On D.V. 10 October 2025, a training day will take place in Gouda on the theme of At home in the church. The day is intended for ministers, youth work leaders, catechists and evangelisation workers. The meeting is organised by the interdenominational platform Goed in Vorm, in cooperation with Driestar University of Applied Sciences.
At home in the church
"Young people struggle to take root in their own congregation. They feel there are plenty of options, also thanks to social media, to shape their faith. That young people feel at home in the church is essential for their commitment to the church of Christ," observes Henriëtte van Eekelen, project leader of Goed in vorm. "From our training platform, we want to help ministers, catechists, leaders in children's and youth work and missionary workers to give children and young people a place in their own congregations."
Carrots
The training day will focus on questions such as: How do you help young people and children take root in their own congregation? How do you stimulate active participation in church life? And: How do you contribute to children and young people feeling at home in the congregation? Yet the church is not your home until you feel that way: it is the spiritual family that God gives you. Church members are your spiritual brothers and sisters if you share a spiritual blood bond. The Lord Jesus, as the Head of the church, binds church members into a spiritual family.
Wrestling
Many leaders struggle with the question of how the church can be a spiritual home for children and young people, especially in their digital world. Rev Marten Visser talks about this from his experience with internet missions (GlobalRize) in the lecture At home in the church and at home in the world?
Dr P.C. Hoek provides the second lecture: Home is where your heart is...?! As a pastor and university lecturer in practical theology, he talks about the church as a spiritual home, where children and young people can express their questions and concerns, but also where the Word is brought close to their hearts. For only when the Lord has their hearts will His house be a home for them.
The main speakers will give a Q&A workshop alongside their lecture. There is also a choice of ten workshops that equip on a variety of topics that touch on the theme.
Well in shape is part of the Interdenominational Knowledge Centre (IKC).
