Beyond the Home: Christian Role Models for Your Kids

"In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned."

- Titus 2:7-8a

As Christian parents, we all want to raise our children to love and follow Jesus. We do our best to teach them about God, pray with them, and guide them in the right direction. But did you know that having other adults in their lives as role models can make a big difference too? These role models can help support what we’re teaching at home. However, it’s important to choose these role models carefully.

First, when we think about who our kids look up to, we need to make sure these people share the same Christian values we want to pass on to our children. Role models who love God, show kindness, and live in a way that honors Him can have a big impact on our kids. When children see these qualities in someone else, it can reinforce what we are already teaching them at home.

For our family, we’ve found Catherine Haygood and Anne Wilson to be wonderful role models for our girls. Catherine, who performs with her family in Branson, is very talented. She plays a wide variety of instruments, and our girls really enjoy watching her on stage. We attend the Haygoods' show several times a year, and Catherine is always generous with her time, taking the opportunity to speak with us and our girls after the show. This personal connection has made a big impact.

Our daughter Leah has been especially inspired by Catherine and has started playing the harp, just like Catherine does. Lexi and Lily, our other daughters, are also interested in learning different instruments because of Catherine. Having a role model who shares their interests has encouraged them to pursue their passions in a way that honors God.

Our girls also love Anne Wilson's Christian music. They often listen to her throughout the day, singing along to her songs about Jesus and faith. Leah and I read Anne's book and learned the story behind her song "My Jesus," which just made Leah even more excited to listen to her songs and learn more about her. 

It’s also important to note that not all famous people make good role models, even if our kids are drawn to them. For example, while our girls are attracted to the Taylor Swift brand, we’ve noticed that she doesn’t show the Christian values we want our children to follow. We do allow them to listen to some of her older songs, but we don’t encourage them to look up to her as a role model. Instead, we guide them toward people like Catherine and Anne, who reflect the values that are important to our family.

Another thing to consider is the music we allow in our homes. The songs our kids listen to can shape the culture of our home. Music is powerful—it can influence our thoughts, our emotions, and even our actions. That’s why it’s so important to make sure the music we listen to as a family reflects the Christian culture we want to establish in our home.

By choosing songs that honor God and promote good values, we create an environment where our kids can grow in their faith. We want our home to be a place filled with love, joy, and peace—things that come from God. The music we choose can help set that tone and support the values we’re teaching our children.

In the end, our goal is to guide our children toward people and influences that will help them grow closer to Jesus. Whether it’s through personal relationships, the music they listen to, or the people they admire from a distance, we can help our kids find role models who inspire them to live out their faith with courage and love. By making thoughtful choices in these areas, we can create a culture in our home that supports our children’s spiritual growth and helps them become the people God created them to be.