We are in this together—all ages practicing, all ages becoming God’s people.
Often, intergenerational initiatives are seen as the next new church trend, or another programming tool for church growth and revitalization. Ultimately, though, intergenerational practice is at the core of what it means for us to be the body of Christ. God intends for all ages to participate in faith formation together; we are formed in our practice of intergenerationallity as we participate in the formation of becoming God’s people.
All Ages Becoming brings theologians, practitioners, and ministry leaders, representing diverse denominations, generations, cultures, and geographical locations, together to help us explore this adventure of intergenerational Christian practice. As you consider intergenerational practice in your own faith community, each chapter provides “Theology in Practice” sections with questions designed to help your community reflect, discuss, discover, experiment, reinvent, redesign, and continue in your community of practice.
Valerie M. Grissom, MDiv, DWS, is a certified pastor in the Northwest Coast Presbytery (PC- USA), near Seattle, Washington. She serves as the Vice Chair for Intergenerate. As a worship leader and pastor for over nineteen years, in a variety of denominations and ecumenical settings, Valerie is passionate about worship renewal in the Church. Valerie’s research, writing, speaking, coaching, and mentoring focus is on intergenerational and intercultural worship.
Holly Catterton Allen, PhD, retired in 2021 from her position as Professor of Christian Ministries and Family Science at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee. In retirement, her areas of interest continue to be intergenerational ministry as well as children’s spiritual formation. Dr. Allen’s books include Intergenerational Christian Formation: Bringing the Whole Church Together in Ministry, Community, and Worship, 2nd edition (InterVarsity Press, 2023); Forming Resilient Children: The Role of Spiritual Formation for Healthy Development (InterVarsity Press, 2021); InterGenerate: Transforming Churches through Intergenerational Ministry (Abilene Christian University Press, 2018); and Nurturing Children’s Spirituality: Christian Perspectives and Best Practices (Cascade, 2008). In 2015–21, she chaired two biennial, international, cross denominational conferences: InterGenerate Conference and the Children’s Spirituality Summit.
Sarah Bentley Allred is a Senior Formation Associate for the Department of Lifelong Learning at Virginia Theological Seminary (VTS). Before joining Lifelong Learning, Sarah served as Director of Children and Youth Ministries for four years and then completed the MDiv program at VTS with a focus on Christian formation. She is passionate about children’s spirituality, intergenerational worship, and small-church formation. She loves local coffee shops, board games, the beach, and exploring new places with her husband, Richard, their daughter, Eleanor, and their furry child, Grace.
Gareth Crispin, PhD, is a lecturer in Practical Theology at Cliff College, UK, where he is also Program Director for the BA in Mission and Ministry. He writes, publishes, and teaches across a wide range of subjects in Youth, Children and Families (YCF) ministry but has a particular focus on intergenerational ministry—his PhD thesis, from the University of Manchester, UK, was on impediments and encouragements to intergenerationality and family ministry. He serves on the Executive Board of the International Association for the Study of Youth Ministry and is Co-director of Generation, the Cliff College centre for the Study of YCF mission and ministry.
David M. Csinos is associate professor of practical theology at Atlantic School of Theology in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He is author and editor of many books, the most recent of which is A Gospel for All Ages: Teaching and Preaching with the Whole Church (Fortress Press, 2022). Dave is a sought-after speaker in the areas of children’s and youth ministry, intergenerational faith formation, homiletics, culture, and ministry innovation. He holds a PhD from the University of St. Michael’s College in Toronto.
Karen DeBoer is the Resource Developer for Faith Formation Ministries, for whom she curates and creates several ministry resources, including online toolkits (The Intergenerational Church, Family Faith Formation, and more), family resources (Dwell at Home), ministry blogs (The Network), a podcast (Open to Wonder), and intergenerational faith practice resources (The Faith Practice Project). She is the author of Home Grown Handbook for Christian Parenting and a contributing editor of You’re Invited: A Week of Devotions for Families on the Lord’s Supper, God’s Big Story Cards, and Jesse Tree: God’s Big Advent Story. She makes her home in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario.
