Batman and Robin. Rachel and Monica. Woody and Buzz. David and Jonathan – the list of iconic friendships goes on and on. We love to read, watch, and hear stories about friendships, and at a core level, we all long for healthy and deep friendships. Especially as a parent, you desire that your children form strong, Godly friendships.
If you were like me as a teenager, you might have heard 1 Corinthians 15:33 when being taught about friendship: “Bad company corrupts good character.” This warning is true and highlights why having good friends is important, but I often wished someone had shown me how to build strong, Christ-centered friendships, not just avoid the wrong ones.
While your teenager is ultimately responsible for choosing their friends, you can play a powerful role in guiding and supporting them in that process. Here are 4 things that you can do to help them build healthy friendships that reflect Christ’s love:
- Model Christ-like Friendships at Home
As a parent, you are your children’s first model of what having and being a Christ-like friend means. Children learn relational habits and patterns, like forgiveness, empathy, and patience, by watching their parents. Your teen is watching and learning from you.
By nurturing healthy friendships yourself, you show what God-honoring relationships look like in practice. Talk with your teenager about your own friendships—what you value, how you invest in them, and even how you navigate challenges. Demonstrate love for your friends, not just in words but in consistent action. As you invite your teen into these conversations, you’ll equip them with a framework for spotting both the green flags and the red flags of friendship.
- Guide Toward Community
While you may not be able to handpick your teenagers’ classmates or teammates, you can guide them toward a Christ-centered community. Encourage your teenager to participate in activities where they are likely to find friends with shared values and beliefs. A great place to start is by consistently participating in Youth Group and Youth Ministry activities.
Proverbs 27:17 famously says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another,” which is why this is so important. When your teen surrounds themselves with peers who reflect Christ’s love, they will be both sharpened and supported in their walk with Him. By guiding your teen toward these faith-filled communities, you’re giving them more than just a place to belong—you’re equipping them to form friendships that are healthy, lasting, and shaped by the love of Jesus.
- Pray For Friendships
Prayer is a powerful tool for helping your teenager build healthy, Christ-like friendships. It can be easy to become worried about your teenager’s friendships, but Philippians 4:6 commands us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”
Instead of letting worry take over, actively bring your teen’s friendships to the Lord. Ask Him to surround your child with peers who love Jesus, to give your teen discernment in choosing companions, and to provide them with courage to stand firm in their faith. Pray also for the friends your teen already has—that Christ’s love would deepen and shine through those relationships.
Don’t stop at praying for your teen—take time to pray with them. Doing so shows them that choosing friends is more than a social choice—it’s a spiritual one. Those shared moments of prayer can root faith deep in their hearts and shape how they approach every relationship.
- Support Your Teen’s Friendships
Practically, this means being willing to sacrifice time so your teen can invest in their friendships. Jesus reminds us in John 15:13: “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” When you sacrifice to support your teenager’s friendships, you’re teaching them how to go the extra mile in loving others well.
Sometimes that sacrifice looks simple: driving them to an after-school event to cheer on a friend, helping them bake cookies for someone who is struggling, or opening your home so their friends feel welcome. Yes, it may mean extra shoes by the door or another plate at the dinner table, but those small acts create space for a big impact. Not only do you gain insight into who your teen’s friends are, but you also create opportunities to show Christ’s love to the peers they bring into your home.
When you give your time, energy, and space, you’re modeling to your teen—and to their friends—the kind of friendships that reflect Jesus’ love.
Guiding your teenager toward Christ-centered friendships isn’t about controlling who they know—it’s about helping them to choose wisely and reflect Jesus’ love in every relationship they build. Your modeling, guidance, prayers, and support give them the tools to experience and extend friendships that reflect His heart.
Kaitlyn Sipes
Ministry Engagement Manager