In this live service, Pastor Keith and co‑host Harry Pitts deliver a sermon titled “Fathering Gen Z,” urging fathers and all parents to adopt grace‑filled, faith‑based parenting in the digital age. They begin with worship and prayers, then highlight the mental‑health crisis among Gen Z—rising anxiety, depression, and suicide—attributing part of the problem to absent fathers and the pressures of social media and cyberbullying. Biblical foundations are cited (Ephesians 6:4, Proverbs 22:6, 1 Cor 13, Philippians 4:8, Colossians 3:21, etc.) to frame a model of unconditional, patient love. Practical techniques are offered: active listening, setting screen‑time boundaries, sharing personal failures, apologizing, laughing together, and praying with teens. The sermon stresses vulnerability, forgiveness, and modeling Christ’s grace, urging fathers to be emotionally present and to avoid hypocrisy. The message expands to community involvement, encouraging families to engage with the church, youth groups, and mentors. An altar call invites listeners to repent, accept Jesus, and become part of the 514 Grace Church family, followed by a prayer for families and a promotional segment listing the church’s online platforms and local location in Villa Rica, Georgia. The overall tone is passionate, encouraging, and pastoral, aiming to equip parents with spiritual and practical tools to nurture Gen Z in a media‑saturated world.
Chapters
5'14.
So don't just talk grace.
Live it.
Turn that faith all the way up. Let's go!
I came here with the word on me.
Whole squad in the church got the dirt of me.
From the blocks to the birds to the light and the dark.
Spark up the flame, let it burn. That's the mark. Enemies shook when the saints get to stepping. Flav got me sexing like a bitch. Fresh breathin', never been soft. We the stalks of the earth, blood, all cross paid. That's the sign of work. Faith roll on and it can't be stopped. From the east to the west, man, they run this block. Every chain fall off and the name get dropped. 514, we stay on top. In the only year that can't dip in this life. Safe walk every year, we step in Christ. No cap, we don't fold when the drowns get tight. We pray then we move, that's the key. Faith is more than the sun and this is all we bring. We the church in the streets with the truth in the rhymes. Make it look For hope, better follow the sign. We got grace in the blood and the blood on the line. Who got saved? We did! Who got raised? He did!
Who Christ saved?
Jesus! Who still got grace? Jesus! This ain't just a song, it's a statement.
Father God, we thank you this morning for your tender mercies, your grace. Oh God, we thank you for your faithfulness. Jesus, we thank you that you're able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think. According to the riches and glory that's in Christ Jesus our Savior. Father, we thank you for Jesus this morning, for every single thing that he does for us, for our life, our health, our strength. We thank you, God, for your presence in this building today.
We thank you, God, that you are worshiped, you are adored, Your God. And Father, most importantly, we pray for this, the United States of America. We pray for the elected officials.
We pray for the President of the United States of America, God, and his cabinet members.
We pray, God, for our governor, for our mayors, those that are in power. We pray, God, that they be guided by your Holy Spirit, by your presence. God, give them wisdom to govern correctly. Give them the Lord God, God divine directives, Lord God, to lead God with love and passion and compassion. Father, I thank you, Lord God, that you will speak to them.
God, I thank you, Lord God, for your anointing, God, that destroys yokes and removes burdens. God, let that anointing rest in this building this morning, in this church this morning.
God, speak through my vocal cords. Think through my mind. All of you and none of me.
And it's in the name of Jesus that we pray.
And everyone shout, amen!
Amen!
Amen!
Give God a hand clap of praise.
I want to say this morning that I believe that this message that I'm going to teach is going to be vitally important.
Lately, we've experienced an uptick in this country as relates to suicidal issues with our young people. You would think that all of the situations, all of the things that parents and families deal with, such as drug addiction, would have staggering numbers. Unfortunately, it does not.
Our children are dealing with anxiety.
They're dealing with suicidal ideations.
I'm convinced that a lot of the things that our children deal with foundationally is because there are no fathers in the house.
There are no fathers in the house.
And this is not to say that women cannot govern or lead or train their children, but I'm saying the It's vitally important that there be fathers in the house to help our children overcome circumstances and situations that they may face. Most recently, my wife was sharing with me about this promoter slash superstar rapper that recently lost his adult son. Many people may know him as Lil Jon. They found him in a lake, and I can understand the pain, the immense pain that both he and his wife faced when they heard the news that he had lost his son. They don't know the cause of death, but as a parent, that is gut-wrenching.
