Belonging to God, Belonging Together: A Child’s Place in the Church

Space is limited! Apply today!

Want to join the Belonging to God, Belonging Together cohort? Submit this application by August 1, and our team will reach out with more details.

What is a Cohort?

CFC learning cohorts are supportive and collaborative learning communities consisting of up to 15 ministry leaders, all committed to ministry with children in the church. Our hope is that the cohort participants will develop long-lasting relationships and discover new ideas and innovative ways, capturing a vision for reimagining church where a child’s faith flourishes.

Join us for the Belonging to God, Belonging Together Cohort as we explore a child’s place in the church.

Every cohort includes:

4-interactive zoom sessions with experts in the field
3 collaborative consulting sessions with CFC team
A curated resource kit shipped to you
Collaborative relationships with other children’s ministry leaders
A biweekly newsletter inviting you to apply what you are learning

Logistics

Meeting Location:

Online
2025 Meeting Dates:

September 3, 17; October 1, 15, 2025
Meeting Time:

1:00 - 3:00 p.m. CT
Collaborative Consulting:

Sign up for up to three collaborative consulting sessions with our team
Max Number of Participants:

15 people
Cost:

$500 per person

Notes From Your Hosts

Help us build amazing cohorts! As our cohort experience grows, we ask that you complete a detailed post-program evaluation. Your valuable feedback will be instrumental in enhancing the cohort experience and ensuring its long-term success.

Objectives

In this online community led by the CFC Executive Director, Dr. Mimi Larson, you will:

Explore how belonging shapes a child’s faith formation.
Discover how meaningful intergenerational relationships within the church have a fundamental influence on a child’s faith.
Identify the ways children make meaning of their faith and how they can be active participants within the worshipping community.
Learn how to help kids recognize their place in God’s story.
Receive personal coaching and ministry consultation.

FAQs

Each Session is 2 hours. We will meet the following Wednesdays from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. CST: September 3, 17, 2025; October 1,15, 2025.

In addition, you have the opportunity to attend up to 3 collaborative consulting sessions with CFC Staff.

Please note: Along with the actual cohort meetings, there is an expectation that you will do some readings and activities in between our cohort meetings.
Yes! We will be in communication with you regarding any necessary materials or items you will need for the course.
We do not have scholarships available at this time.
Yes! The CFC team is happy to provide additional consulting hours. You can learn more about personal coaching and ministry consultation by contacting our team here.
Collaborative consulting is a special small-group meeting with a member of the CFC team available to CFC Cohort participants only. These themed gatherings are tailored to your concerns, questions, and needs and provide the opportunity to learn from CFC staff and ministry colleagues around the country.
A full refund policy with relevant dates will be provided as part of your registration materials. Below is a brief summary of our refund policy.

Refund Policy Summary – CFC Learning Cohort

Refund Eligibility and Deadlines:
1. Full Refund (100%): A full refund is available if you cancel your enrollment before the resource box ships. A full refund is available if the cohort is cancelled by the organizers.
2. Partial Refund (50%): A 50% refund is available if you cancel your enrollment after the box shipping date, but before the cohort start date.
3. No Refund: No refunds will be issued after the cohort start date. This includes cancellations due to personal circumstances, changes in availability, or dissatisfaction with the program content after this point.

Meet the Facilitator

Dr. Mimi Larson

Dr. Mimi Larson is the Executive Director for the Center at Faith and Children and Assistant Professor of Educational Studies at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Prior to joining the TEDS faculty, she served for over 25 years in practical church ministry and was Visiting Assistant Professor of Christian Formation & Ministry at Wheaton College. Her research is in the area of children’s faith formation with a particular interest in how faith is formed in early childhood.

She serves on the board for the Society of Children’s Spirituality: Christian Perspectives and her latest book is Bridging Theory and Practice in Children’s Spirituality: New Directions for Education, Ministry and Discipleship (edited with Robert Keeley, Zondervan, 2020). Dr. Larson regularly consults with churches regarding their ministry with children and families and has developed curriculum for children’s ministry in the local church. As a recipient of Calvin’s Institute of Christian Worship’s teacher-scholar grant as well as a worshipping communities grant, her current research focus is how ministry leaders thoughtfully engage children in worship

Meet Our Guest Speakers

Erik Carter, Ph.D., is professor and Luther Sweet Endowed Chair in Disabilities at Baylor University. His research and writing focus on principle-driven and research-based strategies for promoting full participation, relationships, and valued roles for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). He serves as Executive Director of the Baylor Center for Developmental Disabilities, which aims to promote the thriving of people with disabilities and their families.

Dr. Bob Keeley is Professor of Education Emeritus at Calvin University and Professor of Faith Formation and Discipleship at Calvin Theological Seminary. Bob and his wife, Laura, directed children’s ministries at their church for 31 years. Bob has also written books, including Helping Our Children Grow in Faith. He co-edited Bridging Theory and Practice in Children’s Spirituality with Dr. Mimi Larson.

Christina Embree is the founder and director of ReFocus Ministry. She holds a Master’s in Ministry focused on Children, Youth, and Family Ministry and a Doctoral degree in Spiritual Formation with a focus on Age Segregation and Intergenerational Ministry. In addition to coaching churches of multiple denominations and traditions all around the globe, Christina serves in national and local church ministry.