the power of grandparents in faith formation

I became a grandparent for the second time two months ago. When I hold that little baby girl in my arms, or hear my 3 year old grandson yell “go-ma” in the house, seeking my attention - my heart just melts. Our friends told us how special it was to become a grandparent, but nothing prepared us for the love we would feel.  Not only that, we feel a profound responsibility to these kids. Grandparents often underestimate the power they hold in shaping the faith lives of their grandchildren. Yet research from both faith-focused and academic institutions shows grandparents are more than sentimental story-tellers: they are important transmitters of spiritual values, practices, and identity across generations. This influence can be particularly decisive when parents are unsure, busy, or ambivalent about faith formation.  

Far before any research was available, we see it in scripture.  In 2 Timothy 1:5, Paul says, “I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.”  Paul reminds Timothy that his “sincere faith” was passed down through a mother and grandmother!  That’s very cool.  It also highlights what we read in Deuteronomy 5:10, that God desires to express love to a “thousand generations.”  We also understand Deuteronomy 6:5-7 as the call for faith to be multi-generational, enduring.

Large-scale studies from Barna find that while parents remain the single biggest influence on a child’s faith, many adults point to grandparents as the next-most-important family influence in their spiritual journey. For example, Barna’s research on faith heritage notes that 37% of practicing Christians trace part of their faith formation back to a grandparent—often a grandmother—who made faith visible in their childhood.[i]  I have found this to be true in my own experience. I have studied the bible with hundreds of young campus and single women and many have shared that while their own parents weren’t religious, they got interested in learning about God through the encouragement of their Grandmas.

Oxford University research complements that picture from a social-policy perspective: studies there have documented how grandparents play a vital role in children’s wellbeing, emotional stability, and behavioral development—conditions that make faith formation possible and durable. In short, grandparents often create the relational soil in which faith can take root.[ii]

Longitudinal and generational transmission studies (sociological research going back decades) also find measurable religious continuity that flows across three generations, showing that grandparents’ beliefs and practices aren’t simply sentimental background; they can contribute directly to grandchildren’s religious attitudes and norms.[iii]

If your children (the parents of your grandchildren) haven’t settled on a faith or are ambivalent, don’t assume the window of influence has closed. Grandparents occupy a unique relational niche: they can offer a steady presence across years, model faith in everyday life, and share stories and rituals without carrying the full parenting burden. Barna’s broader research on household and generational faith transmission shows that meaningful faith relationships can be formed at many ages and through multiple family members—not just during childhood.[iv]  That means a grandparent’s patient, loving witness can still shape a young person’s spiritual trajectory.  

Some simple tips

You don’t need to be a theologian or a perfect parent to influence the faith of your grandchildren. Here are evidence-informed, relationally wise practices that research and ministry leaders recommend:

1. Be present and consistent. Regular time together—meals, walks, predictable rituals—builds trust. If you happen to live far away from your grandchildren, use technology to interact with them often.  Influence grows out of ongoing relationship more than single events. (This aligns with the social-policy findings that grandparents’ steady support improves well-being.)  

2. Model habits rather than preach. Shared practices—praying before a meal, reading a good story with moral depth, showing gratitude and forgiveness—teach by example more than arguments. Household practices and faith visibility are strong predictors of whether faith is taken seriously later.  

3. Tell your story. Personal testimony—how faith shaped you in hard seasons, why certain practices matter—lands differently coming from a grandparent. Stories create meaning and memory, and studies on intergenerational transmission indicate narratives help pass beliefs across generations.  Again, if your grandchildren don’t live close to you, provide these stories by way of cards, letters, journals, videos. 

4. Respect parents, but ask for permission to engage. Many grandparents hesitate because they don’t want to overstep. A gentle conversation with your adult child about your hopes—paired with sensitivity to boundaries—opens doors for spiritual sharing without causing family friction.

5. Invest in moments, not scripts. Grandparenting opportunities are often in the ordinary: a hospital visit, a school performance, a text or phone call, a holiday. Use those moments to offer blessing, prayer, or a reflective question—small actions that stack up into influence.  

The data is clear: grandparents matter. They are not second-class supporters of faith formation, but active partners in the long game of spiritual development. Whether through consistent presence, modeled practices, or the power of story, grandparents can help young people discover and shape their spiritual lives—even if parents haven’t made firm choices about faith.

If you’re a grandparent wondering whether you still have something to offer, the research says you do—often more than you think. Start small, stay relational, and let your life be the invitation.  

Karla Overstreet

Karla Overstreet is a Women's Ministry Leader in the Anchor Point Church in Tampa, Florida. Along with her husband Daren, she has served in full time ministry for nearly 30 years. She has three wonderful children and two grandchildren. If you would like to contact her, you can reach her at karladoverstreet@gmail.com.

[i] Barna Group. (2019, July 9). How faith heritage relates to faith practice. Barna.com. Retrieved from https://www.barna.com/research/faith-heritage-faith-practice/

[ii] Buchanan, A. (University of Oxford). Grandparents contribute to children’s well-being [PDF]. University of Oxford. Retrieved from https://www.ox.ac.uk/sites/files/oxford/field/field_document/Grandparents_Contribute_to_Children%E2%80%99s_Well-being.pdf

[iii] Bengtson, V. L. (2009). A longitudinal study of the intergenerational transmission of religion. Journal of Contemporary Religion, 24(3), 393–410.

[iv] Barna Group, survey data summarized in Leah MarieAnn Klett, “Mothers Contribute More to Kids’ Spiritual Growth Than Fathers, Study Finds,” Christian Post, September 18, 2018, https://www.christianpost.com/news/mothers-contribute-more-kids-spiritual-growth-than-fathers-barna-study.html