Rev. Roberta J. Egli is the Executive Director of All Age Faith Formation, a 501c3 nonprofit organization that supports ecumenical congregations to start and then sustain an intergenerational worship experience. Since organizing in 2017, Messy Church has been the primary model used in equipping all-age faith formative experiences. The network of Messy Churches in the USA has grown to over 250 local churches from 20 Christian faith traditions in 47 states. She received her MDiv from Pacific School of Religion before her ordination in The United Methodist Church, where she served as a lead pastor prior to moving to her current role. Prior to her transition to pastoral leadership, she worked as an RN for twenty years in a variety of settings. She lives in Eugene, Oregon.
Wes Gallagher is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Ministry in Leadership and Spiritual Formation at Portland Seminary. He has ministered in Churches of Christ in Middle Tennessee for two decades, with most of that time devoted to child and family ministry. He earned a BS in secondary education from Tennessee Tech University and an MDiv from Lipscomb University, where he studied children’s spirituality under Holly Allen. Wes lives in Cookeville, Tennessee, with his wife, Stephanie, and six children: Haylee, Cassie, Brayden, Bryson, Baron, and Kerrigan.
Valerie M. Grissom, MDiv, DWS (Doctor of Worship Studies), is a certified pastor in the Northwest Coast Presbytery, near Seattle, Washington. As a worship leader and pastor for over nineteen years in a variety of denominations and ecumenical settings, Valerie is passionate about worship renewal in the church. Valerie’s research, writing, speaking, coaching, and mentoring focus on intergenerational and intercultural worship. Her personal mission statement underlies her intergenerational work: “to help every person feel seen, heard, and loved by God.” Valerie and her husband, Ben, along with their four children, make their home on Whidbey Island and enjoy playing outdoors in the Pacific Northwest, spoiling their forty chickens, enjoying only the best coffee (Seattle coffee, of course!), camping, hiking, and going to the beach.
Rev. Elizabeth Tamez Méndez, PhD, is the founder and Executive Director of New Generation3 (NG3). Since 2005, NG3 has been dedicated to training leaders, conducting research, and providing consulting services in the United States and abroad. Through her work, Elizabeth merges her passion for seeing youth thrive and the lessons from her thirty years of global ministry experience. Her commitment to developing practical resources centers on bridging the world of academia with the needs of practitioners in multicultural settings. In NG3’s upcoming book series JUNTOS: Six Transformational Practices of Latino Churches and Youth, through stories, research insights, and reflection questions, readers have a guided space to consider easy-to-integrate ministry and leadership practices that foster healthy intergenerational relationships in the church (JUNTOSseries.org).
Jim Merhaut, MSEd, PCC, is the Founder of Coaching to Connect, a coaching and consulting service focused on leadership development. Jim is certified as a leadership and life coach and as a reinvention practitioner. He is known internationally for his coaching, speaking, and expertise in lifelong faith formation. He holds an MS degree in Religious Education from Duquesne University. He has published and contributed to several books and other publications, including Generations Together and Engage All Generations. With decades of experience in intergenerational ministries and leadership development, Merhaut offers keynotes, retreats, and workshops on a variety of themes. He lives in Youngstown, Ohio.
Wilson McCoy, DMin, serves as a minister at the College Hills Church of Christ in Lebanon, Tennessee. Over the last twelve years with this church, some of his responsibilities have included working with young adults, preaching and teaching, adult formation, and small groups. Before College Hills, Wilson worked with churches in Tennessee, Texas, and Australia. His Doctorate of Ministry with Lipscomb University focused on intergenerational spiritual formation, and that work resulted in contributing a chapter to the book Intergenerate: Transforming Churches through Intergenerational Ministry. Wilson continues to write, speak, and consult with churches interested in intergenerational ministry. You can find out more and connect with Wilson at drwilsonmccoy.com.
Johannah Myers, DMin, is the Associate Director for Messy Church USA as well as the Director of Disciples Formation at Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Greenville, South Carolina. Her time at Duke Divinity School helped shape her call to disciple formation for all ages. She introduced Messy Church to her congregation in 2013, starting what has become a fabulously Messy journey into intergenerational ministry. In 2019, Johannah completed her Doctor of Ministry degree through Wesley Theological Seminary. Her doctoral project focused on intergenerational, hands-on faith formation in small groups using the foundational values of Messy Church as a rule of life.