Amen.
No one should have to bury their child. But there's something that has to be done and something that has to be taught, Pastor Keith. We've got to start fathering Gen Z with the grace of God. So if I was going to title this sermon, I would title this sermon Fathering Gen Z. a grace-filled journey of love and faith. Grace-filled love has the nature of patience and curiosity, but this grace-filled love is also anchored in Christ Jesus. This love empowers our sons and daughters to discover their true identity and purpose in a noisy, distracting world. And I know I didn't say good morning, but I want to say good morning to everyone.
Good morning.
And good morning to those that are watching us live online right now. But we've got to address the elephant in the room. We can scream at our babies when things go wrong. But where is the grace of God? The same grace that God shows his own children. God models this to fathers.
Amen.
Fathers, I need you to listen to me. It is vitally important that you hear your children. Correction is necessary, but if there's no balance, you do more harm than you do good.
Teach, teach.
Now I want everyone to take a slow breath with me for a moment.
Close your eyes if you like to.
Picture a teenager you love, maybe your own son or daughter, a grandchild, a niece or nephew, even the young person sitting a few rows ahead of you right now in this church. Right now, in this very season, they're holding a phone that lights up their face, and they receive all of a sudden this bell notification, and it pings. And what they see when they read this notification is their phone is flooded with comparisons. And all of a sudden you see the face of this child change, and they start to grab their head and they get in the fetal position as if something is happening. They've heard some news or read some words that has changed their mood and they become angry, and then they Have to get up and walk to the restroom, and they're gone for a significant amount of time. And as a parent, you walk outside and look, and they're pacing the floor, and you can hear them mutter under their voice, uh, they're asking, am I enough? And you say, what's wrong? What's going on?
I'm not enough.
Listen, they don't respond, and they walk right back inside of the room, and they sit down, and they have this flustered look on their face. And all of a sudden, as you lean forward, you hear them say, do I matter?
Hmm.
And then you look again, and you see them put their heads down. And you hear them say, where do I fit? And you as a parent, a grandparent, a mentor, or a friend who cares deeply, you feel the weight of what they're dealing with. You want to protect them, guide them, love them, and you want them not to feel the pain that they're feeling, but they've just experienced Cyberbullying. And what's dangerous about this is that we can't sit back and ignore this form of bullying because this form of bullying could cost you your child.
Amen. That's right.
But the world moves so fast, the screens are so loud, and sometimes our own hearts ache with fear that we're not getting it right with our children.
Teach, teach.
But I need to speak today specifically to fathers, dads especially today. I see you, I see you. I know what you're dealing with. I understand the struggles that you're facing when you're dealing with your teenage daughter and your teenage son. I see You. I see the quiet determination in your eyes when you watch your teen walk out the door, hoping your words landed and they listened to what you spoke and they'll make really good, righteous decisions.
I see you.
Moms, aunts, grandparents, you carry that same tender burden. And young people here today, this morning, you feel seen and loved just by being in the room and hearing that someone cares for you, that you matter.
Pastor Keith.
Amen.
You matter. Minister Phil, young people need to know that they matter. That their voice matters. Hear me, dads. Hear me, fathers. That their hearts matter. We're not here to point fingers or pile on guilt. We're not pointing fingers at not one single father, not one single child. We're here because we're all on this journey together.
Amen.
Imperfect people raising and being raised in a generation unlike any before it.
That's right.
Recent reports show that nearly half of Gen Z has faced a mental health diagnosis, often anxiety or depression, with many feeling overwhelmed on a daily basis. Social media is woven into their lives. Over 90% of them engage with social media every single day. Sometimes spending hours scrolling back and forth, scrolling through highlight reels that can distort reality and set their course going the wrong direction. And they see these highlight reels, and these highlight reels to them determine their own personal self-worth. worth.
That's true.
I'm sorry if I seem a little bit loud, but I'm passionate this morning because I have 3 boys, all 3 of which are males. They're adults. I have 2— I have 1 grandbaby and I have 1 godson that I love dearly, and I'm not risking playing games with the enemy that doesn't play fair. We've got to be fathers We gotta be dads. We have to be present and available emotionally. We can't take it for granted. But I wanna say this, yet God has placed us in our daughter and son's lives for such a time as this.
Yes.
