Nurturing Faith : A Practical Theology for Educating Christians

Faith left on rocky soil withers. But faith nurtured in the good soil of Christian teaching, formation, and mentorship grows to maturity and yields thriving community. Educational ministries are so often where this happens—where the desires of the human heart are shaped toward a love for God, a love for one’s neighbor, and a love for the world. 

In this comprehensive guide to educational ministries in the twenty-first century, Fred Edie and Mark Lamport explore how church leaders and others involved in Christian education can nurture a robust, cruciform faith within their communities. When discussing strategies and goals, Edie and Lamport consider a range of contexts and a variety of related fields that might give insight into educational ministry: theology, pedagogy, philosophy, social science, and more. Those working with any age group—children, adolescents, and adults—will find a relevant discussion of key underlying theological themes, a guide to concrete practices, and indispensable help in navigating shifting cultural dynamics. Exceedingly practical and consistent with the teachings of the gospel, the wisdom in this book will speak to all who long to foster discipleship in their church, school, or missional community. 

Key Features

• A “Road Map” at the beginning of each chapter concisely introduces the chapter’s topic and essential themes.
• Sidebars throughout the text provide deeper insight into particular important or nuanced concepts.
• Discussion questions at the end of each chapter facilitate further reflection, especially in conversation with others.
• Suggestions for further reading are provided at the end of each chapter for those interested in exploring the chapter’s ideas in greater depth.
• Concluding the book is a series of afterwords from experts in the field of Christian educational ministries: Martyn Percy, Almeda Wright, Craig Dykstra, Kirsten Oh, Elizabeth DeGaynor, and Thomas Groome.

Fred P. Edie is associate professor for the practice of Christian education at Duke Divinity School. He is a United Methodist pastor and veteran youth worker. His research interests include the relational, bodily, and cultural dynamics of faith formation including through worship and mission. His first book is titled Book, Bath, Table, and Time: Christian Worship as Source and Resource for Youth Ministry.


Mark A. Lamport is a professor at graduate theological schools in Colorado, Arizona, Virginia, Indiana, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Portugal. He is editor of the Encyclopedia of Christian Education, the Encyclopedia of Christianity in the Global South, and the Encyclopedia of Christianity in the United States, and he is the author of over two hundred publications related to practical theology.