CDF Children’s Churches Program

Theologies of Child Well-Being for Child Advocacy Ministry

Faith in a Future When Children Thrive

Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) is curating a national, place-based network of ecumenical and racially diverse congregations committed to building the capacity to advance child well-being in their communities. In the CDF Children’s Churches Program, through a series of retreats, virtual workshops, and convenings at its historic Alex Haley Farm, leaders will reflect on their faith commitments, explore critical issues facing youth in their contexts of ministry, and develop practices for addressing these concerns. 

Through this three-year cohort-based effort, CDF will nurture community with and among 50-75 congregations from across the country. Our aim is to identify how congregations are struggling with the impact of societal issues on children and how we might respond faithfully and theologically to that impact.

By the end of the program, each congregation will have:  

  • Developed a contextual theology of child well-being;   
  • Engaged in at least one child advocacy ministry project or campaign; 
  • Accessed the insights of global and national leaders in justice-related ministry;  
  • Gained knowledge on social issues that impact children and youth; and 
  • Received technical and facilitative assistance to assess congregational capacities. 

Transforming Congregations Across the Country

Together, participating congregations will explore how societal conditions shape the lives of children and families in their communities and discern how their faith, theology, and leadership can respond through advocacy, organizing, and action. Over the last four years, two cohorts of 20 churches piloted and refined the CDF Children’s Churches Program model. During a July 2026 plenary at CDF’s Hall-Proctor Institute for Child Advocacy Ministry, pastors from Illinois, Missouri, and North Carolina reflected on the impact of support, the cohort, and multi-disciplinary learnings for their communities. 

“It has been a journey for us…It has changed our lives.”
– Rev. Dr. Wendy Bruner, Pastor, Peace United Church of Christ (Missouri) 
Watch the conversation

Key elements of the CDF Children’s Churches program design include:

  • Congregational profile inventory
  • Ethnographic and child policy research from congregational context
  • Cohort gatherings (quarterly and semi-annual options)
  • One-to-one sessions that include monthly, one-hour virtual or in-person touchpoints with CDF staff
  • Collaborative child advocacy ministry and campaign development
  • Cohort covenant between CDF, the organization, and the cohort

Congregational Commitment

Faith communities commit a team of two (2) leaders to participate in activities for the duration of the three-year program. This group of participants must include the senior pastor/minister (serving the church for at least one year) alongside one staff minister, educator, youth minister or child advocate, or another lay leader from the congregation. 

Join the community and apply today!

Apply

Applications to join the 2027-2029 CDF Children’s Churches Program are open now! Applications opened September 15, 2026. Applications close October 16, 2026. Decisions regarding cohort membership will be communicated by November 1, 2026. 

We hosted an Informational Webinar with interested congregations on Tuesday, September 15, 2026. If you were not able to join us, view the recording alongside additional resources from the information session.   

Please feel free to reach out with any questions to ChildrensChurches@ChildrensDefense.org.