Richard Griffith

Dr. Rich Griffith is Associate Professor of Youth Ministry and Ministry Leadership at Toccoa Falls College in Northeast, Georgia. He has two master’s degrees (MA Th., and Organizational Leadership) and a Doctorate in “Youth, Family and Culture” from Fuller Theological Seminary. He is an Author, Speaker, Podcaster, Coach, Pastor and has been featured on numerous radio broadcasts and podcasts. He serves on the Board of the Association of Youth Ministry Educators and ReFocus Ministries. His has written, “Voices: Helping Our Children and Youth Listen to Wise Counsel” (2023), “Discipleship Is Leadership” (2024) and Co-Editor and Contributor to “Reimagining Church As Family” (2026). He has numerous academic and practitioner articles published. He is also studying trauma, adolescents and spiritual formation practices and is a certified TBRI Practitioner. He is dad of three adopted sons.

YOUR FAVORITE INTERGENERATIONAL MEMORY/EXPERIENCE: Personally, I planned, coordinated and created an intergenerational confirmation experience that went over several weeks. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed it. Even better than this, I LOVE participating in Family Camps.

WHY DO YOU BELIEVE INTERGENERATIONAL MINISTRY IS VITAL TO THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH? From my experience as a Practitioner and Academician, I have seen the results of siloed and age-segregated ministries where our faith is not being passed on. Further, with specific relationships to youth, our youth have been both systemically and, in some cases, systematically abandoned. They have lacked social capitol and still remain in a Country (the US) that has the highest rate of incarcerated juveniles than any other industrialized nation in the world - to include Russia and China. We, as The Church, have the ability to end this by becoming "Church As Family" defined theologically rather than age/stage alone.I have been teaching about this for years.