How to Help Your Child Grow in Their Faith (Without a Theology Degree or Pinterest-Worthy Devotionals)

My son once asked me if Jesus had a pet.

I froze.

In that moment, I wasn’t a speaker, a business coach, or even a grown adult woman with a fully formed brain.

I was a deer in headlights.

Because I didn’t have a clue how to answer that question without spiraling into “Well, maybe He had a donkey?” and then mentally backtracking to realize the donkey belonged to someone else and… well, you get the picture.

Faith conversations with kids are wild like that.

And yet—they’re also the most important conversations we’ll ever have.

So how do we help our children grow in their faith?

If you’re like me (a Christian woman entrepreneur balancing a thousand things at once), you want to raise kids who love Jesus—not just on Sundays or when it’s veggie-tales-approved convenient, but deep-down, spirit-filled, prayer-warrior kind of love.

So let’s talk about how to do just that. Not perfectly. Not Instagrammably. But faithfully.

1. Make Faith a Natural Part of Everyday Life

Repeat after me: I don’t need a color-coded devotional binder.

There. Doesn’t that feel better?

Growing your child’s faith doesn’t start with a 6-week Bible study or memorizing the book of Leviticus. It starts with how you live.

Talk about God like He’s actually part of your life—because He is. In the car. At the grocery store. While you’re scraping dried oatmeal off the table (again). When you mess up and need forgiveness.

When your child hears you say, “Let’s pray about that,” or, “Wow, look at what God did,” it gives them permission to see God in the little things—not just the pew things.

And when life feels overwhelming, take a breath. Sometimes the most powerful example we give our children is when we model creating space for rest in a culture that glorifies hustle.

2. Let Them See Your Imperfect Faith

Newsflash: They already know you’re not perfect.

So instead of pretending you’ve got it all together spiritually (or otherwise), show them what it looks like to seek God in the mess.

If you’re feeling anxious? Tell them. Then pray aloud. Let them hear the shaky voice and the faith that says, “God, I don’t know what I’m doing, but I trust You.”

That’s powerful.

Your kids need to see real faith in action—not just the highlight reel.

(And yes, that includes the time you lost your temper at bedtime and then came back to say, “I was wrong. Will you forgive me?”)

That’s called discipleship. It doesn’t always look like a sermon—it often looks like humility and honesty.

It also shows them how to surrender to God in real-time, with real emotions.

3. Give Them Scripture They Can Understand

There’s a reason children’s Bibles exist. No child I know is quoting Ezekiel 37 from memory at bedtime unless they’re part angel.

You don’t have to water down Scripture—but you do want to make it digestible.

Use a kid-friendly version of the Bible.

Read it together for five minutes.

Let them ask wild questions like, “Did Noah’s ark have a bathroom?”

Answer the best you can—and be okay with saying, “I don’t know, but let’s find out together.”

Growing faith isn’t about having every answer. It’s about building curiosity around God’s Word.

Bonus: Faith-building happens in conversation, not just consumption. Encourage back-and-forth.

And when they’re learning to apply those lessons, they’ll need determination in entrepreneurship, leadership, or whatever calling God puts on their heart—because faith doesn’t stop in childhood. You’re planting the roots for lifelong purpose.

4. Serve Together (Even If It’s Not “Big”)

Helping your child grow in their faith includes showing them what it looks like to serve others.

But listen: Serving doesn’t have to mean planning a mission trip to Belize.

It can look like:

• Writing a card to an elderly neighbor.
• Baking cookies for someone going through a hard time.
• Picking up trash at the park while talking about stewardship.

You’re teaching them that loving others is a natural expression of loving God.

Small actions = big seeds of faith.

You’re also helping them connect faith and action—which later grows into living with ethical business practices inspired by Scripture.

5. Don’t Outsource Their Faith to Church

Church is great. Sunday school teachers are blessings from heaven.

But they aren’t the primary faith leaders of your child.

You are.

Even if your schedule is crazy, even if you’re building a business on a napkin and a prayer, you still have influence that no one else does.

Which means this isn’t about adding “spiritual teacher” to your already jam-packed to-do list. It’s about seeing everyday moments as opportunities to disciple.

Washing dishes? Talk about what you’re grateful for.

Going to the bank? Discuss stewardship.

Running late and stressed out? Model turning to God when emotions are high.

Faith isn’t a separate category. It’s the thread that weaves through it all.

6. Invite Them Into Your Faith Life

Do you journal in the mornings? Invite them to sit beside you and draw.

Are you going through something hard? Share it with them in age-appropriate ways and ask them to pray with you.

When they feel included in your faith life—not just spectators—they’re more likely to grow their own.

And yes, they might ask if Jesus had a pet again. (I still don’t have a solid answer, by the way.)

But they’re watching. They’re learning. They’re absorbing more than you realize.

So… What If You Feel Inadequate?

Good.

That’s exactly where faith grows.

You don’t need a seminary degree to lead your child spiritually. You just need to be willing to keep showing up. Keep pointing to Jesus. Keep asking questions and being okay with not having it all figured out.

Because God doesn’t use perfect parents. He uses present ones.

Final Thought (and a Gentle Challenge)

Helping your child grow in their faith starts with one simple decision: to make faith part of your everyday life.

Not flashy. Not performative. Just real.

And if you’re a Christian woman entrepreneur juggling all the things and feeling like spiritual leadership is one more heavy responsibility on your shoulders, I want to tell you this:

You’re not alone.

That’s why NACWE exists.

To help women like you integrate faith and business in a way that feels possible—and life-giving.

Your next step: Come join us inside the National Association of Christian Women Entrepreneurs, where we talk about faith and business in real, honest, life-filled ways. You’ll find support, ideas, and a community that reminds you—you don’t have to do this alone.

👉 Click here to learn more about NACWE and how to join.