CHRISTIAN DISCIPLESHIP SIGNATURE INITIATIVE

CHRISTIAN DISCIPLESHIP SIGNATURE INITIATIVE

Every child was created by God to experience His love.

Together, we will equip 8 million pastors, Christian leaders, teachers, parents, children, and youth with the training and resources they need for young people to learn Bible-based life skills and to explore or deepen their faith in Jesus Christ.

People reached so far:
2016
March 2022
2023
7.5 million
Give to the Christian Discipleship Fund
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The need

In many poor communities, parenting culture isn’t built around Jesus’ love. And churches often don’t focus on children — or aren’t equipped to teach in ways they can understand

A child’s Christian faith is supported by parents, encouraged by pastors and teachers, and activated through youth programs.

Yet in many parts of the world, that support network is broken or simply doesn’t exist, and parents follow destructive cultural norms, pastors have little or no theological training for how to minister to children, or there’s no youth ministry of any kind.

It's estimated that 41.7% of the world's population who have not heard the good news of Jesus.

Christian Discipleship need
Christian Discipleship response

Our response

We’ve been working with parents and churches for decades, providing training, resources, and support that help children learn and grow in their relationship with Jesus.

EQUIPPING: We equip parents through our Celebrating Families program to be loving contributors to their children’s faith, using biblical principles around raising children, forgiveness, and healthy relationships

TRAINING: We train Christian leaders to nurture the spiritual growth of parents and children. Our Channels of Hope for Child Protection program equips faith leaders to lead a Christian response in addressing vital community issues that affect children.

STRENGTHENING: We strengthen children’s and youth ministries, working with churches and schools on effective, age-appropriate programs — including materials for Sunday school, Bible clubs, Vacation Bible Schools, church camps, leadership growth, and mentoring.

Our impact

For families living in poverty — and even for some church teachers — a Bible is hard to afford. Without one, it’s difficult to grow in relationship with God. We provide Bibles through partnerships with local churches so people can read God’s Word for themselves. Every year, thousands of children and youth come to know Jesus through churches and Christian partners in program areas whose capacity has been developed by us.

32,370

32,370 Bibles were made available and benefited 161,850 in 2021.

899,871

899,871 people benefited from ministry activities in 2021.

104,660

104,600 children and youth participated in discipleship activities in 2021.

3,729

3,729 pastors and church leaders were trained in theology and children's ministry in 2021.

1,297

1,297 churches engaged in Christian discipleship of children and youth in 2021.

Read our most recent progress report.

Our partners

We are blessed to partner with hundreds of Christian philanthropists and couldn’t do this work without them. And we’re able to reach more people because of our highly collaborative local and global partnerships within private and public sectors.

US AID
Max Lucado

“World Vision completely changes the trajectory of people's lives.
... The good deeds lead to good will, which then leads to opportunities to share the good news.”

Andy Robblee

“World Vision demonstrates God's love and empowers the Church to reveal Christ in every corner of the world. Serving Christ isn't part of their model. It is the model.”

Resources

Our team of experts

Torrey Olsen Torrey Olsen
Senior Director for Christian Witness
Cherry S. Marcelo Cherry S. Marcelo
Program Management Officer, Christian Witness
Sunita Groth Sunita Groth
Senior Program Manager, Christian Witness

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World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender.
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World Vision, Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All donations are tax-deductible in full or in part.
© 2022 World Vision, Inc. | World Vision, Inc. P.O. Box 9716 Federal Way, WA 98063-9716
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