1.0Church Answershttps://churchanswers.comrich600338<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="Aknnvkqkb1"><a href="https://churchanswers.com/blog/raising-the-next-generation-to-run-after-the-kingdom/">Raising the Next Generation to Run After the Kingdom</a></blockquote><iframe sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" src="https://churchanswers.com/blog/raising-the-next-generation-to-run-after-the-kingdom/embed/#?secret=Aknnvkqkb1" width="600" height="338" title="“Raising the Next Generation to Run After the Kingdom” — Church Answers" data-secret="Aknnvkqkb1" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" class="wp-embedded-content"></iframe><script type="text/javascript"> /* <![CDATA[ */ /*! This file is auto-generated */ !function(d,l){"use strict";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&"undefined"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!/[^a-zA-Z0-9]/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),c=new RegExp("^https?:$","i"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display="none";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute("style"),"height"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):"link"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute("src")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener("message",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll("iframe.wp-embedded-content"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute("data-secret"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+="#?secret="+t,e.setAttribute("data-secret",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:"ready",secret:t},"*")},!1)))}(window,document); //# sourceURL=https://churchanswers.com/wp-includes/js/wp-embed.min.js /* ]]> */ </script> https://churchanswers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Family-with-teenagers.png1200628In our house right now we have two teenagers and a preteen, which means life is full of school schedules, sports practices, group texts, and lots of conversations about what it means to grow up. On top of that, my job as a teacher to upper school students gives me a front row seat into the daily lives of teenagers. When I see statistics about Gen Z or watch reels and news clips talking about them, it is never just a number or a soundbite. It is faces I know, stories I have heard, and struggles I see up close. And here is what I keep noticing. These students are carrying an enormous weight. Anxiety and depression are climbing. Schedules are overflowing. There is pressure to make the grade, to earn the scholarship, to perform on the field, and to keep up socially. All of this comes at a stage of life when they are still figuring out who they are and what they are made for. As parents, mentors, and church leaders, we want to set them up for success. We push them to work hard, to get involved, and to be responsible. None of these are bad things, but sometimes in our good intentions we end up modeling the exact opposite of what we actually desire for them. Instead of helping them run after the Kingdom of God, we accidentally teach them to chase after status, money, and achievement. We pile on more activities or more expectations and send the subtle message that their worth is measured by what they do, but what our kids desperately need is not more pressure, but a steady and faithful voice to realign back to who God made them to be. They need us to remind them that their value is not attached to performance, productivity, or perfection. So how do we actually lead them toward this truth? I want to share three reminders that have shaped the way I think about raising and leading the next generation.