Vibrant Faith’s “Raising Faithful Kids” Research Project
Raising Faithful Kids is a Vibrant Faith research project exploring how church worship environments can help children develop an authentic, deepening relationship with God. In partnership with churches across the country, we’re experimenting with home-centered, church-supported worship and prayer practices that maximize the influence of both parents and congregations in helping children develop spiritual disciplines, relational foundations, and habits of dependence that lead to an abiding attachment to Jesus.
Together, we’re exploring how churches can rethink and strengthen the worship experience to more fully invite children into the life of faith—and equip parents to carry that experience into everyday life. We’ve created 12 interactive, experiential Worship-Service experiments with 6 connected Parent Sessions—bridging the worship experience to small communities of parents and, in turn, to their children at home. To prepare for this three-month seasion of innovation and experimenting, we equip churches to plan and carry out multiple parent-listening experiences, followed by a six-week set of trio prayer experiences designed to invite deeper intimacy with Jesus, followed by three months of digitally-delivered parenting prompts with simple, practical ways for parents to live out their calling.
These initiatives are helping us discover practical ways to create a new support system for home-centered, church-supported worship ministry, where the church and home work together to nurture the next generation of worshippers.
Learn more about other Vibrant Faith Projects
Raising Faithful Kids Research Project Resources
Summer Prompts
These visual prompts are designed for parents (and people who are like parents) to reflect on their life with God with a short thought, then engage their kids, family, or friends with a conversation question followed by a short prayer. These are targeted for parents and adults who are like parents, but anyone in your congregation can engage with them.
SAMPLE – Summer Prompts
Fall Worship & Parent Sessions
Designed for churches facilitating a parent gathering as part of our six-session series on preparing children for worship and prayer. Each section includes suggested language for the leader, discussion prompts, and activities.
SAMPLE – Worship & Parent Sessions
Dinner Party Resources
Each church is accompanied by a coach. Here’s our amazing Vibrant Faith Raising Faithful Kids project coaching team.
Jim Merhaut
Jim LaDoux
Fred Oduyoye
Denise Utter
Here’s a list of the 12 churches that are part of the Raising Faithful Kids project.
| Church | Location |
|---|---|
| Bethlehem Lutheran Church | Minneapolis, MN |
| Christ the King Lutheran Church | New Brighton, MN |
| Faith Lutheran Church | Golden, CO |
| First Lutheran Church | New Richmond, WI |
| First Presbyterian Church | Allentown, PA |
| Galilee Lutheran Church | Pewaukee, WI |
| Immaculate Conception | Hampton, VA |
| First Presbyterian Church | Naples, FL |
| World Changers Church | Houston, TX |
| Antioch Church | Walls, MS |
| South Euclid United Church of Christ | South Euclid, OH |
| St Mark's Lutheran Church by The Narrows | Tacoma, WA |
Interested in Participating with Raising Faithful Kids?
Explore partnering with us on Vibrant Faith’s “Raising Faithful Kids” Research Project—we’ll set up a short conversation to talk about the possibilities.