Children’s Sermons by Children provides faith-sharing support for all ages through listening and learning, gatherings and guidance.
The Listening Tour
During the first year of the project, the team will take video-recorded interviews in congregations throughout Texas to learn from children, those working with children, and worship leaders. We are calling this “The Listening Tour.”
We are looking for congregations with active children’s ministries who are open to ongoing conversations with our team about how children experience and share God with others. These conversations will be with children and those involved in the children’s ministry at the church.
The vision behind Children’s Sermons by Children
How does Children’s Sermons by Children work?
“The goal of the Children’s Sermons by Children Project is to equip congregations to see children not as passive audience members in worship, but rather as active co-ministers of proclamation. This project is important as we seek to raise up new leaders for the church—while many youth drop out of church as teenagers and young adults, empowering children to feel integral to Christian worship can enrich the faith of children and their church communities.”
Through cohorts, large gatherings, workshops, videos and curricular resources, the Children’s Sermons by Children Project will provide English- and Spanish-speaking Protestant congregations in Texas with the support they need to cultivate the proclamatory leadership of children in their midst.
Stay Tuned For Spring 2026
Cohort Communities bring together ten pairs of participants from various churches to explore faith-sharing through guided conversations on Zoom. These small groups create a supportive space where participants—both children and adults—can reflect on how faith is experienced and shared within their congregations. By engaging in these ongoing discussions, churches will build stronger connections, gain new insights, and develop meaningful ways to empower children as active faith leaders.
Cohort Communities
In-person Gatherings
In-person gatherings offer a chance for cohort members and other congregants to come together, share stories, and learn from one another. These gatherings provide a dynamic environment where children, ministry leaders, and church members can witness and celebrate the ways children express their faith. Through storytelling, worship, and interactive experiences, these events will reinforce the importance of intergenerational faith-sharing and strengthen the role of children in the spiritual life of the church.
Held on the Austin Seminary campus, these workshops provide structured learning opportunities for church leaders and children’s ministry teams. Led by experienced facilitators, sessions will focus on practical methods for nurturing children’s leadership in faith-sharing. Through hands-on activities, discussions, and training, participants will gain tools to implement Children’s Sermons by Children in their own congregations, fostering an environment where children’s voices are heard and valued in worship and beyond.
Facilitated Workshops
Getting Involved
If you are interested in being a part of Children’s Sermons by Children -- in any of the capacities listed above -- please take a moment to fill out our Interest Form so our leadership can be in direct communication with you and your church. We can provide more detailed information about each part of the grant program and provide helpful documentation to your congregation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Listening Tour FAQs
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We value learning from the experiences of children as well as those who work with them.
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The interviews will be audio and video recorded depending on parent permission.
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The recordings will only be viewed by those who have been granted permission in an official form signed before the interviews. Special permission must be given for the recordings to be used in other ways.
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Permissions for each interview will be kept on a detailed, protected spreadsheet and videos will be kept on a secure site according to those permissions.
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We plan to spend 10 minutes with each interview. Our hope is to have 5 interviews with children and 5 interviews with those working with children/leading worship, for a total of 10 interviews at each church. If each interview takes 10 minutes with a few minutes of transition between interviews, you can expect our team to be interviewing for 2 hours.
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Ideally this will not interrupt the flow of your Sunday morning in any way. We can set up the interviews when it doesn't interfere with your morning routine.
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We will be publishing data on this website and through our monthly newsletter. No names will be used in this data.
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You may e-mail our team at sharingfaith@austinseminary.edu or express interest in the form above.
Cohort FAQs
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No, you may participate of one aspect of the program without being involved in the others. Applications for the cohorts will go live at end of year.
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We are looking for churches with a children's ministry who can commit a staff pair - the children’s minister and the worship leader - to a two-year online cohort.
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The cohorts will meet online monthly in these pairs to talk about ways to build in more worship participation by children. This will ultimately lead to children ages 8-12 giving children's sermons.
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You will receive great ideas from others who are also in the trenches, as well as support and materials to engage children more fully in worship.
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Members of the cohort as well as a few children who have participated in leading worship and their parent. 1-2 leaders in their church who help to oversee worship.
Workshop FAQs
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Anyone interested in the success of children's ministry in their congregation!
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Free!
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Please come back for sign-up opportunities as dates are forthcoming for our first workshop in Spring 2026. You can register to attend the workshop in person or online.
Children’s Sermons by Children is an ongoing project of Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, funded by Lilly Endowment Inc.
Children’s Sermons by Children began in 2025 as a part of the Sharing Faith Initiative, along with Faithful Preaching Project.
The project is free to participants and aims to equip church congregations in many ways.
Children’s Sermons by Children is proud to be a part of the Strengthening Ministry with Children Program.