As parents of teenagers, we are often caught up in the busyness of life. We are good at keeping up with schoolwork, sports, and social activities while sometimes overlooking one of the most important aspects of our teenager’s development: their spiritual growth. God is at work in our teens’ lives, often in ways that may seem small or insignificant.

There are spiritual milestones families can celebrate, too, but they may need some guidance and encouragement to capture these memories. As leaders, we have the opportunity to help parents celebrate some significant steps in their child’s faith story.

Take the time to think about how your church engages in spiritual milestones and develop a plan to help parents lead their teens in these key conversations.

You are raising your kids under circumstances that church leaders don’t always pay enough attention to. It’s not that we don’t care deeply about you and your children; we do. However, our efforts to meet your specific needs for support and encouragement are sometimes lacking. That’s why I’m writing this letter on behalf of church leaders – to let you know that we desire to serve you in better ways than we have in the past.

Just so you know, you are raising your teenager under circumstances that church leaders don’t always pay enough attention to. It’s not that we don’t care deeply about you and your teenagers; we do. But our efforts to meet your specific needs for support and encouragement are sometimes not what they should be. That’s why I’m writing this letter on behalf of church leaders – to let you know that we desire to serve you in better ways than we have in the past.