Not to fix everything perfectly that they may be facing, but to reflect his unchanging love in the midst of change.
Amen.
The Bible says in Ephesians chapter 6, verse 4, it gives us our guiding light. Ephesians chapter 6, verse 4 gives us this guiding light because God says to fathers, do not exacerbate your children. Instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. This isn't a command to control or criticize. It's an invitation to nurture our sons and our daughters with the grace of God.
The grace of God.
The grace of God that is patient, that is loving, that is kind, that is nurturing. And as we teach this message, we'll explore how grace-filled fathering and parenting becomes our superpower. God speaks heavily in scripture about his unconditional love. This is the type of love that every parent, every mother, every father should have as relates to Gen Z. They're like no other. The generations before them didn't deal with the stresses and the anguish and the, and the media and the screens and this controversial behavior. It's trying to condition them. But here we have our Heavenly Father that gives us grace. Can you imagine every time we made a mistake if God just abused us verbally? As a father, why would you do something like this? Because you destroy your child's identity. You hurt their confidence.
Hey, hey.
And they become unstable. And you wonder why. Listen to me, fathers. You should have unconditional love that listens. Unconditional love that has faith, that anchors its faith in God's identity.
Amen.
This love that gives boundaries that protect without smothering. This unconditional love that gives resilience built through empathy. A love that models Christ in everyday moments with practical tools to help along the way.
I want to offer up a prayer to fathers. Heavenly Father, thank you for these precious young lives and for every adult who loves them.
So often our hearts today—
so often our hearts are filled with heaviness because we wonder if we made or said the right things to our children. But Father, I want to say this to every father, every parent: soften our hearts.
Amen.
Help us hear one another, feel loved and important, and walk forward in your grace as grace-filled parenting leads and guides us.
Speak, speak to us through your word.
And I pray this prayer in Jesus' name. That was not my message. That was just the introduction.
Amen.
So let's begin where every good journey starts.
with the heart.
Love is our ultimate superpower.
Love.
Someone say love is our ultimate superpower.
Love is our ultimate superpower.
Point number 1, we've got to, as grace-filled parents, we have to embrace the unconditional love as our superpower. At the heart of fathering Gen Z is love. The Bible says love covers a multitude of sins. Not the shallow kind of love we see online, not the shallow type of love that our children see online where it's conditional, based off of what you give me, based off of if you give me a thumbs up, if you give me a like.
That's right.
Based off of the comments.
that are spoken.
This is this shallow type of love that our children face every single day of their lives. This love that competes for your attention as well. This love that competes for the attention of your children. But the danger in this is that the children don't have the same maturity that you have.
Right.
And this type of love, this shallow type of love, is transformative, but in a negative way. But we need this unconditional love that is transformative, the love of God in us.
Amen.
Think about 1 Corinthians chapter 13, verse 4 through 7.
Love—
listen at this— love is patient. Fathers, are you patient with your children? Or is your volume at 100 when they say something that you don't like? Or they behave incorrectly in school? Are you patient with your babies? Are you patient with your sons? Are you patient with your daughters? Fathers, love is patient.
Yes. Guess what?
Love is kind. Love does not envy. It does not boast. It is not proud. It does not dishonor others. It is not self-seeking. It is not easily angered. It keeps no records of wrongs. Dads, this is the blueprint for loving your sons, loving your daughters. This is the blueprint.
Amen.
In a world where teens face cyberbullying and, and pull in the pull of likes and notifications, our love must be unconditional. Imagine this: your daughter comes home upset after a trend on TikTok spirals into harsh comments. Instead of jumping to these statements, that's silly, or just log off. Approach what she's feeling with curiosity.
Amen.
Ask, what do you think about that trend that is taking place on TikTok? Or why does this matter to you? Ask those type of questions, Father.
Why, why should you do this?
Because this builds trust and opens doors for real conversation with both you and your son or your daughter. And now, youth, I need you to hear me on this.
I need you to hear me.
Your dads aren't perfect.
That's right.
But when they show up with empathy, saying, I see why that hurts, how can I support you? It's a reflection of God's love toward you.
Yes.
Dads, I need you to understand me. Fathers, hear me. There are practical techniques to prepare, to prepare you how to communicate, how to love, how to have empathy, how to not be judgmental or controlling or domineering. There are practical techniques. Listen at this one. Practice active listening. Set aside your phone during dinner and really hear your teen.
