Growing Faith: Nurturing Children’s Faith in the UK Today Jan Mace – Director: Promise Bears Ltd.

Growing Faith: Nurturing Children’s Faith in the UK Today

Jan Mace – Director: Promise Bears Ltd.

 

Is one group of people more important in God’s eyes? No – of course not but it is true that our children are our future and it is vital that our schools and churches really get a hold of this and start to nurture children’s faith.

Having spent my professional working life as a primary school teacher and having seen first-hand the massive impact that a Christian education has on not only the nurturing and developing of a child’s faith, but also on their recognition of their Christ identity- who they are and whose they are, our children need to be at the centre of both our vision and mission.

At Promise Bears, we are passionate about nurturing children’s faith and in this short series of blog posts, will look at nurturing children’s faith in our homes, schools and churches.

In churches across the UK change is happening: a movement to place children’s faith at the heart of ministry and mission. As research and experience show, the majority of Christians commit to their faith before the age of 19. That means the early years—childhood and adolescence—are a critical window of opportunity. But despite best intentions, only around 50% of children raised in Christian homes continue in their faith into adulthood. With this in mind, we need to consider how can churches and families do more than just plant seeds—how can we help them grow deep roots and develop their own personal relationship with Jesus?

 

Why Children’s Faith Matters

 

Children’s faith is more than Sunday school or Bible stories. It’s about forming lifelong trust in Jesus, shaping a worldview, and developing spiritual habits that endure. The urgency is clear: if we don’t intentionally support faith during these early years, we risk missing the moment when hearts are most open.

 

 A Whole Church Approach: Everyone Has a Role

One of the most exciting shifts in recent years has been the emphasis on a Whole Church Approach. Instead of children’s faith being side-lined in a corner of church meetings, there is a need for the whole church family to be involved:   leaders, volunteers, and parents

Parents are the most influential faith-shapers, and churches should equip and encourage them accordingly.

 

Building a Culture That Grows Faith

 

To develop a child’s faith, there is no need for flashy programs or a big budget. What matters most are small, intentional changes that create a church culture where children feel known, valued, and spiritually nurtured.

 

Key principles include:

 

• Intergenerational worship: Children growing in   faith alongside adults. Seeing adults’ worship openly and being able to join in with this, is of vital importance for children and young people.
• Discipleship as a lifestyle: Beyond programs, it’s about everyday faith conversations and seeing the significant adults in their lives outwork their faith in their everyday lives.
• Valuing children’s faith. There is something very powerful and pure about child like faith. The role of all church family members, is to nurture and encourage this and to create a culture and an atmosphere where children can grow in their knowledge of Jesus and become all that God intends for them to become.

 

In conclusion, we need to consciously and deliberately make decisions as parents, school leaders and church leaders to put the development of a child’s faith at the top of our development agenda and to see children’s faith as a key drive for Kingdom development in the future.