Robert Pendergraft joined the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor faculty in the fall of 2016, where he currently serves as Associate Professor and James and Lena Hagan Chair of Church Music. An ordained Southern Baptist minister, Robert is passionate about getting the entire congregation actively participating in corporate worship. He carries out this passion weekly as the Associate Pastor of Music Ministries at First Baptist Church of Salado. Robert holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Music Education from Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, and the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Church Music from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Robert was the recipient of an inaugural Teacher/Scholar Grant from the Calvin Institute for Christian Worship in 2019. He previously served as President of the Southern Baptist Church Music Conference and is on the Steering Committee for the Evangelical Theological Society of Biblical Worship Section.
Breen Marie Sipes is usually an ELCA pastor and is currently a full-time parent overseeing her children’s education at an online STEM academy. She has been engaged in intergenerational experiments intuitively since 2005 and intentionally since 2015, and she is especially interested in the gift that introducing an intergenerational framework of ministry can be to small congregations. Breen is a founding member of the Nebraska Synod, ELCA Growing God’s Generous Generations (4G) core team, which curates resources and provides support at the intersection of generosity and intergenerational ministry. Breen is also a leader with Music that Makes Community, seeing music and vulnerable shared leadership as a key pivot point for intergenerational interaction. She also curates Taking Worship Home, a website dedicated to providing resources to bring what happens in worship into our lives, and Feed My Faith, a website that furnishes faith formation resources for all ages and stages.
Linda Staats is a national speaker, workshop leader, curriculum writer, author, consultant, leadership coach, and Founder of HomeGrown Faith. With an MS degree in Human Development and the Family and minor degrees in Child Development and Gerontology, Linda brings a life span lens to ministry. Her passion and approach to all-age interaction is reflected in The Generosity Project, a resource that provides an intergenerational approach to discipleship and stewardship. Linda has held positions in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America church-wide organization, served as Assistant to the Bishop for two regional ELCA offices, and coordinator for faith formation and household ministry in a large metropolitan congregation. She and her extended family represent six living generations.
Rachel Turner is the founder of Parenting for Faith and has worked in churches in the UK for over fifteen years as a Family Life Pastor, Children’s Pastor, and a Youth Pastor. She continues to consult, speak at conferences, and run training days for church leaders, parents, and families around the world. Rachel is the author of nine books as well as the Parenting for Faith course. For more on the work of Parenting for Faith, go to www.parentingforfaith.org.
Introduction | Practicing Our Becoming | Valerie N. Grissom
Section One: Foundations of Intergenerational Practice
Chapter 1 | Circle of Blessing: Foundation and Fundamentals for Intergenerational Ministry | Linda E. Staats
Chapter 2 | Honoring the Image: Recovering a Creational Theology for Intergenerational Ministry | Wilson McCoy
Chapter 3 | Ludicity and Theology: Exploring Some Theological Foundations of Intergenerational Ministry | Gareth Crispin
Section Two: Reimagining Intergenerational Practice
Chapter 4 | Apprenticing Faith Together: Helping Adults Understand Discipleship and Their Role in Intergenerational Community | Johannah Myers
Chapter 5 | The Church's Role in Restoring Parents as Central to Discipleship | Rachel Turner
Chapter 6 | The Final Frontier? Theological Insights to Support Imaginative Intergenerational Preaching | David M. Cisnos
Chapter 7 | Building Ramps Instead of Stairs: Universal Design in Planning Intergenerational Worship | Robert Pendergraft
Section Three: Implementing Formative Intergenerational Practices
Chapter 8 | Faith Practices in Community and at Home | Karen DeBoer
Chapter 9 | Growing Faith in Messy Church | Johannah Myers and Roberta J. Egli
Chapter 10 | Let the Spirit Lead: A Framework for Beginning and Sustaining Intergenerational Faith Formation | Breen Marie Sipes
Chapter 11 | Story Sharing as a Practice of Intergenerational "Being" | Valerie M. Grissom
Section Four: Stories of Intergenerational Practice