Yes.
Remind them often of what the Bible says in Psalms 139:14, I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Share a quick story from your own life where God's love pulled you through a tough season, but don't pretend like you're perfect and that you have not made mistakes in life. Because your children need to know that you've made mistakes, but you can give them the tools to overcome every circumstance, every trial that they may be facing. Share that story about your own personal life. If you want them to be successful, talk to them about your success, but also talk to them about your failures.
Amen, amen.
One helpful framework many, many dads have found useful comes from a book from Jason Jimenez and his work on parenting Gen Z. He shared this through Focus on the Family. His book, Parenting Gen Z, he talks about love, Pastor Keith.
Amen.
He says in his book that laugh together often often lightens the mood with fun moments. Do you spend time laughing with your children? Be open. Share your heart and stories with vulnerability. Value their opinions, fathers. Value their opinions, fathers. Ask sincerely and listen to what they're saying, not only after you value their opinion, but encourage your sons, encourage your daughters, their efforts and dreams. Show them that their dreams and all of their efforts matter. Amen. Don't do this once a year, do this daily. Celebrate the process, not just outcomes. Try incorporating one or two of these this week if you're watching me.
Amen.
It's small, but it matters. You need to have that relational grace that strengthens bonds, that shows them they're truly liked and valued.
Why?
Because this counters the isolation that can come from too much screen time.
Oh yes.
Show them that they're liked. Show them that they're valued. Show them that the words that they speak, that you're listening and that they're important. Nothing should come before your children. Men, I know that you love playing in your leagues. Y2K, playing your video games. You spend 5 to 8 hours playing games and your child only wants 20 minutes of your time. But you're telling me that a video game is more important than your son or your daughter? Father, what is wrong with you?
Something wrong.
When that father woke up this morning, this superstar rapper woke up that morning and he received the news. That's gut-wrenching. I have 3 boys and I can only imagine, and I pray for them constantly. I pray for them constantly. That is gut-wrenching that a father has to deal with this knowing that he lost his son. But you can't give 1 hour of time because you're so controlled or so enamored by getting to the next level in a video game that your child is going crazy in school because there's no father present. And dads, when you mess up, ask for forgiveness. You raise your voice about everything else.
Now raise your voice and apologize to your sons.
Apologize to your daughters. Raise your voice. Don't miss this moment. Say something that is important. But hear me, don't say something that you'll regret. You're playing a video game. You say, well, boy, give me a minute. Go, go, go, go, go to your room. Don't say that because you'll regret that.
All the days of your life, you'll regret that.
But when you mess up, go to your teen and say, I was wrong.
And say to them, I was wrong, will you forgive me?
Amen.
I messed up.
This isn't weakness, this is grace.
It's grace in action.
It models, this models how God operates with his own children. It models how God wants fathers to be an example to their own children. When you make a mistake, say, I messed up, please forgive me, I was wrong. God's forgiveness as our Heavenly Father is real and it's abundant. You can see this in 1 John 1:9. Listen at this: if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. This builds deeper trust because now you're asking your children to give you grace, and it communicates that you love them. And they see that Daddy's not perfect.
That's right.
Daddy's human. Daddy makes mistakes, but I do know that my dad loves me.
Amen.
Particularly in a culture where faith can sometimes feel hypocritical to young people, your humble vulnerability, fathers, shows them that grace restores and covers every shortcoming. This is grace-filled love in action. But love shines brighter when faith anchors us in the digital storm. Let's turn the next chapter in our lives and become better fathers, better parents to our children. Let's turn this next chapter and rewrite the story that can bring change to our children, bring purpose to their lives.
Amen.
We gotta teach our children how to navigate The identities, the digital identities that are being portrayed on social media, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, X. They have one now called Yellow.
Oh my God.
Or Lemon or something to that effect. This is unbelievable. The material that's being posted. These digital identities, we've got to set faith boundaries for our children.
Amen.
Building on that foundation of love, faith becomes our anchor as parents. Gen Z's world is online. You do know that, right? Their world is online. Their profiles feel like extensions of themselves. But with constant connectivity comes risk, harmful interactions, addiction to the dopamine of notifications, and a distorted view of reality where worth seems tied to a performance that's on their digital profile.
Amen.
