What Is the Goal of Parenting?

A note to EBC parents

Becoming a parent is one of the greatest privileges God gives us — and one of the greatest responsibilities we will ever carry. Parenting fills our hearts with joy, laughter, and purpose… but it can also be exhausting, stretching, and sometimes overwhelming. We love deeply, we worry deeply, and we want more for our children than they may ever fully understand.

Over the next few weeks, I want to share some biblical parenting principles from Paul Chappell’s book, Making Home Work. If you would like to read the book for yourself, you can get it here: strivingtogether.com.

But before we talk strategies and methods, we need to begin with one simple question:

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What is the real goal of parenting?

As a dad of three girls — each with their own gifts, quirks, strengths, and personalities — I often think about their future. Who will they marry? What career will they pursue? What kind of home will they build?

We all imagine what we want for our children. Those dreams are not wrong.
But have we ever stopped to consider that God has dreams for them, too?

“Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee;
and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee,
and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.”
— Jeremiah 1:5

Before you held your child, God already had a plan for them.

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So let’s clarify something important.

The goal of parenting is not simply raising successful children.
Success is good — but it is not the main target.

“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world,
and lose his own soul?” — Mark 8:36

The goal is not wealth.
Not achievement.
Not even good behavior.

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The true goal of parenting is this:

To shepherd your child’s heart toward God’s purpose for their life.

Not every child will grow up to be a pastor or missionary — and God never intended them all to be. But every child does have a God-given purpose. Our job is to raise children who honor God and follow His calling, wherever that may lead.

Our prayer is not, “Lord, use my child where I want,”
but, “Lord, help my child follow You.”

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So what can we do as parents?

Here are three ways to guide your child toward God’s purpose:

1. Pray for God’s direction in their life.

Ask Him to lead, shape, call, and form their hearts.

2. Involve them in ministry.

Let them serve in areas that match their gifts and personality.

3. Encourage their God-given passions.

Don’t push them toward your dream — support them in His.

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We don’t just want good kids.
We want godly kids.
Kids who know Christ, love Christ, and follow Him wherever He leads.

This is our calling.
This is our joy.
This is the goal of parenting.