Chapter 12 | Reinventing Church with Intergenerational Connections: A Case Study | Jim Merhaut
Chapter 13 | Creating Space to "Taste and See" the Goodness of Intergenerational Ministry | Wes Gallagher
Chapter 14 | Intergenerational Worship Experiments at Virginia Seminary | Sarah Bentley Allred
Chapter 15 | Being Familia: Latino Intergenerational Connections -- Honoring Our Generational and Cultural Treasures | Elizabeth Tamez Méndez
Section Five: Survey of Current Intergenerational Practices
Chapter 16 | Benefits, Challenges, and Recommendations for Intergenerational Ministry: Findings from Recent Congregational Research | Holly Catterton Allen
Conclusion | A Challenge and Invitation to Become | Valerie M. Grissom
Selected Bibliography
About the Contributors
Acknowledgements
“All Ages Becoming includes voices from around the world and across a wide range of Christian expressions to introduce important topics and support those of us who want to invite people of all ages to gather together to learn and worship. Each chapter also contains helpful questions to encourage us to move past programs and to focus on forming the faith of those with whom we work as we apply what we are reading to our own contexts and ministries.”
—Robert J. Keeley, PhD, Professor of Education, Emeritus, Calvin University, former visiting Professor of Faith Formation and Discipleship, Calvin Theological Seminary, and author
“I often get asked what books I recommend for ministers or parents/caregivers who are interested in connecting generations in relationship for discipleship. This book will now top the list. Not only do these authors give a wide array of information about intergenerational ministry, spiritual formation, and discipleship at church and at home, they do so in a way that is accessible to everyone who is looking to learn and grow their understanding. Whether someone comes looking for theological foundations or practical application, the answer can be found in one or more of the chapters included in the pages of this book. More than just a collection of articles, All Ages Becoming is a handbook for ministers and caregivers; one that will sit on the shelf in an easy-to-grab location for frequent reference and consultation.”
—Rev. Dr. Christina Embree, Director/Founder of ReFocus Ministry, Minister of Generational Discipleship, Great Lakes Conference, Brethren In Christ US
“To minimize generational conflicts or accommodate preferences, congregations often divide along age or affinity lines. Except in rare cases, all generations seem to lose. All Ages Becoming is a collaboration from an eclectic group of educators, theologians, and practitioners that serves as a model for unity even in our diversity. The convergence of their various cultures, expertise, and experience offers a practical guide any faith community can use to discover biblical and theological foundational principles to help frame their intergenerational practices. This timely resource reminds our congregations how much better we are when every generation is the Church together.”
—Dr. David Manner, Executive Director Treasurer, Kansas-Nebraska Convention of Southern Baptists, author of Better Sundays Begin on Monday: 52 Exercises for Evaluating Weekly Worship
“The third book in the InterGenerate series, All Ages Becoming adds much to the study, conversation, and practice of intentional intergenerational community for the Christian church. Woven throughout is the language and metaphor of ‘becoming,’ helping us understand that this transformation is always a work-in-progress. All the ‘questions to consider’ that are included help us ponder and process the content and ideas. I am grateful for these voices—the practitioners and the researchers alike; each one excited and committed to this critical approach to being the body of Christ, together.”
—Liz Perraud, Executive Director, GenOn Ministries
“What a gift this book is to the church today as we struggle with effective ways to engage and equip all generations together, including the youth and children that desperately need to know they belong with—and are connected to—an embodied community of faithful people who care deeply about their becoming! In my sojourn as an official children and family pastor in a large congregation, I would have given anything to get my hands and eyes on a book such as this one that brings together the best thinkers—and doers—for intergenerational formation! Now this gift for the church is yours to read and share, discuss and try out. As Linda Staats says in Chapter One of this meaty book, here is an invitation for all of us to find our place of becoming in the ‘beautiful circular pattern of intergenerational blessing.’”
