Forming Faith: Discipling the Next Generation in a Post-Christian Culture

Resiliently rooted in Christ--living into this formational moment.

What would it look like to form kids with lasting faith in Jesus, no matter the culture or context? Does this seem possible? It’s getting harder to imagine in our highly secularized culture. Current approaches to faith formation aren’t working. Matt Markins, Sam Luce, and Mike Handler combine leadership experience from Awana--global pioneer in children’s discipleship--with pastoral wisdom, to provide a much needed, timely resource for the church and home.

Forming Faith helps us understand what isn’t working, why it doesn’t work, and what we can do to build the church. Markins, Luce, and Handler--fathers and leaders--look at the blueprint often employed in children’s ministries that seems innovative but is greatly misguided. Forming Faith brings not only analysis; it provides biblically based, backed-by-research solutions to form lasting faith in our children.

We have real concerns and fears for the kids we love. More than anything we want to see younger generations follow Jesus with conviction and compassion. What must we be doing at church and at home to strengthen our influence? This resource provides the focus, resiliency, and hope we all need!

MATT MARKINS serves on the Global Leadership Team at Awana as the Vice President of Ministry Resources as well as the Vice President of Marketing and Strategy. Prior to joining the Awana executive leadership team, Matt served in leadership roles with Thomas Nelson Publishers, Randall House Publishers and was the co-founder of the D6 Conference (a discipleship and family ministry community). Matt’s ministry in organizational leadership has been marked by leading and influencing change from within by casting vision, forging strategic partnerships, nurturing healthy culture, developing organizational alignment and implementing sustainable plans toward ministry effectiveness, health and growth. He and his wife Katie have been volunteering and growing in children’s ministry for more than twenty years. As Nashville transplants, they live and play in the Chicago suburbs with their two sons tolerating dreadful winters, but soaking up refreshingly mild weather the other seven months of the year.

SAM LUCE has been a pastor at Redeemer Church in Utica, NY, for over 25 years. He holds a BA in Theology, an MA in Biblical and Theological Studies, and an MA in Christian and Classical Studies. Sam and his wife, Sandra, have four beautiful kids together.