Date
4-2021
Department
Rawlings School of Divinity
Degree
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
Chair
R. Peter Mason
Keywords
Faith Development, Spiritual Growth, Children, Youth, Pastors, Youth Pastors, Primary Influence, Emerging Adults, Life Span, Covid-19
Disciplines
Christianity | Liturgy and Worship | Religion
Recommended Citation
White, Caarne L., "Faith Development Study on Parents as Primary Faith Influencers" (2021). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 2919.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/2919
Abstract
This research study intends to address a problem parents face as the assumptive primary faith influencers in their children's discipleship and spiritual development. The goal is to discover the support parents receive as World Changers Church International members while growing in the Christian faith as a family. The problem manifests when youth pastors and workers struggle to help student ministries make real-life connections through discipleship and mission. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the physical church closure is considered in exploring the study and further augment parents' struggles. In the discovery process, the study will assess how guidance through the Christian Education Department potentially affects children’s and youth's discipleship across their lifespan. Exploring this problem will provide insight regarding how parents access church tools that undergird them as faith leaders of their family. The methodology used in this faith development study project is qualitative, comparing sample responses and analyzing perception data collected from a faith development survey. There is also a small focus group component, chiseling into survey responses and interviews with willing sample participants discussing practical next steps derived from small group sessions. The research will seek to bring a theological and theoretical perspective to the practice of ministry stakeholders’ roles, such as pastors, youth workers, group leaders, and mentors in the lives of children and youth. The conclusion of the project provides questions derived from the study results. The questions offer the church direction in assisting parents as the primary faith influencers in their children’s lives.
