_01: You know, we just jump into this.
• 19:30
  SPEAKER_01: We're worried about many things and busy about many things and distracted by many things.
• 19:35
  SPEAKER_01: And so every day is first an opportunity for us to know the Lord, love the Lord, rest in Him, walk with Him.
• 19:42
  SPEAKER_01: With my own wife, homeschooling, she was like, I can't do my devotional time of the morning.
• 19:47
  SPEAKER_01: I have tried and I failed.
• 19:49
  SPEAKER_01: You know, I'm tired.
• 19:50
  SPEAKER_01: The kids are wanting breakfast.
• 19:52
  SPEAKER_01: It's like there's all of this stuff.
• 19:53
  SPEAKER_01: She figured out that after lunch, she picks a little block of time, like between one and two.
• 20:00
  SPEAKER_01: She can send the kids off to either work on school or their rooms or to play or whatever.
• 20:04
  SPEAKER_01: She'll sit down with a cup of coffee in her son's room.
• 20:07
  SPEAKER_01: She's awake now, and she'll open up her Bible and delight in the Lord and be that works for her.
• 20:13
  SPEAKER_01: I would say figure out your hack your system.
• 20:17
  SPEAKER_01: You know, we're not all wired the same.
• 20:19
  SPEAKER_01: Figure out what works for you, but guard that time with the Lord and ask him to speak to you, to fill you up with love and patience and kindness, because you acting like Jesus around your kids is way more important than than they understand, you know, inversions and fractions and stuff.
• 20:39
  SPEAKER_01: And thank God for all that.
• 20:40
  SPEAKER_01: But ultimately, they're not going to remember most of that later on.
• 20:45
  SPEAKER_01: Algebra 2, I mean, really, think about it.
• 20:48
  SPEAKER_01: How many of us you are using algebra 2 on a daily basis?
• 20:51
  SPEAKER_01: But while you were teaching your kids algebra too, they're also watching everything else you're doing.
• 20:57
  SPEAKER_01: And they need to have there needs to be a fragrance of Christ on your life because you're spending time with him and delighting in him, and he's just pouring through you onto them.
• 21:06
  SPEAKER_01: And they're falling in love with Jesus, even as you're patiently helping them get through algebra 2.
• 21:12
  SPEAKER_02: Such an encouraging uh picture you painted, Stephen.
• 21:15
  SPEAKER_02: And I think the reality is we aspire to this, but I'm sure for a number of families listening, they're thinking, yeah, I didn't do that, and uh, I haven't gotten the fruit uh that you've described.
• 21:28
  SPEAKER_02: My kids are not interested.
• 21:31
  SPEAKER_02: Um, we don't have this kind of walk-along, talk-along relationship, what can I do?
• 21:37
  SPEAKER_01: My dad always said, start where you are and go forward as fast as you can.
• 21:43
  SPEAKER_01: And so I would say, if it is the result of disobedience, repent before the Lord and say, God, would you redeem the time I have left with my kids?
• 21:57
  SPEAKER_01: I so respected my dad when he came to me and asked me to forgive him for areas of his life where he he was feeling like he had failed me.
• 22:07
  SPEAKER_01: And he asked me, he apologized, he asked me to forgive him.
• 22:11
  SPEAKER_01: I loved him, respected him for that.
• 22:13
  SPEAKER_01: And so when parents repent, it doesn't hurt your relationship with your kids.
• 22:19
  SPEAKER_01: It heals it in a lot of ways.
• 22:22
  SPEAKER_01: And so I would say get right with your kids if they're bitter with you, angry with you, those kind of things, and then just start that Ivy drip of slowly snowballing more and more pushing them in the right direction, helping them to get in the word, to follow him.
• 22:42
  SPEAKER_01: Also, the we have to trust the sovereignty of God in how he's working in our kids' lives, and we got to be patient on the journey.
• 22:52
  SPEAKER_01: Some kids will come to Christ at you know five years old.
• 22:55
  SPEAKER_01: Some it will be 18, 19, 20, some it may be when the prodigal comes home at 25.
• 23:00
  SPEAKER_01: We hate the idea of that.
• 23:02
  SPEAKER_01: We want our all of our kids to be lined up walking with the Lord.
• 23:06
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but I would say stick with the plan, be faithful with what God has given you.
• 23:12
  SPEAKER_01: Keep praying, keep modeling, keep disciplining your kids, keep surrounding them with godly influences, keep being patient with them on the journey, and keep investing in that.
• 23:23
  SPEAKER_01: Relationship, you know, where you're reaching out to them.
• 23:26
  SPEAKER_01: How are you doing?
• 23:27
  SPEAKER_01: How can I pray for you?
• 23:28
  SPEAKER_01: I love you.
• 23:29
  SPEAKER_01: You know, what do you need right now from me?
• 23:31
  SPEAKER_01: How can I encourage you?
• 23:32
  SPEAKER_01: Just win woo your children's hearts on a regular basis, uh, because it probably provides that fertile soil for truth to be deposited.
• 23:43
  SPEAKER_01: And know that the Holy Spirit can do things in them that you cannot do, and that He can discipline them when they're not with you.
• 23:53
  SPEAKER_01: He can teach them all kinds of things and will teach them all kinds of things that you don't even know.
• 23:58
  SPEAKER_01: And so when you're just praying for your kids, God capture their hearts, surround them with godly friends, help them to fall in love with your word.
