Raising Samuels

Sunday Service: June 15, 2025 • Pastor Mimi Kim at HOPE Church in Clarksville, MD --- Pastor Mimi’s Father’s Day sermon centers on the vital role all adults—biological parents, spiritual mentors, aunties, uncles, and church leaders—play in shaping the faith of young people. Using the story of Samuel in 1 Samuel 1–3, she identifies four major obstacles that today’s youth face in developing genuine faith: being born into a faith they didn’t choose, growing up in a godless society, witnessing hypocrisy within religious institutions, and lacking personal encounters with God. Despite these challenges, Samuel grew into a faithful prophet because he was continually ministering before the Lord, even as a child. Pastor Mimi emphasizes the importance of giving young people intentional opportunities to serve and encounter God, not merely attend church. She critiques the modern phenomenon of “moralistic therapeutic deism,” where God is seen only as a self-esteem booster, and shares sobering research showing that many Christian teens lack depth in their faith. Drawing from both Scripture and personal experience, she calls on the church—especially fathers—to actively raise children who know God personally and serve Him wholeheartedly. Her closing challenge is clear: faith is not inherited or assumed, but cultivated through real ministry and spiritual mentorship, starting from a young age.