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Building Faith Together: A Guide for Parents and Grandparents
Discover practical, faith-filled approaches to nurturing the spiritual lives of the children and grandchildren you love.
About this Course
Parenting and grandparenting in today's culture isn't easy. In previous generations, it was often assumed that children who grew up in a faith tradition would adopt that tradition for themselves as adults. Parents and grandparents are invited to move beyond the assumption that faith formation equals showing up on Sundays and also embrace nurturing faith as a holistic way of life—one that is practiced in daily rhythms, sacred stories, honest conversations, and intentional community.
What You’ll Be Able to Do:
What does it look like to nurture faith in your children and grandchildren—not as one more task on an already overwhelming to-do list, but as a way of life rooted in love, story, and community?
Building Faith Together: A Guide for Parents and Grandparents invites parents and grandparents to explore faith formation as a shared journey rather than a knowledge-transfer project. Guided by practical theology and developmental research, this course helps caregivers understand how faith takes shape at every stage of a child’s life—from infancy through adolescence—and offers concrete practices for weaving faith into everyday family rhythms.
Through ten modules, instructor Kurty Darling walks alongside caregivers as they learn to tell sacred stories, navigate hard conversations, engage the Bible with curiosity, build a village of trusted adults, and cultivate wonder and Sabbath rest. Whether you are a parent in the thick of daily caregiving or a grandparent seeking to leave a legacy of faith, this course will help you see the holy work already happening in your family—and give you tools to deepen it.
Modules
Nurturing Faith: Getting Clear on the Task
In this module, you will:
- Understand faith formation as nurturing a way of life rather than simply transferring knowledge or building moral behavior.
- Develop a reflective posture toward your own assumptions about what it means to build faith with children and grandchildren.
- Reflect on your current goals for faith formation and assess whether they align with guiding children into learning to live the story of God.
Parenting and Grandparenting in Challenging Times
In this module, you will:
- Learn about the cultural forces—both inside and outside the church—that make faith formation with young people particularly challenging today.
- Develop a sense of encouragement rooted in the conviction that people and community are more influential than doctrine in sustaining faith.
- Apply a framework for identifying and addressing the specific challenges you face in nurturing faith in your family context.
Ages and Stages of Faith Development: Infancy and Early Childhood
In this module, you will:
- Understand how faith is formed in infancy and early childhood through care, mutuality, and trustworthiness–not just verbal confession.
- Develop an appreciation for the spiritual significance of everyday caregiving acts such as feeding, bathing, and comforting.
- Reflect on your disciplinary practices and evaluate whether they are anchored in empathy and aligned with faith formation goals.
Practice: Sacred Storytelling
In this module, you will:
- Understand the theological significance of storytelling as a practice of hospitality and faith formation within families.
- Develop an intentional awareness of the sacred stories within your own life and family history.
- Practice preparing and telling a sacred story from your own experience to share with children or grandchildren.
Ages and Stages of Faith Formation: Middle Childhood and Adolescence
In this module, you will:
- Understand the developmental milestones of middle childhood and adolescence and how they relate to spiritual formation.
- Develop a posture of delight and hospitality toward the emerging identity of your child or adolescent.
- Experiment with practices such as conceptual disequilibrium and exposure to diverse faith expressions to support your adolescent’s faith development.
Practicing Faith: Hard Conversations
In this module, you will:
- Understand how challenging events and tragedies can confront children’s foundational beliefs about the character of God.
- Develop emotional regulation skills that allow you to be a stable, honest presence when navigating difficult topics with children.
- Plan for ongoing, small conversations about hard topics rather than relying on a single defining moment.
Faith Formation in the Rhythms of Life
In this module, you will:
- Understand that faith formation is not about adding more activities but about recognizing and reorienting the rhythms already present in your family life.
- Express a sense of purpose and intentionality in the daily, weekly, and seasonal routines of your family.
- Apply a rhythms-of-life framework to identify one or two small, sustainable practices you can integrate into your family’s existing routines.
Engaging the Bible
In this module, you will:
- Learn strategies for engaging the Bible with children that prioritize story, curiosity, and imagination over moralistic instruction.
- Develop confidence in your own interpretive skills as a caregiver approaching Scripture with young people.
- Apply the practices of spiral learning and skip-and-save to select and share age-appropriate biblical stories with children.
Building a Village
In this module, you will:
- Understand the research supporting the importance of surrounding children with multiple trusted, faith-filled adults.
- Develop openness to inviting other caring adults into the faith formation of your children or grandchildren.
- Plan specific steps to identify and cultivate a network of trusted adults—such as godparents, mentors, or church members—in your child’s life.
Practicing Faith: Cultivating Imagination and Wonder
In this module, you will:
- Understand the theological connection between Sabbath rest and cultivating a sense of wonder and imagination in family life.