—Trevecca Okholm, MA, former Children and Family Minister (PCUSA) and Professor of Practical Theology, Azusa Pacific University, coeditor of Children’s Ministry and the Spiritual Child: Practical Formation-Focused Ministry
“All Ages Becoming is a fine addition to the growing body of theory and practice in intergenerational ministry and faith formation. The chapters address the needs of the veteran practitioner and those who are just beginning on the journey to an intergenerational future for their church. There is a wide scope of study—theological foundations, faith formation with parents and the family, intergenerational preaching and worship, intergenerational practices and models—all to help pastoral leaders create communities and ministries that are more intentionally intergenerational. Our future is intergenerational and All Ages Becoming is a guide to that future.”
—John Roberto, Lifelong Faith Associates, author of Lifelong Faith: Formation for All Ages and Generations
“What a beautiful picture of the body of Christ! All Ages Becoming not only allows you to envision intergenerational ministry but equips you with the theology needed to align your heart and soul to this lens of ministry and offers practices to make it realistic in your faith community and home.”
—Joy Wendling, Founder of Created to Play Ministries; Host of Playfully Faithful Parenting podcast; Christian Parenting Coach, Speaker, and Writer
“All Ages Becoming gives us both the theology and practice—the whys and hows—of intergenerational ministry. These chapters delve into the challenges and opportunities of bringing generations together and explore the life-giving transformations that can occur when we are in intentional relationship with others of different ages and stages as we try to follow Jesus. Whether you are looking for inspiration or ideas your congregation can take and run with, Valerie Grissom and her colleagues offer an increasingly relevant and deeply compelling way of being church in a changing world.”
—Wendy Claire Barrie, Canon for Intergenerational Ministries at Saint Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral, Seattle, Washington; author of Faith at Home: A Handbook for Cautiously Christian Parents
“As the field of intergenerational ministry continues to gain traction, its great strength is the breadth of the voices engaged in research, advocacy, and storytelling. The authors in this compilation represent a wide range of theological and denominational traditions, guaranteeing that every reader will be encouraged and challenged to critically engage with the perspectives taken. Grissom has collated established authors, fresh voices, and emerging researchers into a work that will spark the imagination toward wise and creative intergenerational ministry practice in the local church.”
—Tim Beilharz, Children’s Ministry Advisor and Intergenerational Ministry Lecturer at Youthworks
“All Ages Becoming is a new, rich, and life-giving text that all leaders who seek to engage across all ages need to read. It is like a choir of voices, all with their unique flavours and tones, coming together to bring harmony, strength, and beauty to the growing conversation of what it means for all ages to grow, love, and serve together. This book is filled with a balanced blend of theology and practice. It is easy to read and shares very helpful tools and keys to implement into your own faith communities and leadership.”
—Tammy Preston, Team Leader, Intergenerate Australia, and author of Piece by Piece and Collide: Exploring Intergenerational Ministry
“Imagine faith formation that is alive and engaging and seeks to form disciples of all ages. Intergenerational faith formation seeks to form every person in our faith communities, no matter where they are on the journey. Understanding that faith is not only passed down from those with much life experience but also passed up through the eyes of youth who see the world with fresh insights is at the heart of intergenerational faith formation. All Ages Becoming is a great resource to help faith communities move beyond traditional classroom-based programs toward dynamic faith formation that seeks to form disciples for a lifetime of growing in faith.”
—Catherine Souto, Pastoral Assistant for Religious Formation, The Catholic Community of St. Charles Borromeo, Skillman, NJ
“All Ages Becoming is a worthy addition to the growing intergenerational ministry canon. Featuring a well-judged mix of fresh and familiar voices, it helpfully blends theology, research, and practical ministry application into one very accessible book. Most powerfully, it is an invitation to become who we are meant to be as we reimagine faith practices, discipleship, worship, preaching—and more—with a focus on intergenerationality.”
—Chris Barnett, Executive General Manager, Intergen, Australia; former Intergenerational Leader, Uniting Church Synod of Victoria and Tasmania
ISBN 9781684264018
Pages 256
Dimensions (inches) 6 x 9
Weight (pounds) .5
