Foundations of Christian Spiritual Formation in Children

Maximize your impact in shaping children in the image of Christ

The Foundations of Christian Spiritual Formation in Children course is a 6-week deep dive into the biblical foundations of spiritual formation in children, the key components that influence their formation, and ways the children’s ministry leader can help inspire the creation of formative environments in the home and children’s ministry spaces. This course is for leaders that desire to gain a deeper understanding of their role in partnership with the Holy Spirit as He works in children to form them into the likeness of Christ.


Course Instructors

Dr. Deb Moncauskas

Dr. Deb Moncauskas is a Professor at Bethel Seminary, teaching since 2004 in the Master of Arts degree program in Children and Family Ministry. Her areas of focus are leadership and staff development, generational distinctives, and ministry administration. She serves in the local church as a Children and Family Pastor, leading this ministry for the past 33 years. She has been certified by Gallup as a Strengths Coach, coaching over 200 men, women, and youth to live and lead from their strengths. She earned her D. Min. in 2012 and her dissertation focused on strengths-based leadership development for pre-teens. Deb and her team lead the Engage Certificate, a partnership between Bethel Seminary and INCM. Deb lives in San Diego with her husband of 46 years, Rick.


Gordon West

Gordon West is an experienced conference speaker and author known for his work in kidmin training, missions, and spiritual formation of children. Gordon and his wife founded KidZ at Heart International, a global Christian community that trains, partners with, and mobilizes networks of leaders to nurture the spiritual formation of children in their own culture.


Dr. Holly Catterton Allen

Holly Catterton Allen, Ph.D., President, serves as Professor of Family Science and Christian Ministries at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee where she holds a joint appointment in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the College of Bible and Ministry. She teaches undergraduate courses such as Nurturing Spiritual Development in Children and Family Ministry. Dr. Allen's areas of scholarly interest are children's spirituality and intergenerational issues.

Her most recent book is the edited volume from the 2017 InterGenerate Conference held in Nashville, TN; this book is called InterGenerate: Transforming Churches through Intergenerational Ministry (Abilene Christian University Press, 2018). She has also written (with Christine Ross) Intergenerational Christian Formation: Bringing the Whole Church Together in Ministry, Community, and Worship (InterVarsity Press, 2012). She is currently working on a book for InterVarsity Press on children’s spiritual formation.


Course Modules


Module 1 - Biblical Foundations of Spiritual Formation in Children

Module 2 - Components of Child Spiritual Formation

Module 3 - Spiritual Formation in Ages and Stages

Module 4 - Spiritual Formation in the Home

Module 5 - Building Formative Practices in Children’s Ministry

Module 6 - Exploring Intergenerational Spiritual Formation

Frequently Asked Questions


When does the course start and finish?
The course content starts on Monday, April 26, and ends on Monday, May 31. It will remain open through June 14 to allow students time to catch up on missed weeks.
How long do I have access to the course?
The course will remain open through June 14. It will then be evaluated and open again at a later date.
What if I am unhappy with the course?
We would never want you to be unhappy! If you are unsatisfied with your purchase, contact us in the first 30 days and we will give you a full refund.

This course is closed for enrollment.