--- name: "Zach Sparkman" role: Team location: Denver, Colorado url: https://www.growingfathers.com/authors/zach-sparkman/ --- # Zach Sparkman Zach serves as the lead pastor of Red Rocks Baptist Church in Morrison, Colorado. He and his wife, Kate, have four children. The Lord has been so gracious to me at every step of my life. My parents love the Lord and gently shepherded me toward Jesus through my ups and downs. I made a profession of faith at the age of five, though I doubted my salvation through my junior high and early high school. After confessing sin and surrendering every aspect of my life to the Lord, the assurance of my faith returned to my soul. The Lord called me into ministry my senior year of high school, and attended a Christian college with the goal of entering the ministry in some capacity. Through serving in several different ministries in college and seminary, the Lord directed me toward the pastorate. I met my wife Kate working at summer camp, and we were friends for several years before dating. We were married in 2013, and in 2016 the Lord moved our family to Colorado to serve at Red Rocks Baptist Church in the greater Denver area. I served as an assistant pastor for six and a half years before the church called me to be the lead pastor at the end of 2022. We have three boys and one precious little girl. Our family also includes two children who were miscarried and Zion, our son who was born stillborn in April of 2023. We all enjoy the Colorado outdoors, hiking, reading, and kids sports. The boys love to build Legos while my wife and I prefer sipping expensive coffee. ## Posts - [The Power of Proverbs in Parenting](https://www.growingfathers.com/the-power-of-proverbs-in-parenting.md): Proverbs has exceptional power in parenting because it was written by a father to his children so that they would learn to live wisely for the Lord. - [A Father's Greatest Responsibility](https://www.growingfathers.com/a-fathers-greatest-responsibility.md): A parent's greatest responsibility is to prepare their children to walk with Jesus and live for Him—not just for athletic or educational success. - [Growing into a New Year](https://www.growingfathers.com/growing-into-a-new-year.md): We have compiled four more lessons from 2025 that can potentially help you become a more Christlike father in 2026. - [How to Pray for Your Unbelieving Children](https://www.growingfathers.com/how-to-pray-for-your-unbelieving-children.md): The prayer, "For Unbelieving Children", written by Puritan George Swinnock, gives us four themes to pray for our unbelieving children, regardless of their age. - [How to Help a Friend Who Has Lost a Child](https://www.growingfathers.com/how-to-help-a-friend-who-has-lost-a-child.md): When a loved one or friend loses a child, how do you help them when you don't know what to do? - [Healing after Losing a Child](https://www.growingfathers.com/healing-after-losing-a-child.md): After losing a child, the hurting soul wonders, "Will this pain ever go away?" While the pain never fully goes away, God can heal your heart over time. - [Facing the Loss of a Child](https://www.growingfathers.com/facing-the-loss-of-a-child.md): Losing a child is one of a parent's greatest fears. Yet there are times when this comes true, and it is devastating. What is a father to do in times like these? - [How to Talk with your Kids about National Tragedies](https://www.growingfathers.com/how-to-talk-with-your-kids-about-national-tragedies.md): How can we, as fathers, raise our children to think about violence and national tragedies from a biblical worldview? - [Gospel Pictures for Preschoolers](https://www.growingfathers.com/gospel-pictures-for-preschoolers.md): Using the Bible's own inspired gospel pictures, we can share gospel truths with our preschool children. - [Help! I have a teenager!](https://www.growingfathers.com/help-i-have-a-teenager.md): We must give our teens biblical answers to their questions and feed them with mature, age-appropriate instruction from Scripture. - [How to Honor God in Youth Sports](https://www.growingfathers.com/how-to-honor-god-in-youth-sports.md): Christian sports dads should view their children's sports as another opportunity to make disciples, both within their own home and among the people around them. - [Thanksgiving As A Year Round Flavor](https://www.growingfathers.com/thanksgiving-as-a-year-round-flavor.md): Is gratitude a year-round tradition in your family? Here are four practical suggestions to make gratitude a priority in your home. - [How To Pray For Sons](https://www.growingfathers.com/how-to-pray-for-sons.md): At the end of his life, David gave Solomon a charge and called him to do three things, which we can use as a prayer guide for our own sons. - [Wise Fathers, Aim for the Heart!](https://www.growingfathers.com/wise-fathers-aim-for-the-heart.md): For fathers, winning the hearts of their children must take highest priority. Proverbs 23:26 gives three steps wise fathers take to win their children's hearts. - [A Neglected Discipleship Tool](https://www.growingfathers.com/a-neglected-discipleship-tool.md): A healthy, gospel-preaching local church can be a tremendous encouragement to growing godly families. - [Feeling Like A Failure](https://www.growingfathers.com/feeling-like-a-failure.md): Instead of allowing the ups and downs of parenting to make you feel like a failure, cling to these three promises of God and apply them to your parenting. - [Do Not Provoke Your Children](https://www.growingfathers.com/do-not-provoke-your-children.md): Colossians commands fathers to not provoke their children. Instead, fathers should love their children and aim for their hearts in parenting. - [A.R.I.S.E to Overcome Temptation](https://www.growingfathers.com/ARISE-to-overcome-temptation.md): How do you fight temptation in the heat of the battle? Use the acrostic "A.R.I.S.E." to fight your spiritual battles. - [Help for Family Devotions](https://www.growingfathers.com/help-for-family-devotions.md): Many families struggle to practice family devotions. These five encouragements can help your family practice family devotions successfully. - [Grieving After a Miscarriage](https://www.growingfathers.com/grieving-after-a-miscarriage.md): Facing the loss of a baby in miscarriage is one of the hardest and isolating trials your marriage can face, and yet there is a path through the pain together.