Grandparents: In Community and At Home

Ministry leaders tell us that they are seeing an increase in the number of grandparents as primary caregivers of their grandchildren and/or grandparents who are taking on the responsibility of bringing their grandchildren to church. It’s important that as faith communities we keep these faith shapers in mind when we think about supporting, encouraging, and equipping families.

  • The publishers of Please Pass the Faith: The Art of Spiritual Grandparenting point out that almost a third of North Americans will be over age 65 by 2030. “How will this affect the church?” they ask. For author Elsie Rempel, those statistics present an opportunity for spiritual growth. Her book aims to help seniors and other adults develop faith-forming relationships with children and youth. How might your church actively engage older adult members to be part of the “village” it takes to raise children in faith?

  • These four assessment tools can help grandparents think about how they might engage in faith formation with their grandchildren.

  • The post How to Help Your Grandchildren Grow in Faith: Ideas for Grandparents includes easy ideas for grandparents as well as a helpful list of do’s and don’ts. 

  • In response to research indicating that grandparents influence the faith of their grandchildren, Fuller Institute compiled this wonderful list of Twenty Ideas for Grandparents.

  • Although this list of 101 Generation-Bridging, Boredom-Busting Activities for Grandparents and Grandchildren aren’t related to faith formation, they are so fun and relationship-building that we think they’re worth sharing.

  • Most of the resources recommended for families throughout this toolkit in the At Home sections will also work well with grandparents, but the following three resources bear special mention because they are so helpful in encouraging faith-nurturing conversations:

    • God Loves Me books provide a wonderful way for grandparents to tell God’s stories to the little ones in their care. They are sold in a set of 52 books or individually.

    • Faith Talk with Children (ages 3-11) and Faith Talk Conversations cards are available for purchase from FaithWellMT.

    • Each of the 152 cards in a set of God’s Big Story cards includes questions that connect with a Bible story and invite users to wonder aloud and share their thoughts and stories.

    • Faith5 (Faith Acts in The Home) provides a simple pattern for devotions that encourage faith-forming conversations.