Believe for It: When Passing on Faith Is Difficultናሙና

Day 5: Faithful Through Every Generation

When my son, Alvin III, departed for Australia in his twenties, seeking his own way, he went with my fervent prayers. Immediately upon arriving, he received an invitation from his new roommate, Wally, to attend a discipleship ministry school at Melbourne Life Christian Church. With no other plans, Alvin reluctantly agreed to join.

At the ministry school, God lit fire to Alvin’s faith. Every time he called home, he seemed to have a more exciting story than the call before about what God was doing in his life. My prayers of, “Lord, bring my son home,” changed instantly to, “Lord, you can keep him there for as long as you want. In fact, it’s fine if he never comes back as long as you’re working in his life.”

And work He did! After nine months, Alvin returned to Nashville on fire for the Lord. He wanted his friends in Tennessee to experience what he had in Melbourne, so his father and I agreed to host a week-long Bible study for a few of his friends. This gathering of 40 young adults, transformed into a home church, which eventually became Nashville Life Church — the church my husband, Alvin, and I founded in 2012.

Early on, the Lord revealed to my husband that our son would be our successor. However, when that time came, we had to exercise humility, to hand over the church to our 35-year-old son. I wondered if he was ready to take on the rigors and responsibilities of being the lead pastor. We had to let go of some of our expectations and choose to believe that God had equipped our son to do the job in ways only he could. Alvin wasn’t my baby boy anymore. He wasn’t the young man searching for his purpose and identity. Over the past ten years, God had been growing his faith and leadership skills. And we had to trust Alvin was ready to reach his generation for Christ.

I watched in awe as he rose to the challenge during a global pandemic. With clear, direct teaching, he expertly navigated hot-button topics, exhorting us to turn our eyes to Jesus. Two years in, the church is thriving, and Alvin III is flourishing in his role. The One who began a good work in Alvin III years ago was faithfully completing that work. I’m thankful I didn’t give up. For years I prayed and declared that my son would be a mighty man of God. What a joy to see God answer those prayers! God truly is faithful through every generation.

Question to Consider

How have you witnessed God working in your child’s life? What does it mean to you that God is faithful to all generations? What is one way you can support your child’s spiritual journey?