Tomorrow's Transformational Leaders: Parenting with Purpose

The purpose of this dissertation is to explore issues related to why fewer people in each generation of Americans are committed followers of Christ and to develop resources that will attempt to address this issue. Discussion includes parental lack of confidence and abdication of roles in spiritual formation, parental influence, and faith transfer between generations. The effectiveness of existing discipling resources, programs, and ministry models are considered. Strategies are identified for living an integrated lifestyle that provides children with support and challenge, allowing them to experience spiritual growth and exploration, especially before the important age of thirteen. Discipling tools traditionally used by adults are applied as parenting strategies, tools for parents serving as primary disciplers of their children, and concepts for equipping families. Eventually, once implemented, an effort to collect and interpret longitudinal data regarding this parenting initiative would provide a more conclusive measurement of effectiveness, specifically if comparisons are made with the outcomes of other approaches to spiritual formation and discipleship.