Awana CEO Warns Children’s Ministry Is Using ‘Old Maps’ in Rapidly Secularizing Culture — With Only 10% Staying Engaged

gregg34
3 days ago
4 min read

Updated: 3 days ago

“Children’s ministry needs more Fred Rogers and less Walt Disney,” co-author says

ST. CHARLES, Ill. (Jan. 29, 2026) — A global Christian nonprofit celebrating more than 75 years of ministry—reaching 10 million children each week through partnerships with 101,000 churches in 140 countries—is challenging the church to rethink how it disciples children amid rising cultural secularism.

Awana President and CEO Matt Markins says many children’s ministries are relying on “old maps” shaped by edutainment rather than relational, gospel-centered formation—a model he believes is increasingly ineffective in a post-Christian world.

“This is where the church is today: children’s ministry is still using old maps,” said Markins, co-author of Forming Faith: Discipling the Next Generation in a Post-Christian Culture, written with Mike Handler and Sam Luce. “We have far more information about children, faith formation, and culture than we did when these maps were first drafted.”

“For decades, kids’ ministries have modeled themselves after Walt Disney rather than Fred Rogers,” the co-authors write. “Children don’t need to be entertained as much as they need to be loved and listened to. Being fun isn’t wrong—but it can’t be our primary measure of effectiveness.”

Markins points to growing research around Bible literacy, mental health, adverse childhood experiences, digital disruption, social media, mobile technology, and the formative influence of loving, trusted adult volunteers—all of which demand a more intentional, Biblical, gospel-rooted discipleship approach.

“We live in a highly secularized culture that wants the outcomes only God can give—peace, love, joy, justice, and freedom—but rejects the source: Jesus Christ,” said Markins, also author of The Story We Tell Our Children. “Kids in both churched and non-churched homes are swimming in dominant cultural narratives, no matter how much we try to protect them.”

Barna research underscores the urgency and ineffectiveness of current methods: only 10 percent of church attending children are expected to become "resilient disciples,” actively engaged in the church and possessing a biblical worldview as young adults.

“The story children believe will shape the Savior to whom they belong,” Markins said. “It influences how they use their freedom and who they ultimately become—especially between the ages of four and fourteen, when they are most open to the gospel.”

Markins cautions against what he calls a “Bible Lite” approach—teaching virtues without anchoring them in the full story of the Bible.

“When we fail to teach Scripture as a unified, historical gospel story—from Genesis to Revelation—we don’t just miss something academically,” he said. “The spiritual consequences for children can be significant.”

As a leading researcher, speaker, and thought leader in next-generation faith formation, Markins brings more than 25 years of experience equipping church leaders and parents to navigate cultural shifts while remaining deeply rooted in biblical truth.

Under his leadership, Awana has undergone a significant organizational transformation—revitalizing its mission through research-backed innovation, restoring growth in the U.S., doubling its global footprint, and equipping churches worldwide to form resilient faith in the next generation.

“As good as Disney is at telling a story,” Markins said, “Jesus Christ does it better than any figure in human history. If we want children to have lasting faith, we must place them within the full story arc of the gospel—because nothing shapes the human heart like that story does.”

***“The story children believe will shape the Savior to whom they belong,” said Matt Markins, Awana CEO who has written eight books, including "The Story We Tell Our Children" and "Forming Faith."***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Matt Markins serves as the President and CEO of Awana, a global leader in child discipleship. He’s the co-founder of the Child Discipleship Forum and D6 Conference. As a leading researcher in child discipleship and children’s ministry, Matt has commissioned 14 research projects since 2013, including a study conducted by Barna Group called, Children’s Ministry in a New Reality. He’s a board member at large for the National Association of Evangelicals and is the author or co-author of eight books.

Matt is an artist who builds and renovates through carpentry, enjoys travel and slow breakfasts with his wife, Katie. They have been involved in children’s ministry for more than 25 years and spend their time in Nashville with their two sons. For more information go to www.ChildDiscipleship.com and www.Awana.org .