The Bible says in Colossians 3:21, it warns, it says this, Fathers, do not embitter your children or they will become discouraged. So how do we guide without discouraging our children? First, we incorporate faith as the core. Let's look at Philippians 4:8. Listen at this. We're gonna use this as a launching point to understand how to encourage the word of God to not discourage our children. Philippians chapter 4, verse 8 says, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, think about such things. Discuss this over family devotions. Maybe challenge your teen to post something positive or a favorite To flip the script on those cyber bullies, to show them that our God is King.
Amen.
Fathers, pray together about using social media wisely with your children. Picture this: your son gets a negative comment online. Instead of criticizing your son's choices, Validate them. That sounds tough. I know it does. As a father, I know I have three boys. I have a god baby and a godson. I have five: three adult males and two young babies. And they look to me to model the gospel of Christ in human flesh. And I know that it's tough when you hear a preacher say. Validate their choice. That sounds tough. What's one true thing about you from God's view? Is that God knows that you're going to love your children unconditionally, fathers.
Amen.
I wanna give you some balance because you need to set healthy balances, boundaries. You need techniques that's gonna bring the balance that you need your lives, fathers. Set healthy boundaries together with your children. Agree on screen time limits and create tech-free zones like the dinner table.
That's right.
Model it by putting your own device away first, fathers. Discuss the highlight reel of social media. Share how posts are edited for perfection, emphasizing authenticity over approval. Encourage using their online voice for good and for righteousness, for the gospel of Christ. Encourage them to use their voices the right way. Tell them that you should be advocating for justice, sharing hope, or reflecting their own values. Don't just limit, but equip them with positive vision. Challenge them to create or share content that points to truth, beauty, and goodness. Ask, how could you use this platform to encourage someone today?
Why?
Because this shifts from mere restriction to purposeful living rooted in Colossians chapter 3, verse 2. Setting minds, setting your minds on what things that are above. Grace means guiding without gripping.
Let me say that again.
Grace means guiding without gripping. Give them space to make choices, even small ones online. But walk alongside them, check in gently, pray with them, and celebrate when they choose wisely, when they speak and use their voices for the righteousness of God's grace, for others to produce change in other young people, to produce change in their peers, to model this example that they see at home from their fathers, at school and in public, a demonstration of who their father is publicly, not just privately.
That's right.
This honors their growing autonomy while showing you're there to give them steady advice and to advocate on their behalf.
Youth, this is your chance to shine.
This is your chance to shine God's light in digital spaces. Adults, approach your children without judgment. Ask, what's your favorite thing about that app?
Learn.
Yeah. Don't just judge. Judgmentalism is dangerous, man. It is dangerous. It is harmful. If it is used the wrong way.
That's right.
If you judge them harshly, you could damage them privately. And if you damage them privately, this can go on for perpetual generations of pain because you are not operating in the grace of God.
This grace anchors us Teach. Right where we are with our children.
Teach.
It prepares— this grace of God prepares them to thrive rather than just survive. And we have to build our children amid the mental health challenges that they experience today. Some of them are simply not built like us. Therefore, we have to be more patient. We have to be kind. We have to be diligent.
They're not built like us.
They're not wired like us. You're talking about information overload in an age where everything is coming at them at the snap, at the touch of a finger. They can have facts right there in front of us, but facts are not necessarily truths.
That's right.
That's right.
From digital pressure to real-life stress, resilience is key in the time that we live in, and faith equips us for this.
Recent surveys show alarming realities. Nearly half of Gen Z has mental health diagnosis with anxiety and depression, which are common amongst them, and many feeling overwhelmed most days. Every day they wake up, they feel overwhelmed. As parents, we can't ignore this. The Bible says in Proverbs 22:6, it says, instruct your child.
Listen at this.
It starts It says, start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old, they will not turn from it.
Amen.
Proverbs 22:6 is basically saying, if you're present and available emotionally, when you give them these lessons, these life lessons, and show them and pull back the veil of who you are, they won't walk away from what you've instructed them.
Amen.
This is an emotional tool that is rooted in the faith of God.
Now I'm gonna say something, and I'm gonna—
I want you to hear me out.
This is a powerful statement, and I know some people may agree with this, they may not agree with this, but I wanna tell you, if you utilize it, it'll work for you.
Amen.
Normalize failure. I want you to think on that. Normalize failure.
Share your own setbacks, dads.
Like, I failed at a big project once.
