Paul wrote to the Corinthians, "You have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers" (1 Corinthians 4:15). The church has no shortage of teachers, preachers, and content creators. What it lacks are spiritual parents: men and women who will walk alongside the next generation with patience, love, and genuine investment.
A spiritual father or mother does more than teach doctrine. They model Christ in the ordinary rhythms of life. They show younger believers how to handle disappointment, how to forgive, how to lead a household, and how to serve without seeking recognition. Their lives are open textbooks.
The fatherless and motherless generation is not just a societal problem. It is a church problem. Young believers are looking for someone to look up to, someone who will answer the phone, speak truth in love, and stay present even when the journey gets messy.
Spiritual parenting requires sacrifice. It means giving your time, your wisdom, and sometimes your comfort to pour into someone who may not yet appreciate it. But the return on that investment is generational. One life poured into another creates a chain of faithfulness that outlives us all.
If you are a mature believer, this is your moment. Do not wait to be asked. Look around your church, your workplace, your neighbourhood. Find a younger person who needs guidance and offer your presence. The next generation does not need perfect parents. They need present ones.