Raising a Child of Faith with Joy Gordy-Stith
Back to school season is a natural time to talk about the spiritual side of a child’s formation, and this conversation focuses on what it really takes to raise a child of faith. Lee Ann Walling talks with Joy Gordy-Stith, youth minister at Epworth, about helping teens navigate social media, anxiety, and real-life pressures while giving them a safe place to ask questions and grow.Joy also shares what has shaped her own faith, what church community can do for young people, and how Epworth tries to make youth and children’s ministry relational, not performative.
What works with young people
- Joy says the simplest approach is often the best: ask them about what they care about
- Her youth group talks about goats, cars, school plays, and real life issues
- She is often surprised by the insight teenagers bring to faith conversations
What parents should aim for
- Joy says the goal is not control, but foundation
- Kids learn by watching, not just by being told what faith is
- Church should become a habit and a natural part of life, not a source of resentment
- She encourages parents to think about what priorities their family is modeling
How the broader church can support youth
- Get to know the kids by name
- Build community beyond the youth room
- Show up in ways that extend beyond Sundays
- Joy remembers encouragement notes from church during a hard first year of college as a powerful example of support
Why church should feel like a breath of fresh air
- Joy wants youth to feel safe, loved, and free to ask questions
- She wants church to be life-giving, not a burden or chore
- Her deepest hope is that every young person knows there is nothing they could do that would make her stop caring about them
Timestamps
00:00 - Introducing Joy Gordy-Stith and the question of raising a child of faith
01:08 - Why teens need a safe place in a noisy, online world
02:57 - Social media pressure, bullying, and being affected even off-platform
03:54 - Why asking kids about their interests opens real conversation04:59 - What youth are actually carrying: family stress, conflict, and hard realities06:26 - Older students helping younger students find confidence07:15 - Youth group ground rules: respect, no phones, no recording, confidentiality09:28 - The story of Benny, the church dog who became part of the ministry11:21 - What growing up as a pastor’s kid taught Joy about faith12:42 - The downside of being a clergy child in public14:49 - Parenting faith through questions, habits, and example17:12 - Why families prioritize what they value, including sports and church19:19 - What parents can hope for when kids leave home21:18 - Building support by knowing kids personally22:58 - Progressive dinners, lock-ins, and other youth activities25:56 - Children’s time and why getting kids comfortable in worship matters27:40 - How Sunday school builds relationships and uses hands-on learning29:38 - Helping kids explore their own relationship with God31:02 - Joy’s faith spectrum and making room for honest wrestling32:00 - Showing kids love, grace, and steady presence33:32 - Youth service projects and the importance of not using kids as free labor36:04 - Youth helping with a Christmas carol fundraiser for Miriam’s Table36:35 - The ministry of simply knowing kids, remembering names, and showing up
