RAISE COURAGEOUS CHILDREN?
When Courage Looks Like Parenting: A Conversation with Kirk Cameron
I’ll be honest, I didn’t grow up watching Growing Pains. So, sitting down with Kirk Cameron, I wasn’t coming in as a super fan. I just knew him as that “bold Christian guy from Hollywood who loves family and isn’t afraid to speak up.”
What I didn’t expect was how grounded, humble, and fun he is… and how much wisdom he has for parents trying to raise kids who love Jesus in a wild world.
Kirk went from being an atheist kid actor in Hollywood to a husband of 35 years, a dad of six, a homeschooling advocate, a grandpa with the epic name “Chief,” and a man using media and storytelling to point people to Christ. As we talked, I kept thinking:
Courage isn’t just for the ocean or the big stage.
It’s for the way we raise our kids, the way we stand for truth, and the way we quietly choose faithfulness at home.
Swimming Upstream in a Downstream Culture
Kirk used this powerful picture:
If you see people just floating downstream, laughing and singing as they head toward the waterfall, something is wrong. The ones who truly care about life and their families are the ones swimming hard against the current, trying to reach the shore.
That’s what it feels like to follow Jesus in today’s culture, especially as parents. The pull of the world is strong: social media, public school pressures, confusion about identity, and constant noise coming through our kids’ screens.
Kirk said the very presence of a battle inside of you, the tension between right and wrong, is actually a good sign. It shows the Holy Spirit is at work. That really resonated with me.
So many of us feel that inner wrestle:
Do I compromise a bit so I fit in?
Do I soften truth so I won’t seem “judgy”?
Do I just go with the cultural flow for my kids because it’s easier?
But Scripture is clear:
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind…”
— Romans 12:2
There should be tension between the way of Jesus and the way of the world. That tension doesn’t mean you’re failing; it often means you’re actually following Him.
Why Their Hearts Matter More Than Their Behavior
Kirk talked about a parenting book that left tear stains on their copy: Shepherding a Child’s Heart by Tedd Tripp.
The big idea:
It’s not enough to just manage your child’s behavior. You have to shepherd their heart.
Jesus said:
“For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”
— Luke 6:45
The yelling, the lying, the selfishness, the sibling fights, those are symptoms. Underneath is a heart that’s worshiping something: comfort, control, self, approval. The goal isn’t just, “Say you’re sorry and sit on your bed for five minutes.” The goal is to lovingly help them see why they did what they did, and point them back to Jesus.
That takes time, patience, and a lot of prayer. And it takes us, as parents, being willing to let God shepherd our hearts too.
More Is Caught Than Taught
One of my favorite things Kirk shared was this simple but convicting idea:
Your children are playing “follow the leader”… and you’re the leader.
He and his wife, Chelsea, asked themselves:
“Am I becoming the kind of person I hope my son becomes?”
“Am I living as the kind of woman I hope my daughter will grow into?”
We can load our kids up with Bible stories, podcasts, and Christian books (and we do!), but at the end of the day, they’re watching:
How we talk to our husband or wife
How we handle anger and frustration
How we respond when someone wrongs us
Whether we really trust God when life is hard
“Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.”
— 1 Corinthians 11:1
That verse isn’t just for pastors or leaders. In a very real way, it’s for parents. Our kids will imitate what they see more than what they hear.
Staying Close & Pointing Them to the Word
Kirk shared three simple “Cameron family” principles that I absolutely loved:
Strive to be the kind of person you want your children to become.
Not perfect. Not polished. But repentant, growing, and anchored in Christ.Stay in relationship with your kids—through the good, bad, and ugly.
Don’t let bad grades, messy rooms, or rebellious moments push you away from them. Discipline matters, but don’t burn the bridge of relationship. You’re the only mom or dad they’ll ever have.Point them to the Word of God, again and again.
The world is shouting at our kids through TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and even classroom content. But none of those places hold true wisdom.“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.”
— Proverbs 9:10
We can’t download faith into our kids like an app, but we can fill our homes with Scripture, prayer, and conversations that keep turning their eyes back to Jesus.
“You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”
— Deuteronomy 6:7
Two Major Takeaways
1. It’s normal to feel the struggle; keep swimming upstream.
If you feel the tension between culture and your convictions, that’s not failure—that’s often faith. Ask God for courage to keep swimming against the current and to stand firm in truth with love.
2. Your daily example is shaping a generation.
The way you love your spouse, talk to your kids, handle stress, and run your home is painting a picture of what following Jesus looks like. Don’t underestimate the power of ordinary faithfulness—reading the Bible together, praying, repenting, laughing, and staying close.
I left this conversation with Kirk feeling freshly convicted and encouraged. Not to be a “perfect” mom, but to be a faithful one—to keep fighting for my kids’ hearts, to keep pointing them to Jesus, and to remember that God can do immeasurably more with our imperfect efforts when they’re surrendered to Him.
