tl;dr
We’re committed to raising children who know and love the Lord. That means:
- Creating a church culture where kids learn how to worship and understand the essentials of the faith.
- Equipping parents to live with the kind of honest, vibrant faith that children want to follow.
- Walking together through the joys and struggles of parenting, marriage, and family life—because that’s what it means to love one another.
Why are kids growing up and leaving the church?
Poor View of Parents' Faith
Lack of Connection to the Church
Lack of Knowledge
They Have a Poor View of Their Parents' Faith
Study after study shows the #1 predictor of whether kids stay in the church is this: the authenticity of their parents’ faith. Kids don’t need perfect parents, but they need real ones. Ones who worship, repent, serve, pray, and love others from the heart. If our faith isn’t shaping our lives, our kids notice.
At Covenant of Grace, we believe one of the church’s core responsibilities is to nourish and equip parents. When moms and dads are grounded in God’s Word and connected to the body of Christ, they’re far more ready to shepherd their children with conviction and joy. When kids and teens ask hard questions, they need to hear answers we actually believe and live by.
They Don't Feel Connected to the Church
Jesus never treated children as second-class citizens. But too often, churches do - sometimes by accident. In the name of making church fun or age-appropriate, we can unintentionally train kids to think that worship isn’t for them.
We take a different approach.
We include children in the worship service as much as possible. We want them to learn the rhythms and language of worship - not just to observe it, but to grow into it. We encourage them to ask questions, to sing, to listen (even while doodling!), and to get to know the body of Christ.
They Lack Knowledge About What Christianity Is
In a 2015 survey by Ligonier Ministries and Lifeway Research, young adults (ages 18–34) were more likely than older generations to affirm heretical views on nearly every core Christian doctrine. What does that tell us?
Many young people who grew up in church aren’t rejecting Christianity; they never truly knew it.
The youth programs and children’s ministries of previous decades often emphasized entertainment and peer connection, but failed to ground kids in the rich truths of Scripture. We want to do better. Our aim is to teach children who God is, what He has done for us in Christ, and how to follow Him with joyful confidence.
Come Grow With Us
Whether you’re a new parent or a seasoned one, whether your kids are toddlers or teens, we’d love to walk alongside you. Covenant of Grace is a church with children and for children. On any given Sunday, you’ll find lots of kids, several Sunday School classes for different age groups, and a “training room” at the back of the sanctuary for parents who are teaching little ones to worship. We also host regular fellowship events for kids and youth, because our desire is to cultivate lasting relationships rooted in the Gospel - relationships that help your whole family grow in grace.