Growing Faith is the movement that exists to put children, young people and families instinctively at the heart of all the mission and ministry of the Church by changing the culture of the Church of England.
Growing Faith is about schools, churches and households working together to give children, young people, and families safe spaces to discover and explore their Christian spirituality and grow in faith.
The three intersecting Growing Faith spheres (school, church, household) provide a helpful lens to look at existing and potential mission and ministry.
Established in September 2021, the Growing Faith Foundation seeks to be a strategic lead across the Church of England, to grow a younger and more diverse church.
The Growing Faith Foundation are currently delivering networks, learning hubs, strategic leader training, commissioned research projects and ‘church in school’.
Find out more about the Growing Faith Foundation
Growing Faith Strategic Leaders Programme
The Growing Faith Strategic Leaders’ Programme is a one-year course aimed at leaders working in the spheres of home, church, and school. The programme seeks to deepen a sense of calling, instil confidence and equip participants to bring sustained change in a range of contexts, bringing transformative impact on children and young people’s faith formation.
To find out more or to sign up for the next cohort email Matt.Long@LeicesterCofE.org
Growing Faith Research Projects
Growing Faith research projects further our understanding of growing faith in the intersections between household, schools, and churches. In 2024, there were two Growing Faith Research projects completed in the Diocese of Leicester.
1. Exploring how to grow intergenerational worship at all-age services at St Mary in Charnwood. This small-scale study drew out the joys and difficulties of trying to be an intergenerational worshipping community in an ordinary parish setting.
Read the report here.
2. Growing faith in Minster communities. What happens to children’s faith if you invest in their spiritual leaders? A fascinating project from Leicester Diocese, where teachers’ spirituality is given the chance to grow.
Read the report here.
Growing Faith Connections
Emerging best practice for growing faith in households, schools & churches.
‘All ministry with children, young people and families is valuable. But in the current context, some kinds of ministry seem to have connected particularly well, bridging divides between households, school, and church, and helping build a faith which is holistic. The following four connections are vital…’
- Young VOICES at the centre of delivery and decision-making rather than children, young people and families as relatively passive recipients of centrally-provided programme
- Building RELATIONSHIPS as a priority, including developing the links between households, churches and schools, rather than working independently in silos
- Investing in RHYTHMS which bring regularity and a deeper participation in the church seasons, as a way of going deeper than one-off events and resources
- A shared PURPOSE which contributes visibly to God’s kingdom so that children and young people can see faith making an impact
Read the Growing Faith Connections report from the Growing Faith Foundation.