- Develop a renewed awareness of the holy ground present in everyday moments with children.
- Experiment with a Sabbath practice—whether a full day, an evening, or a morning—that invites your family into rest, attention, and delight.
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- Modules:
10 Modules
- Format:
Self-Paced, On-Demand
- Access:
Lifetime Access
Get to Know Your Instructors
Kurty Darling
Kurty Darling, Ph.D. is a visiting instructor for Children, Youth, and Family Ministry at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. She also serves as the grant manager for the Nurturing Children Through Worship and Prayer Initiative. She has also taught at Bethel University.
Darling was drawn to the field of practical theology because of the rich way it brings together theory and practice. She earned her Ph.D. from Luther Seminary. Her dissertation centered around evangelical imagination around visions of a flourishing life. She earned an M.A. in Narrative Theology from United Theological Seminary and a B.A. from Bethel University.
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What to Expect with a Faith+Lead Academy Course
You’ll get a transformative learning experience that combines trustworthy theological teaching with spiritual practices, interactive elements, and a supportive online community.
Know
Expand your theological toolkit with fresh insights for today’s ministry landscape. Connect timeless wisdom with practical frameworks for navigating change.
Be
Do
Practice skills to lead confidently in your ministry context. Take actionable steps to invite your community into God’s unfolding story.
Every Academy course is designed to
Help your growth in one of these core areas:
Develop a Christ-centered identity, grounded in theology, scripture, and spiritual practice, that empowers community members to live as disciples of Jesus Christ in everyday life.
Tell the story of Jesus and invite neighbors into Jesus’ way of life and love through words and actions they can recognize.
Listen deeply, name God’s presence in the midst of everyday life, and form life-giving relationships across all dimensions of diversity—both within and beyond the church.
Through mutual relationships with the neighbors among whom you’re hosted, join in acts of compassion, justice, and reconciliation as a witness to the ministry of Jesus—especially in places of suffering and despair.
Harness skills of agile leadership, stewardship, fundraising, entrepreneurism, and management to be nimble enough to respond to a changing cultural landscape.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to have a theology background to take this course?
Not at all. This course is designed for everyday parents and grandparents who want to nurture faith in their families. The content is accessible and conversational, drawing on practical theology in a way that does not require formal training.
My grandchildren live far away. Will this course still be helpful for me?
Absolutely. Many of the practices explored—such as sacred storytelling, letter writing, and building intentional connections—can be adapted for grandparents who are not geographically close to their grandchildren.
Is this course focused on a particular denomination?
While the instructor and Faith+Lead are rooted in the Lutheran tradition, the course content is broadly applicable to Christians across denominations. The practices and frameworks discussed are grounded in Scripture and practical theology that transcend denominational boundaries.
I feel overwhelmed by the idea of being responsible for my child’s faith. Is this course going to add more to my plate?
One of the core messages of this course is that faith formation is not about doing more—it is about recognizing the holy work already happening in your everyday rhythms and learning to be intentional within them. The course is designed to be encouraging, not overwhelming.
Can I take this course with a group?
Yes. A leader’s guide is included for group facilitation, and the course works well in small group, Sunday school, or book-club-style formats.
What can I expect when I take an Academy course?
Academy courses consist of 6-10 lessons or modules, each walking you through the “know, be, do” learning framework. You’ll learn some new information with instructor videos and other resources (know). You’ll engage in a spiritual practice that will help you develop your faith around the topic (be). Then, you’ll be asked to apply what you’ve learned through activities completed online or in the “real world” (do).
How long will it take me to complete a course?
Each module is designed to take 15-45 minutes. Some learners complete the course in as little as one day. Some do a module a day or even a module a week. We suggest allowing some time between modules to process what you are learning, but not so much time that you lose momentum.
What resources are available if I’m a group leader?
Each course includes a flexible leader’s guide with multiple pathways for group facilitation. You’ll find thought-provoking discussion questions and practical activities that connect faith with daily life, designed to work with whatever preparation time you have available. These resources equip you to foster meaningful discipleship experiences that meet your community where they are.
What do I need to know about the free private online social group?
The private online group allows you to connect with others. Because our courses don’t have a required start or stop date, you will encounter others in different places in the course and even in different courses altogether. This is by design. Feel free to interact as much or as little as you like.
What should I do if I have questions or problems with my registration?
Reach out via email to faithlead@luthersem.edu with your question and we’ll get back to you with a response within two business days.
What if I have a suggestion or request for a course topic?
The best way to connect with us is to complete this form with your suggestion. We always want to hear your feedback. You may also include it in the comments section of the course evaluation.
Don’t see your question addressed?
Email us at support@faithlead.org for more information. We’ll be delighted to connect!