• 24:07
  SPEAKER_01: You know, teach them how to follow you.
• 24:09
  SPEAKER_01: Just keep hammering, knocking on the doors of heaven with the Lord with those requests and ask the Lord to do more than you can ask or imagine.
• 24:18
  SPEAKER_01: And be patient in the process.
• 24:19
  SPEAKER_01: I've sometimes he'll answer quickly, like that day.
• 24:23
  SPEAKER_01: Sometimes it's I've had things two decades I was praying for before the Lord answered.
• 24:29
  SPEAKER_01: His timing is perfect.
• 24:31
  SPEAKER_01: We got to trust him.
• 24:32
  SPEAKER_02: Stephen, any other thoughts on prayer for our kids?
• 24:36
  SPEAKER_02: Um, curious, how do you pray for your kids?
• 24:39
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I get honest and get real and get after it.
• 24:43
  SPEAKER_01: You know, we we have a God who answers prayer, and um our salvation comes with a packaged deal.
• 24:52
  SPEAKER_01: Ephesians 1 says, when you believe the gospel, you're sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, you're adopted by God.
• 24:58
  SPEAKER_01: It also says, though, that you have access to the Father's throne, freedom and access to boldly approach the throne of grace.
• 25:07
  SPEAKER_01: That access to God comes with our salvation.
• 25:11
  SPEAKER_01: Because of the cross of Jesus, because of his death, burial, and resurrection, the veil was torn from top to bottom.
• 25:17
  SPEAKER_01: And we, through the blood of Jesus, can approach the holy of holies of God.
• 25:21
  SPEAKER_01: That's how powerful the blood of Christ is and Jesus is and what he did on the cross.
• 25:26
  SPEAKER_01: That we broken, sinful people are washed, transformed, adopted, and now we can come before the throne of God.
• 25:34
  SPEAKER_01: So he says, Come, we're not coming as strangers at the door begging for bread.
• 25:40
  SPEAKER_01: We're coming as beloved sons and daughters, washed in the blood of Jesus, that we can share our hearts with God and ask for what we need.
• 25:49
  SPEAKER_01: So come by faith in what Christ did on the cross and pray boldly and lovingly with freedom and then get after it.
• 26:00
  SPEAKER_01: Go after the jugular vein.
• 26:02
  SPEAKER_01: I'm like, what's the need of the moment?
• 26:03
  SPEAKER_01: What's the burden of my heart?
• 26:06
  SPEAKER_01: What do I believe God is wanting to do right now in the lives of my kids?
• 26:09
  SPEAKER_01: And then I'm specifically asking for those things.
• 26:12
  SPEAKER_01: And I ask for the moon.
• 26:13
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, I'm just like, let's swing for the bleachers, you know.
• 26:17
  SPEAKER_01: God, don't just help them to stay away from drugs and alcohol and sex outside of marriage.
• 26:21
  SPEAKER_01: You know, I want them to love purity and to fall in love with the Lord and to worship Him with their lives.
• 26:27
  SPEAKER_01: I want them to be world changers.
• 26:29
  SPEAKER_01: I don't want them just to not forsake their faith in college.
• 26:33
  SPEAKER_01: I want them to be starting evangelistic ministries and apologetic ministries, you know, when they're in those years and those ages.
• 26:40
  SPEAKER_01: And so I want them on the offense, you know.
• 26:42
  SPEAKER_01: So I'm praying for their future spouses, I'm praying for their friendship groups, I'm praying their wives with their finances, you know.
• 26:49
  SPEAKER_01: Whatever comes out of a loving heart of a parent, ask God for those things.
• 26:56
  SPEAKER_01: And then be fighting the enemy.
• 27:00
  SPEAKER_01: Pray, Lord, deliver them from evil, lead them away from temptation, keep them away from evil influences, evil friends, evil events, evil parties, whatever it is.
• 27:08
  SPEAKER_01: Get after it and ask God to deliver them in those situations.
• 27:12
  SPEAKER_01: But then be specific.
• 27:14
  SPEAKER_01: When I'm praying, I'm not just saying, God bless them, you know.
• 27:18
  SPEAKER_01: I'm saying, Lord, speak to them as they read Proverbs and teach them wisdom.
• 27:23
  SPEAKER_01: You know, help them not to be prideful as you bless them.
• 27:27
  SPEAKER_01: Sometimes we pray for God to bless our kids and there's, you know, these homeschool families, your kid starts a business when he's 14, you know, and he's and he's super smart, he's an entrepreneur, he starts making a lot of money, and then he gets cocky about it.
• 27:41
  SPEAKER_01: You know, it's like, Lord, please help them to be able to steward success with humility and to share how as you're blessing them and not be arrogant or be looking down on other people.
• 27:54
  SPEAKER_01: So there's there, as you're reading the word, apply it to yourself and pray for it, you know, in the lives of your own kids as well.
• 28:03
  SPEAKER_02: Stephen, thank you so much.
• 28:04
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, been really encouraging for me, uh, and I know to many others.
• 28:08
  SPEAKER_02: So really appreciate you fitting this in.
• 28:11
  SPEAKER_02: God's blessings on your trip uh to Brazil as you minister there, and uh, we are uh very thankful to God for you.
• 28:18
  SPEAKER_02: This has been a production of the Generations Media Network.
• 28:22
  SPEAKER_02: For more information, go to generations.orgslash media.