Chip Kendall: “Don’t be afraid of tough love—help your kids face their struggles honestly and let them know you’re there”

Singer-songwriter Chip Kendall reflects on the power of faith, tenacity, devotion and the arts in raising the next generation for Jesus

Tell us a little about yourself and how you got to where you are now?

I’m Chip Kendall, a singer-songwriter born in Florida. At 12, my family moved to Jerusalem, Israel, so I spent all my teenage years in the Holy Land. Later, I went to Bible college in California, where I met my British wife. We had an arm-wrestling match, and she won so we ended up in England! I was in thebandwithnoname, then the Chip Kendall Band, and now I’m part of !Audacious Church in Manchester. I’ve written albums, musicals, and I’m a proud dad to Cole, Eden, and Elliot.

What was family life like growing up?

My dad was often away, building the church. He did everything, he’s been the worship pastor, youth pastor, even secretary. My mum led the dance team. We were massively involved in church, which grew from about 200 to 2,000 people. We lived near Dodgertown in Florida, so as a Little League baseball kid, it was a dream. My biggest dream was to be the first person to play baseball on the moon! Dad also started the area’s first Christian radio station.

Mum’s devotion and dad’s tenacity shaped me. Together, they taught me faith, commitment, and listening for God’s voice

Why the move to Israel?

Dad was invited to sing in a choir in Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles. What started as a one-off trip turned into a family move within a few months. It was a huge step of faith. Dad made it clear: if my sister or I didn’t feel right, we wouldn’t go. We all felt called as a family. The first year was hard—I struggled with friends, the food, and missing home. But then ……