Grand View University

Faith Forward

The Faith Forward program seeks to support rural congregations in equipping parents and grandparents to share their faith with children through doable, repeatable and livable Christian practices. The program will work with 20 congregations each year and form members from those churches into four peer learning cohorts: 1) pastor cohorts to help churches create and enhance ministries for families; 2) parent cohorts to help parents and caregivers explore their central role as their children’s primary faith influencer and learn how to weave faith formation activities into the normal routines of family life; 3) grandparent cohorts to encourage grandparents to engage in faith-sharing practices with their grandchildren; and 4) faith mentor cohorts to teach mentoring skills about noticing, listening to and affirming young people in the congregation. Each cohort will meet monthly with coaches to receive training.