The Church in crisis – a fresh approach nurturing Children’s faith

This week Jo Foster shares some key wisdom for us as we build church for the next generation……

If we are to effectively reach this generation we need to create space for questions and exploration where they are invited to explore and establish their sense of identity within the Christian story ……

“ I’ve been a children’s pastor for over 15 years in various settings and have been with Kerith for 2 years. I’ve recently completed a Masters in Theology specialising in Children, Youth and Families and have also co-authored a book called “The Lightbringers”. During my years in ministry I have witnessed first-hand children who were once engaged with church leaving in large numbers. As a result, I have become increasingly passionate in looking at what can be done to reverse this trend. The decline has been further accelerated by the global pandemic, with those in church leadership reporting that delivering effective children and youth ministry is now the greatest challenge they are facing. Knowing how to retain the younger generation is an urgent task that requires significant cultural change within the church, beginning with the way we approach Christian education.

Piaget's theory of cognitive development aids our understanding of children's intellectual growth, moving from merely pushing information to encouraging children to be active, engaged and creating situations where children can naturally develop their mental abilities. Not only influential in the school setting Piaget’s theory has also been useful in helping us understand children’s faith.

Up until recent years the Churches view surrounding a child’s Christian education was one of didactic instruction, highlighted through the teaching methods of the early Sunday School movement. However, influenced by psychologists such as Piaget, the theologian James Fowler proposed that faith moves in stages and is a process rather than a doctrine or principles that can be learnt. Fowler designed stages of faith development, from a starting point (“intuitive -projective”), where infancy faith is interpreted by imagination, obtained from those who care for us. Through to the fourth stage (“individual-reflective”) faith after adolescence, where there is a move from simply believing what you are told to developing your own faith.

With the onset of puberty occurring ever earlier, we now need to recognise that Fowler’s framework needs to be less prescriptive. Children today are moving to the “individual-reflective” stage of faith, transitioning from purely accepting what they are told to analysing and reflecting on their own faith. The leap to an individual and owned faith could be a factor as to why those in KS2 withdraw from church, so it becomes imperative to guide them through this process. So, how do we do this?

Today’s Generation Z is not only the largest in modern history but arguably the most influential. This is a generation where smartphones have impacted every aspect of their lives, yet they desire face to face interaction, value story-telling and value experiences which deepen relationships. If we are to effectively reach this generation we need to create space for questions and exploration where they are invited to explore and establish their sense of identity within the Christian story through practices such as the Godly Play model, incorporating “wonderings”, exploration and enquiring in the everyday and the power of biblical narratives where the child becomes part of the story. In practical terms, we can frame our teaching when telling bible stories around questions such as:

Now, I wonder what part of this story you like best?

I wonder what part is the most important?

I wonder where you are in the story, and what part of the story is about you?

I wonder if there is any part of the story we can leave out and still have all the story we need?

This style of discussion will encourage the wonderings and sense of inclusion that is going to be pivotal in addressing the challenge we are facing, and for this to be the turning point where the trend is reversed!”