Mimi L. Larson

Dr. Mimi L. Larson serves as Executive Director of the Center for Faith and Children and Assistant Professor of Educational Studies at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (TEDS), part of Trinity International University. With over 25 years of practical church ministry experience and prior service as Visiting Assistant Professor at Wheaton College, she bridges academic rigor with real-world ministry application.

Education:

• BA, Wheaton College
• MA, Wheaton College
• MTS, Covenant Theological Seminary
• PhD, Concordia University-Chicago

Her research centers on children's spiritual formation, particularly examining how faith develops in early childhood and how worship environments can intentionally include children. She investigates the critical role of community, family practices, and memory in shaping young children's theological understanding, as demonstrated in her edited volume Bridging Theory and Practice in Children’s Spirituality (2020).

Analysis of her publications reveals consistent focus on evolving ministry paradigms, children's cognitive engagement with faith concepts, and practical implementation strategies. Key trends include the shift toward intergenerational worship models and evidence-based approaches to spiritual nurture from infancy through early childhood.

Scientific Awards:

• Calvin’s Institute of Christian Worship’s teacher-scholar grant
• Calvin’s Institute of Christian Worship’s worshipping communities grant

Dr. Larson actively advises students in TEDS' Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Studies (50-credit program) and Master of Theology programs, supervising research on curriculum development and spiritual formation. She consults extensively with churches on ministry structures, having developed children's curricula for local congregations, and serves on the Society of Children’s Spirituality board.

The Center for Faith and Children, under her leadership, functions as a research-practice nexus connecting academic scholarship with church ministry needs through resource development, consultation services, and collaborative projects focused on children's spiritual development.