Years ago, when I was serving as a youth pastor in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee, I wrote this post with a heart full of passion for the next generation. Today, that passion hasn’t changed—it’s only deepened. Since then, I’ve planted a church, traveled as an evangelist, and—most humbling of all—become a father to four beautiful children. As I look back on the words I wrote, I’m reminded why this message still matters. It’s not just about ministry. It’s about legacy.

Back then, our youth group was embarking on a journey to grow closer to God through prayer. I know that might sound typical, but for our group of young people, it was a commitment we took seriously. We used The Battle Plan for Prayer, inspired by the Christian film The War Room, as a tool to help us find structure, vision, and inspiration in our daily walk with God.

We recognized something vital: time is short. If we want to make a real impact for the Kingdom of God, it begins—not with platforms or programs—but with a personal, intimate relationship with Him. And that relationship is built through prayer.

That night, I taught from Chapter 1 of the book—“The Legacy of Prayer.” One line from the chapter struck me deeply:

“There is no greater legacy we could embrace or leave behind us than one of faithfulness in prayer.”

Right beside that quote, I wrote in the margin: “The greatest legacy I can pass down to my daughter is a legacy of prayer.”

Those words weren’t just notes on a page. They became a calling. From that moment on, I started allowing my one-year-old daughter, Harper, to join me during my personal prayer time. I’d kneel to pray, and soon she began to mimic me—bowing her little head, getting on her knees, and talking to God in her own toddler-sized way.

One night, my wife walked in and saw us—father and daughter, side by side, praying for her. She was pregnant with our second child at the time, and the moment overwhelmed her. It was a picture of legacy in motion, and it moved us both to tears.

Harper can’t live off her parents’ faith forever. One day, she’ll need her own relationship with Jesus. But it’s my responsibility to pass down to her what matters most—a legacy of prayer.

I think of Pastor Anthony Mangun and how he often he would speak about the legacy passed down to him through his parents’ prayer life. That fire didn’t begin on a platform; it began in a prayer closet. It’s the same fire I want my children to inherit.

I was blessed with prayer warriors in my own life—none more impactful than my grandmother, Grandma Hayes. As a boy, I watched her faithfully talk with Jesus, always sowing in prayer. She lived in constant communion with the Lord. The next time I see her—she’s 90 now—I plan to give her a big hug and thank her for passing down a legacy that still burns in me and is now touching her great-grandchildren.

My hope is that the legacy of prayer won’t end with me—it will multiply through my children, their children, and generations to come.

Blessings,
Hank

Kendrick, Stephen, and Alex Kendrick. The Battle Plan for Prayer: From Basic Training to Targeted Strategies. Nashville, TN: B&H Group, 2015. Print.