Intergenerational Faith Center
Our Intergenerational Faith Center's mission is to assist and equip families and faith-based institutions in family and congregational spiritual formation through applied practices borne out of current, relevant research and practice.
Purpose
We accomplish our mission through...
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We will conduct quality, academically sound research in relevant, meaningful practice of Intergenerational faith.
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Building on research, we will provide informed strategies and practical applications for developing healthy and intentional intergenerational programming and practices.
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We will discuss and evaluate the results of research with families, churches, ministers, students, para-church organizations and other scholars.
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IFC staff will consult with and advise ministers, church leaders and other groups to provide feedback and support in their implementation of intergenerational programming.
The Dialogues
The Intergenerational Faith Center hosts conversations on how to improve our congregations and develop effective teaching for families, ministers and congregations.
Check out what we've done in the past and keep an eye out for future events!
Conversations
Dive into our history of resources capturing IFC conversations on sharing faith.
Dudley Chancey & Ron Bruner - 2013
'Insightful and Surprising' ideas offered by teens in national survey
Ron Bruner - 2012
To stop the flow of young people leaving Churches of Christ, intergenerational relationships are vital
National Survey of Grandparents and the Transmission of Faith to Grandchildren
The Grandparent Project
The Bible tells us in several places about the necessity of TELLING the next generation about the great things that God has done and is doing in our world. The Grandparent Project set out to see if and how this is being done (or not) with disciples of Jesus. Results are in and collected in a forthcoming book published by Abilene Christian University. Hopefully out in Spring of 2025. Stay tuned.
The Three Generations Project
Our Projects
Beginning in 2012, the Intergenerational Faith Center started work on a study of families that have three or more generations of living adult members of the Churches of Christ. This ongoing, mixed-methods research project seeks to understand how families successfully share their faith generation after generation.
What lessons can these faith families teach us about how to pass faith on to their children? What practices do they have in common? This study seeks to answer these, and many other, questions.
Want to help? Families and congregations that wish to participate may email Dudley Chancey.
“Spiritual Health and Coping across Three Generations of Faith”
a peer-reviewed paper by Ron Bruner and Dudley Chancey presented at the National Council on Family Relations, San Antonio, TX, November, 2013.
“A Symposium on the Three Generations Project”
a peer-reviewed presentation by Ron Bruner and Dudley Chancey in three segments: Methodology and Context, Difference in Spiritual Formation across Three Generations, and Line of Matriarchs. Oklahoma Council on Family Relations, University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond, OK, April, 2013.
“A Qualitative Search for Common Faith Factors in Three Generation Families”
a peer-reviewed poster session by Ron Bruner and Dudley Chancey at the National Council on Family Relations, Phoenix, AZ, October, 2012.
“Developing a Research Methodology for a Qualitative Investigation of Common Factors Found in Three Generations of Families of Faith”
a peer-reviewed paper presented by Ron Bruner and Dudley Chancey at the Oklahoma Council on Family Relations, University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond, OK; March 30, 2012.
Teaching Intergenerational Ministry
Part of the mission of the Intergenerational Faith Center is to develop appropriate training for those who wish to bring intergenerational ministry to their congregations. Dudley Chancey and Ron Bruner have researched, designed, and taught courses that develop intergenerational ministry as a discipline. In the fall of 2013, their work resulted in a new graduate course at Oklahoma Christian: “Developing Intergenerational Ministry in Churches.” This course, co-taught by Chancey and Bruner, is focused completely on intergenerational ministry.
Is your congregation interested in better understanding how to implement intergenerational ministry? Email Dudley Chancey!
“Why You Should be Teaching an Intergenerational Ministry Course in Your Youth Ministry Curriculum”
a peer-reviewed paper by Ron Bruner and Dudley Chancey, presented at the Association of Youth Ministry Educators, Chicago, IL, October, 2013.
“A Macro Analysis of Intergenerational Ministry among North American Churches"
a paper by Ron Bruner at the Christian Scholars’ Conference, Lipscomb University, Nashville, TN, June 2012.
“Three Generation Families of Faith: The Search of the Intergenerational Faith Center for Sustainable Faith in Churches of Christ”
a paper by Dudley Chancey at the Christian Scholars’ Conference, Lipscomb University, Nashville, TN, June 2012.
“Emerging Perspectives on Intergenerational Ministry,”
by Dudley Chancey for the Christian Scholars’ Conference, Lipscomb University, Nashville, TN, June 2012.
