RATIONALE: Build it, and they will come. Will they? How many magnificent cathedrals and landmark churches throughout the United States echo the hollow testimony that this belief is flawed? How is the church meeting the needs of children and families in their communities today? Our focus groups—so timely, thanks to the God-ordained opportunity of the Lilly Endowment Inc. Nurturing Children Planning Grant—gave voice (and ears) to these concerns.
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RESEARCH: 14 churches from the First Jurisdiction of the Church Of God In Christ participated in a qualitative study in 2023. 4 focus groups of pastors, worship leaders, parents, and children/teens/young adults experienced mind mapping, design thinking, and discovery learning in discussions and Q&A exercises. Findings indicate that although there is awareness of the urgency for intergenerational worship, tradition and implicit bias are the primary barriers to change. What can we do to reverse this trend? We will equip 15 churches in Southern California and 5 churches in Northern California to find the answers!
THE GOAL
“Welcoming Children Into Worship” will advance the aim of the Lilly Endowment Inc. Nurturing Children Initiative by equipping 20 Church of God In Christ churches to invite and engage children, teens, and young adults to actively participate during Sunday morning worship services.
INREACH
We strengthen churches and promote the pastor’s vision by providing training for leaders, staff, parents, and volunteers; coaching for pastors and worship leaders; tools to evaluate the worship environment; resources to covenant with children living in foster care, and more!
OUTREACH
We help build congregations by identifying and promoting strategies for engaging with families in the community, schools in the neighborhood, and programs that support our vision.
EVALUATION
We focus on learning together as we implement new practices and ask/answer these questions: What’s working? What needs to be improved? How can the work we do have a lasting impact on the people we serve by welcoming children into worship?
Our Four Focus Groups
Pastors, parents, worship leaders and youth participated in focus groups to identify the challenges to intergenerational worship. Discussions were robust and insightful. Our qualitative research involved the people-centered approach of design thinking while questions were organized based on Bloom’s taxonomy.
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We followed the process of discovery learning by talking together in small groups (neighbor nudge). Through inclement weather—it rained most nights— attendees were faithful! We rewarded their participation with a lovely meal and a few incentives.
We presented our research rationale and results to Lilly Endowment, Inc., who provided the grant for this planning process. With new churches joining our project, we are repeating the research focus groups to ensure that all 20 churches are aware of the needs and challenges of intergenerational worship.
We presented our research rationale and results to Lilly Endowment, Inc., who provided the grant for this planning process. With new churches joining our project, we are repeating the research focus groups to ensure that all 20 churches are aware of the needs and challenges of intergenerational worship.
Our Upcoming Youtube Series
Children In The Pentateuch
Stay tuned for this upcoming engaging YouTube series that demonstrates this eternal truth: Children matter to the LORD! Beginning with Genesis, we’ll examine that children are not just a part of His promise—they are His promise. God values the little ones He has given us to provide for, protect, practice holiness before, and prepare for Kingdom work.
We’ll teach how to celebrate God together through song, scripture reading, praise dancing, drama, and the sacraments, and not just once-a- month or on 4th Sundays. We’ll also discuss how to creatively welcome children based on the many biblical examples we find in scripture.
Stay tuned for this upcoming engaging YouTube series that demonstrates this eternal truth: Children matter to the LORD! Beginning with Genesis, we’ll examine that children are not just a part of His promise—they are His promise. God values the little ones He has given us to provide for, protect, practice holiness before, and prepare for Kingdom work.
We’ll teach how to celebrate God together through song, scripture reading, praise dancing, drama, and the sacraments, and not just once-a- month or on 4th Sundays. We’ll also discuss how to creatively welcome children based on the many biblical examples we find in scripture.
Insightful Podcast: Raising Children in the Faith
Dr. La Verne Tolbert and Kristen Verhulst sit down to discuss the role of parents & the church in raising children in the faith. Click below to listen to the podcast now.