Get To Know Faith-Filled Families
Virginia Theological Seminary's (VTS) Faith-filled Families (FfF) initiative has launched a project to empower parents to teach their children about faith. FfF which operates out of Lifelong Learning at VTS was awarded a grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. through its Christian Parenting and Caregiving initiative.
The money will fund a five-year action-research project focused on equipping preschools and congregations to support parents in the religious formation of their children. FfF will provide research-based resources and best practices to help parents share their faith and values with their children, while also nurturing their own faith.
Faith Formation for Little Ones: A Growing Movement
Did you know that 85% of a child’s brain develops by age five? That means the early years are not just about learning letters and numbers—they’re also when a child’s faith, sense of wonder, and understanding of God begin to take root.
Across the country, faith communities are recognizing the critical role that parents and caregivers play in shaping a child’s spiritual foundation. Churches, schools, and ministries are shifting their focus, moving beyond traditional Sunday School models to more interactive, home-based, and play-centered approaches to faith formation.
We recognize that parents play the most crucial role in shaping their children's religious and spiritual development. A child's faith is profoundly influenced by the spiritual life and example set by their parents. Research consistently highlights that the key factors in fostering faith in children and youth include the personal commitment and religious practices of parents and caregivers, as well as a close, loving, and nurturing parent-child relationship. Parents who actively engage in their own faith journey create a strong foundation for their children to develop a meaningful and lasting connection to God.
“We can cultivate children’s natural spiritual assets into richly developed strengths for a lifetime." Lisa J. Miller, Phd
Our Values
At Faith-filled Families, we are passionate about empowering parents to be the primary faith formation leaders of their children! Our vision is to curate the best resources and provide unwavering support to strengthen church-based preschools, Clergy, and church congregations in this important task. We are committed to creating a vibrant community where families can grow in their faith and find the resources and support they need to lead their children in their spiritual journeys.
Foundations of Christian Formation
-
Christians are made not born.
-
The mission of the church is to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ.
-
All people and communities have God-given gifts for ministry.
-
Congregations thrive when their “members” live as disciples exercising Christian vocations in daily life.
-
Parents/guardians are the primary educators of their children.
-
The needs of children are leading their parents to faith.
-
Baptism obligates parents and godparents to engage their children in Christian formation..
-
Faith transmission among generations is a dynamic ecological system that recognizes Christian tradition is not static but intercontextual and influenced by various social structures.
-
Though children are whole, agency-possessing human beings created in the image of God with a propensity to wonder, they are enculturated into Christian identity through what they observe and copy from parents and other adult role models.