Maybe you didn't make the football team. Maybe you didn't make the track team. Maybe you didn't make the baseball team. Talk about it. But God used it for growth in my life. Share that. This shows failure is part of the journey. Failure is not defeat. You are aware of that. Failure is not defeat. Reinforce their worth. The Bible says in Psalms 139:14, Repeat this often. Reinforce their worth and repeat it often. Repeat Psalms 139:14 often to your babies, to your children. Foster a growth mindset. Ask, what can we learn from this? Instead of, why did this happen? How could you do this? How could you embarrass me like this? Ask them, how can we learn this from this together? Tell them, baby, we can get through this together.
Yes.
Yes, you made a mistake, but this is not defeat. Celebrate effort. Tell them, I'm proud of how hard you tried. Create a safe space for risk for your children. Connect with them through faith. 2 Corinthians chapter 12, verse 9 says, my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. During tough times, pray and reflect with them together. One powerful habit that every father should have is pray specifically for and with your teens. Pray with them. Say this, Lord, show them your love every day and ask them, how can I, as your father, pray for you this week?
Amen.
Why?
Because it invites God into their struggles. Every struggle, every stress, all the anxiety, all the depression that they deal with. This invites God in the lives of our children because it shows grace covers every need and deepens emotional connection to the God that we love and serve. And it grounds our children and it destroys the distractions, the peer pressure, that they may feel, the anxiety that they may deal with, by grounding, grounding them in the faith of God.
Amen.
You know your dads are building you up, not tearing you down. They mean well.
They're learning.
There's no book of instruction that comes with parenting.
Grace turns weakness into strength. Did you hear that? turns weakness into strength.
Countering cultural ties that will try to tear you down.
Grace turns weakness into strength.
Because counterculture tries to pull our children toward despair.
Fathers, hear me. Fathers, hear me.
We need— we must model the faith of God, the faith of Jesus Christ, in front of our sons, in front of our daughters. We can't live one way at home and then go out publicly and live another way. That is controversial.
That's right.
That is being a hypocrite. So when they do what you do, you want to get upset. When you model this example before them. You can't curse people out in public and then when they come home and the teacher says to you that they've been cursing in class, where did they learn it? Because they heard you in the car curse at someone. They saw you give someone the middle finger. That was not a friendly gesture. We've got to model faith, love, patience, grace, to our children publicly, not only publicly, but more so privately, fathers in our own homes.
Yes, Jesus.
All this leads to living a faith out loud. Deuteronomy 6:6-7 calls us to impress God's command naturally, talking about them at home, on walks, at bedtime. Dads, model a Christ-centered life daily. Pray visibly and publicly in front of your children. Read scripture. Serve each other in your home, fathers. In a world of cultural shifts, conflicting social media values, and peer pressure, equip your teens, fathers, to stand firm with grace. Jeremiah 29:11 promises, for I know the plans I have for you, plans to give you hope and a future. Encourage your youth using this voice that they have a future, that they can be great. Encourage them using their voice wisely. And you as a father, to use the voice of God to say that there are plans for you.
Yes. Yes.
Encourage them toward positive change, justice, or sharing faith humbly with their peers. Link them to the broader body of Christ, youth groups, small groups, or mentors. Take your children to church fathers. Don't just sit at home and watch sporting events like that's okay, and you wonder Why they don't have patience when you talk to them, or why they place you on mute. Take them to church so that they can see the God that you love and serve.
Amen. Why?
Because you're their primary influence. Amen, that's right. But godly peers and community strengthen them. Hebrews 10:24-25, grace lived out daily builds their identity, Pastor Keith, and prepares them for secular influences with conviction and love so that these influences don't dominate or control their lives.
Amen. And as I hasten to a close, members of 514 Grace Church, hear me, fathers. I know that I said some words that may have prodded you or pushed you or provoked you. It is never my intention to provoke anyone to anger, but we've got to start celebrating our children. Friends, family, church members, loved ones, those that are watching me online, as we come to the end, Let this truth settle deeply in your hearts. You are not alone in this. Parenting or being parented in Gen Z's world isn't about flawless performance, parents. It's about showing up with grace.
Yes.
The same grace God extends to us every single day. Grace-filled parenting. Imagine this with me: a dad who pauses in frustration, laughs with his teen, asks forgiveness when needed, prays over them, and walks alongside them without gripping too tight. A teen who feels truly heard, valued, encouraged, and equipped to use their gifts for good.
