Chloe Swart: You don’t have to be a superhero parent. Just love Jesus deeply and live that out in front of your kids

Chloe, can you describe what it was like growing up in a home where your parents were so actively involved in mission?

It was amazing! My parents planted our church Cornerstone, in Swansea, with 7 young people and £30. Growing up in this church plant I witnessed incredible healing miracles, provision for us as a family or the church whether finances, or buildings, as well as seeing people come to faith and the church growing. My parents always taught that church is the people and not the building. And I saw this in how they prioritised reaching people in our community through friendship, outreach and missional church services.

I’m a people person and love being around people. I saw my parents’ faith in action constantly. Whether it was praying for someone at the supermarket or serving church leaders across Wales, it shaped my understanding of what it means to live for Jesus. I’ve come to appreciate just how much of a gift it was.

You mentioned your parents were involved in healing miracles. How did that impact you?

They were passionate about the supernatural – healing, the prophetic, evangelism. I grew up seeing miracles as part of life. My parents took the Bible at face value. If Jesus said “heal the sick,” they’d go out and do it. They’d come home from the hairdresser or the garage with stories of people being healed. That boldness left a deep impression on me.

they weren’t just Sunday Christians. Their whole lives were shaped around following Jesus—every day, in every place

How did that impact your own relationship with God as you got older?

My faith became personal quite early, it wasn’t just about following my parents’ beliefs—I genuinely knew Jesus. So when I went to university, there wasn’t a rebellious phase. I wasn’t trying to get away from church. If anything, I was looking for a church I could invest in. That actually became the deciding factor in choosing where to study.

That’s unusual!

Yeah, I applied to several universities for theology—Durham, Exeter, Cardiff, Chichester—and at every open day, I’d check out the local churches. When I visited Chichester, I walked into Revelation Church and immediately felt like this is it. It reminded me of the church I grew up in. I chose Chichester because of the church, not just the university.

What did your faith look like in those years?

It grew, for sure, but not in a totally new direction. Revelation Church is also a pioneer church, like Cornerstone where I’d grown up, so it felt familiar. I got involved with youth work, small groups, prayer. It wasn’t a breaking away—it was more of a maturing.

You went on to do a PhD focused on healing miracles—tell us about that.

At the end of my degree in Chichester, my supervisor said, “Pick any topic,” which I now realise was a huge privilege. I wanted to explore whether healing still happens in the UK. He was sceptical—he said if I could find 8–10 solid examples, it might just be viable academically. I sent out questionnaires across Wales and came back with over 600 stories!

That’s extraordinary

It was. The stories were from everyday people—Christians praying for friends, neighbours, work colleagues. Often it wasn’t in a church service but in daily life. Someone might mention a sore back in the supermarket, and their Christian friend would offer to pray—and they’d be healed. The study showed how healing and mission go hand-in-hand. Prayer often led to spiritual conversations, Alpha courses, or church invitations.

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Do you think your parents’ example helped shape your confidence in those things?

Massively. They normalised it. It wasn’t weird or super spiritual—it was just what you do as a Christian. They modelled boldness and faith, but also humility and cultural relevance. I think that balance is so important.

What do you mean by cultural relevance?

They were never out of touch. They had non-Christian friends, they’d be in the pub, they supported us joining sports teams and drama clubs. They weren’t so “churchy” that they were removed from real life. That really stuck with me. Sometimes people assume that being all-in for Jesus makes you socially awkward or isolated—but it doesn’t have to.

I want parents to know this wasn’t superhero parenting—it was everyday, real-world, Jesus-centred living

You’re now just weeks away from becoming a parent yourself. How are you feeling?

Excited and a bit daunted! My husband and I have had five amazing years of marriage, and now this next chapter is starting. I’ve been around babies my whole life through church, so in theory I feel prepared – but I guess you never really know until it happens to you. I know it’s going to be a big shift.

What do you think will change the most?

Time. Right now, we’re both working full-time and involved in church nearly every evening—Alpha, small group, worship. As well as seeing friends, going to the gym and cleaning the house! I’m not sure how sustainable all that will be with a newborn. We’ll need to figure out a new rhythm that honours God and cares for our child.

Are there things from your upbringing that you hope to carry into your own parenting?

Definitely a reliance on God. He already knows our child’s future. I’m praying for wisdom—not just for the baby stage, but especially for the teenage years. Teenagers face so many challenges with social media and all the issues that are associated with that – I want to parent with discernment and faith, knowing God walks with us.

I’m praying for wisdom—not just for sleepless nights, but for raising a teenager in this world

What’s your biggest hope for your child?

That they would know and love Jesus and walk with him every day. That’s what matters most. Everything else flows from that.

Finally, what would you want to say to Christian parents reading this—especially those who feel like they’re not doing enough?

Please don’t read this and think “Well, that’s them—I could never do that.” My parents were amazing, yes, but they were also very normal. They made mistakes. They got tired. But they loved Jesus deeply and lived that out in simple, powerful ways. You don’t have to be a spiritual superhero—I just saw my parents live a consistent, authentic, life which was open to God using them and our family in ways you might not expect.

You don’t have to be a superhero parent. Just love Jesus deeply—and live that out in front of your kids

Chloe Swart is the national director for Alpha UK. She lives in Swansea with her husband Russo, where they both serve on the small group leadership team at their local church, Cornerstone. Chloe has a doctorate in theology specialising in the topic of healing miracles.