There is a growing awareness among many Christian organisations committed to working with children and families that the area of faith at home is an important one that does not always receive the attention it deserves.

Maybe it is because the teaching and its programmes of the church are focussed on other areas or because families have left theirs and their children's faith development to the church and children's Sunday groups. Faith development is a 24/7 journey that grows with time and life experience with the joys and challenges encountered along the way.

At Barnabas we recognise the need to develop ways of supporting parents, carers and children in their own homes. We seek to offer practical ways to encourage, empower and equip them to work out what being a Christian family means in the routines of the every day.

The Barnabas Children's Ministry team is committed to researching this area, developing appropriate resources and providing ongoing support (particularly for new Christians) for parents' and children's spiritual journey beyond Sunday.

During 2009 a questionnaire was sent out that explored experiences of faith at home. There were 273 responses.

• View a summary of the survey responses (PDF)

What follows on this page are a number of links to items for discussion, relevant websites, books and useful material that touch on this shared area of interest. Do take time to scroll down to find information and free downloadable ideas on this area.

This is work in progress and we are keen to include further items as time goes on. Please email these to Jane Butcher of the Barnabas Team.

Websites

The following websites have been found to be of use when thinking about 'faith at home'.

• An initiative from the Roman Catholic church

• The Family Commission

• Care for the Family

• Family learning

• Faith Inkubators - the Faith 5 method

• Reaching families with the good news - Lausanne Occasional Papers (PDF)

• 'More than Sundays' from The Family Matters Institute (PDF)

• Fresh Expressions - Faith at Home: join the 'faith at home' discussion group that is hosted at the Fresh Expressions website. Click on 'register' and follow the online instructions to join the group.

Recommended books, resources and magazines

UK publications:

• Families First - Mothers Union

• The Heavenly Party - Michele Guinness

• Top tips for growing faith in families - Scripture Union

• Parenting Children for a Life of Faith - Rachel Turner (to be published by BRF in June 2010)

International publications:

• Families Finding Faith - Scripture Union

• Faith begins at home - Mark Holmen

• Real Kids Real Faith - Karen Marie Yust

• Leaving home with Faith - Elizabeth Caldwell

• Living the Faith Community - John H Westerhoff 111 (pub. 2004)

• Best Practice in Family Faith Formation - John Roberto

• Practicing our Faith -Dorothy Bass

Downloadable ideas for use in the home

• All things new by Jane Butcher - ideas for faith at home at the start of a new school year
  
  
• As simple as A B C by Martyn Payne - an alphabet of things Jesus said to talk about at home
  
  
• Easter and beyond by Jane Butcher - ideas for celebrating Easter at home
  
  
• Harvest matters by Jane Butcher - ideas to celebrate Harvest at home
  
  
• Christmas begins with 'S' by Jane Butcher - ideas to celebrate Christmas at home
  
  
• An Alphabet Gospel 3 by Martyn Payne - an alphabet of people Jesus met, to talk about at home
  
  
• An Alphabet Gospel 2 by Martyn Payne - an alphabet of places Jesus went, to talk about at home