A family sharing scriptures, celebrating small steps, supported by a loving community.
A young person stepping into their world confidently, anchored in the glory and presence of Christ, their Savior. That's not a fantasy.
That's what grace makes possible.
Amen.
Grace makes possible the strength that families need, the unity and bond— bonds that mothers and fathers desire from their children. makes this happen.
Grace is more than what you could imagine.
Grace brings the unity and the strength and the bonds of peace in a family that needs Jesus.
Amen.
Grace makes this happen slowly, steadily, as Philippians 1:6 promises, he who began a good work in you will carry it out until completion, until the day of Christ Jesus.
Amen.
He's working in you, dads. He's working in your youth, fathers. He's working in all of us.
So here's a gentle invitation today.
No pressure, just loving.
And I wanna say this. These are loving steps forward. Dads and parents, this week, try one act of grace-filled love. Laugh together. Be open. Value their voice. Encourage effort. Ask forgiveness if needed.
Pray specifically with them or give space while staying close. Young people, know you are deeply loved and important. When you feel unseen, come talk to a trusted adult, namely your father.
Amen.
Because they want to hear.
Your Father wants to hear you and walk with you.
Yes.
All of us, let's commit to being a community where grace flows freely, encouraging one another, praying for one another, celebrating small victories together. Grace can do this in this age.
So let's stand and pray together. I wanna ask everyone to stand on their feet. We want to pray this prayer. Heavenly Father, thank you for every parent who carries this sacred calling, for every young heart seeking belonging, and for your grace, O God, that covers us all. Help us to feel heard, loved, and truly important, truly important to one another and to you, God.
Fill fathers with patience, Vulnerability and wisdom.
Fill our youth with courage, identity in Christ, and resilience.
God, bind families together so the world sees— so the world sees your love in action through us.
God, teach fathers how to be patient, kind, nurturing, and available emotionally.
Amen.
God, carry on the good work you've started in us.
Through the grace of God and the powerful grace-filled name of Jesus, we all pray.
And everyone said amen. Amen. Amen. Give God a hand clap of praise. Pastor Keith, if you'll come forward, we want to offer to those that are watching us online and those that are present here in Amen. This church today. Thank you, man of God. We want to offer this opportunity for those that don't know Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. Today you need to make a decision to know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior. If you're a father, you know that your life has not been appropriate before your wife and your children come down. This is not to embarrass anyone. This is to offer you the opportunity to serve a God that loves you more than anything you could even imagine. And for those that are watching me online, you know that you've not done the right things towards your children, fathers. I want you to pray this prayer of repentance and invite Jesus into your heart, because Jesus, through the grace of God, can teach you how to become a better father, a loving father, a nurturing father, a kind Father, a patient Father, an encouraging Father. Embrace this love that Christ wants to give. Pray this prayer with me. Father, come into my heart. I ask forgiveness for every sin that I've committed. If I've lied, if I've spoken harshly, if I've done things that have been embarrassing, if I've not been a great father, if I've not nurtured my children, God, help me. Forgive me.
me.
Jesus, save me.
Change me.
Make me different. I believe that you died and rose on the 3rd day, that you resurrected, that you first descended, then ascended, and now you're seated on the right hand of the Father.
God, I thank you for the finished work of Christ in my life.
I denounce sin. I denounce Satan.
I thank you, Jesus, that you are now my Lord and Savior.
Amen.
I believe that I am forgiven and saved in Jesus' name. If you prayed that prayer with me, you're now born again believer. Amen, and welcome to the family of God. And those of you that are watching us online, thank you for watching. Thank you for tuning in. Follow us on all of our social media pages. We're on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or X. Excuse me, Twitter formerly X. We're on Instagram, TikTok. Follow us. We're on all social media platforms. We're on YouTube. Look us up. Look us up on our webpage, www.514gracechurch.org. Our leaders would love to work with your families. Our ministers will love to pray over you. Tracy and I would love to pastor you. We are one great perfecting family. We are a new fresh movement in the West Georgia metropolitan Atlanta area. We're right here in Villa Rica, Georgia, right outside of Atlanta, West Georgia. Those that are watching this, come out.
We're local.
We're not that far.
We are loving people. My wife and I love children, love families.
The ministers love families, and we want you to be a part of this next movement to bring change in West Georgia. And I want to say thank you. Thank you for watching. Thank you for following.
