Brad Bigney (Part 2): Help for Parents in the Aftermath

What do you do in the painful aftermath of discovering your child has walked away from the Lord? In this second conversation of afterWord, Pastor Kent Dresdow and Executive Pastor Jeremy Pray sit down again with guest speaker Brad Bigney Lead Pastor of Grace Fellowship Church to offer gospel-centered hope and practical help for parents of prodigals.Building on Part 1, Brad speaks candidly about the immediate temptations parents face—blaming themselves, isolating from the church, or scrambling to find a “formula” to fix their child. He and his wife, Vicki, know firsthand the grief and confusion of watching children rebel, and yet they’ve learned that true comfort comes not from control but from Christ.Drawing encouragement from the Psalms of lament, Luke 7, and 2 Corinthians 12, the discussion points parents back to God’s sovereignty, the importance of grieving honestly, the necessity of staying connected to the body of Christ, and the hope that only the gospel provides. They also speak directly to parents who aren’t walking through this trial—urging them to respond with humility, compassion, and grace toward those who are.If you’re a parent in the “blast zone” of prodigal pain, or simply want to better walk alongside others in your church, this episode offers biblical wisdom, pastoral encouragement, and the reminder that God alone saves—and He is faithful.