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2026/27

Various evenings, 7.45–9.15pm

On Zoom

Fortify courses are especially intended to encourage and equip the wonderful folks serving as volunteer leaders in the local church. They are designed to be short courses, highly interactive and rich with practical ideas and helpful ministry suggestions each week. The courses are open to everyone; come individually or with a group from church.

If you’re signing up as a group from the same church, why not plan to watch the sessions together and use the discussion times to practically apply the course content to your area of ministry. If you come as part of a group and watch on individual screens, we’ll make sure you’re in an exclusive breakout room for discussion.

As teams you can meet together to watch the zoom and discuss in person or you can join to zoom individually from the comfort of your own home and then discuss as a church group in your own zoom room.

Prices

Individual

£50

Team
(4–10 ppl)

£200

Team
(10+ ppl)

£300

Belonging Together

Caring for Children and Young People with Additional Needs

Wednesdays
Book here

4 November 2026

Disability and the Heart of God – creating a culture of welcome

11 November 2026

Behaviour as Communication – adapting groups to meet needs

18 November 2026

Planning a teaching session that engages the senses

25 November 2026

Carrying out an ‘Accessibility Audit’ for your church/group

Children’s Ministry

Foundations

Tuesdays
Book here

19 January 2027

What is Bible-centred Children’s Ministry?

26 January 2027

Different Roles in Discipling Children

2 February 2027

Teaching the Bible to Children

9 February 2027

Caring for Children Well

Children’s Ministry

Next Steps

Thursdays
Book here

25 February 2027

The significance of our role as volunteers in the discipleship of children

4 March 2027

Teaching the wonder and riches of Jesus to children

11 March 2027

Communicating the truths of Scripture clearly and age appropriately

18 March 2027

Creatively shaping a teaching session that’s formative and fun

Youth Ministry

Foundations

Wednesdays
Book here

14 April 2027

Foundation: What is Bible-centred Youth Ministry?

21 April 2027

Family: How does Youth Ministry Relate to the Church Family and the Nuclear Family?

28 April 2027

Teaching: Preparing to Teach, Illustrate and Apply the Bible to Young People.

5 May 2027

Leading: Successfully Running a Youth Group Session

Next Gen

Word Ministry

Wednesdays
Book here

9 June 2027

TBC

16 June 2027

TBC

23 June 2027

TBC

30 June 2027

TBC

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Strengthening Gospel-Centred Leaders for Lasting Ministry
The GYD Forge exists for people like you: those leading from the front, building behind the scenes, and pouring themselves out for the discipleship of children, young people, and families.

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Conference 2027

4–7 January 2027.

Yarnfield Park.

Join us for a dynamic conference experience packed with inspiring speakers, practical workshops, networking opportunities and rich ministry support.

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Fortify

Encouraging, training and equipping volunteers.

Local Church Training Courses​

In-person or online training for your church.

Mentoring

A bespoke one-to-one programme to nurture and develop children’s, youth and families workers at any stage in their ministry.

Groups

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Seminary level training in children’s, youth and family ministry.

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Consultancy Services for Children's, Youth, and Family Ministry

Empowering Churches to Nurture Future Generations

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Blog

Explore our blog for articles to encourage, excite and equip you in nurturing the rising generations for Jesus.

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Our Articles section offers in-depth explorations of key topics in ministry, blending theological insight with practical application. These longer-form pieces are designed to provoke thought, inspire faithfulness, and provide actionable wisdom for those seeking to disciple children and young people in an ever-changing world.

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FAQs

The Forge is an online training and resource platform from Growing Young Disciples. It exists to strengthen and support children’s, youth, and family ministry leaders. It is more than a content library. It is a place of sharpening and growth, where gospel depth meets practical wisdom for real-life ministry.

It is for anyone involved in discipling the next generation. Whether you are a full-time youth pastor, a Sunday school volunteer, a church leader, or a parent who wants to think more deeply about gospel-shaped ministry with young people, The Forge has been built with you in mind.

You will find biblically rich training videos, downloadable resources, safeguarding templates, risk assessments, leadership tools, and teaching materials. There is also an online community space where you can connect with others, ask questions, and find encouragement.

The subscription is yearly. You can pay £200 up front, or spread the cost with monthly payments of £20. Either way, you are signing up for a one-year commitment. After that, you are free to cancel at any time.

The subscription covers your whole church team, so anyone involved in children’s, youth, or family ministry can access the training resources and downloads.

Each subscription comes with one named community member. But we know that some churches have more than one key leader involved in children’s, youth, or family ministry. That is why we offer up to three named users per church to access the Forge community area.

This allows your team to grow together without turning the space into a free-for-all. If you need more individual sign-in permissions because of a larger team or unique circumstances, just get in touch and we will sort it out for you.

No. A subscription gives access to your local church team only. Resources must not be shared, copied, or distributed to anyone outside your church. If content is shared beyond these terms, access to The Forge will be withdrawn. We take this seriously in order to protect the integrity of the platform and ensure fairness for all.

Yes. The Forge is a living platform, not a static archive. New resources are added throughout the year, including training videos, downloadable tools, and leadership materials. We are always listening to what churches need and developing fresh content in response.

Yes. This is one of the most common requests we receive. The Forge includes a growing set of short, practical training videos with built-in discussion questions and leader notes. They are ideal for use in monthly or termly team meetings.

Yes. If your church is facing a particular challenge or needs support in a specific area of ministry, we would love to hear from you. The Forge exists to serve the local church, not to replace it. We are here to help.

Yes. While the platform is built on a conservative evangelical and reformed theological foundation, it is designed to serve churches across a wide range of denominations. The resources are biblically faithful, pastorally wise, and practically adaptable.

We would be happy to show you around. Send us a message and we can arrange a preview or talk through how The Forge could serve your team.