In today’s world, “extraordinary” often means raising kids who win awards, break records, or get the most likes online. But for Christian parents, extraordinary should mean something deeper—shaping children who genuinely know the Lord, show Christlike character, and impact the world for God’s kingdom. Worldly success is nice, but hearts for God last for eternity.
Modeling Christlike Character: It Starts With Us
If you want extraordinary kids, start by asking God to shape your own heart. Children may listen to your words, but they imitate your actions. If you lose your temper or make a mistake, admit it—apologize and show your kids that even parents need grace. Humility, kindness, and forgiveness are caught, not just taught. When kids see parents respond to daily struggles with faith, patience, and honesty, they learn what Jesus looks like in real life.
Making God’s Word the Centerpiece
Families flourish when Scripture is central. This doesn’t mean you run a mini church at home, but that Bible stories and verses become part of everyday conversation. Open God’s Word together—at breakfast, bedtime, while driving in the car—and let its wisdom guide your family’s decisions. When you face a challenge or moral dilemma, pause and ask, “What does the Bible say about this?” Over time, God’s truth becomes the foundation your kids build on, so they’re prepared when the world’s opinions come knocking.
Praying With and For Our Kids
Prayer should be as routine in your house as brushing teeth or having dinner. Pray for your children’s struggles, friendships, and their walk with the Lord. Let them hear you pray out loud—about everything from lost toys to major life decisions. Invite them to pray for others, their own needs, and global events. When prayer is natural and frequent, it not only builds their faith, but also keeps your own dependence on God alive and visible.
Nurturing Their Unique Gifts
Every child is a unique masterpiece. Some are creative, others analytical, some outgoing, some reserved. Watch for the talents and passions God wired into each of your kids, and nurture those gifts. This isn’t about living out your own dreams through them, but about helping them discover how they’re called to serve God and others. Show your kids that their purpose isn’t measured by popularity or achievement, but by being faithful with whatever God’s put in their hands.
Teaching Respect and Loving Authority
Respect starts at home. Teach your children to honor authority—parents, teachers, mentors—not because everyone in charge is perfect, but because God designed boundaries for their good. Discipline should be consistent but rooted in relationship. Give clear expectations and consequences, but always connect correction to God’s deep love and desire to see them flourish. The goal isn’t control, it’s helping them trust that boundaries are about protection, not punishment.
Prioritizing Church and Christian Community
Faith isn’t just for Sunday, and it’s not a solo act. Prioritize gathering with other believers—not just for services, but also for serving, praying, and celebrating together. Invite mentors, leaders, and Christian friends into your children’s lives. Expose your kids to the wider family of God, so they have support and examples outside your home. Let church and faith community be where your family looks for encouragement, challenge, and fun.
Encouraging Resilience in Everyday Life
Extraordinary faith isn’t about avoiding problems, but learning to trust God in the middle of them. Allow your kids to face disappointment or failure, and don’t rush to smooth everything over. Instead, use those moments to pray together, share how God met you in your own struggles, and help them find meaning in challenge and loss. Teach them grit, perseverance, and the courage to start again with God’s help. The real world is tough—resilient faith is built through facing hard things together, not sheltering from them.
Keeping the Big Picture in View
Raising extraordinary kids means keeping eternity in their sights. Remind your children that there’s more to life than just now—God has given them an eternal hope and unique purpose. Talk openly about heaven, God’s bigger story, and what it means to live for something that will last forever. Encourage living generously, loving courageously, and serving others, always focused on what matters to God most.
A True Story: The Alessi Family—Faith in Action
Steve and Mary Alessi wanted to raise extraordinary children in a world full of spiritual confusion and temptation. Their home was marked by daily conversations about God, regular church involvement, and honest discussions about every topic—including failure, peer pressure, and real-life temptations. When tough choices came—about movies, parties, friends, or technology—they started with prayer and the Bible, not just rules. Instead of saying “no” with frustration, they’d sit down and talk through what God says and why he calls us to be different. They maintained boundaries but always pointed their kids back to Christ’s sufficiency and forgiveness. Church was more than routine; their home was filled with other families, Bible study leaders, and mentors, so their children grew up with a sense of belonging to God’s wider family. Not every season was easy—even in families committed to the Lord, siblings may argue, temptations come, and discouragements happen. When one of the Alessi kids went through a time of secret rebellion, the family leaned on the same principles—prayer, grace, honest dialogue, and steady discipline. Over time, the child came home—emotionally and spiritually—because home always felt safe, loving, and anchored in grace, not shame or performance. Today, the Alessi’s adult children are following Jesus, pouring into others, and crediting their parents’ faithful, messy, day-in-and-day-out investment for the lasting impact. Steve says: “Trusting God’s Word, setting boundaries with love, and relying on grace—not control—wasn’t always easy. But it’s worth it. Now, seeing our kids walk with Christ and lead families of their own on that same foundation is the greatest gift of all.”.
Ordinary Faith, Extraordinary Outcomes
Raising extraordinary kids isn’t about achieving Instagram perfection or turning out world-class performers. It’s about the daily, imperfect faithfulness of parents who love Jesus and want their children to do the same. Show up, keep God’s Word at the center, pray more than you preach, and keep your community close. God is writing your family’s story, and as you plant these seeds, trust Him for the fruit you may not see today but will surely come in time. With intentional effort, dependence on grace, and hearts fixed on eternity, you’re building something truly extraordinary for the glory of Christ.