Doug Baert’s journey in children’s ministry began in the most ordinary of places: Sunday school. What started as volunteering at his local church with a big heart to see kids walking with Jesus, has since grown into a global program reaching families around the world.
Baert never imagined he’d lead a children’s media ministry. When Faithville’s founder first encouraged him to take the helm of the long-running program where he volunteered, Baert resisted for years. Eventually, he felt God’s unmistakable call. In 2019, he stepped into the role as CEO and executive producer with the vision to meet children where they spend the most time today—online.
“I wanted to see the ministry shift from an exclusively broadcast-oriented focus to more engagement with the digital landscape at large,” Baert said. “For us, it was being present in the digital playground.”
Faithville Productions, based on a converted farm studio in Maidstone, Ontario, partners with 21 television networks across North America to air their content. Under Baert’s leadership, the ministry has also expanded its reach to YouTube and other streaming platforms. He sees Faithville’s mission as being “a redeeming influence in a space that can oftentimes feel quite dark.”
At the center of the show is Baert himself, alongside Dusty the dog—a playful, puppy-like character who often voices the very questions kids are wrestling with. Their back-and-forth makes space for biblical lessons to come alive in ways that children can both laugh at and learn from.
Baert likes to describe it as “a show for kids with kids.” Volunteers include teenagers and children, who help as actors, camera operators, and crew members. While the youthful team means constant training, turnover, and a never-ending appetite for new ideas, it also turns production into a discipleship opportunity, giving young people the chance to grow their skills while serving in ministry.
A hallmark of Faithville’s programming is its energy and interactivity. Kids are encouraged to dance, laugh, and even run to grab their Bibles during certain segments.
“A big passion of mine is including fun in ministry,” Baert said. “Sometimes the biggest life lessons we get as kids happened when we weren’t trying or chasing a lesson. We were just having fun, but we learned something in that process. I think there’s a spiritual truth there, that God wants us to have fun with each other, especially as families.”
Faithville Productions crew on set.
Even with a global digital reach, Baert insists Faithville should never be seen as a substitute for church. He remembers the pandemic season when many parents treated online content as their children’s only spiritual diet. Baert pushes back on that idea. Faithville intentionally references church attendance in their script and encourages children to be connected with a local body of believers.
“I don’t see us as a replacement for church,” Baert said. “Whatever God uses us to be, we accept that. But I believe and hope that these people have a spiritual mentor physically present to them and that we’re more coming alongside them.”
Stories from viewers are what keep the Faithville team motivated. Families write in from Japan, Portugal, Nigeria, and beyond, sharing how the show helps them teach their kids about Jesus. One young adult preparing to become a missionary traced her love for Christ back to watching Faithville’s early programs. Another family, struggling with homelessness and food scarcity, found comfort when the ministry created an episode on unanswered prayer and hardship.
“Every week we hear from dozens of kids who write in, and I make sure that I email back each and every one,” Baert said. That personal touch is possible precisely because Faithville remains a small, family-driven ministry.
Baert’s wife, Karli, serves as a content creator and editor, often handling animation and music. Their four children pitch in too, sometimes catching continuity issues in scripts before an episode goes to air.
“Often our first reaction is like, ‘Did our kids get the main takeaway? Were they laughing at the appropriate spots?’” Baert shared.
As Faithville moves forward, Baert sees opportunity and responsibility in navigating the role of technology in kids’ lives. Parents often ask how to raise children well in the “age of screens.” For Baert, the solution isn’t to reject technology but instead to teach wise, biblical engagement. He compares it to allowing a child to handle a kitchen knife—dangerous if misused, but invaluable once properly taught.
“The reality is that our kids exist in a digital world,” Baert pointed out, “so let’s think ethically and biblically about how we engage with this kind of technology.”
Baert also has words of encouragement for other Christian media producers. In a crowded digital marketplace, he believes it’s better to narrow the focus than chase massive numbers.
“Sometimes it’s more helpful to think, ‘What’s my niche? How has God uniquely equipped and called me?’” he said. “Thinking small is not wrong. I would rather have an actual relationship with one child…than reach ten kids but not have any real discipleship going on.”
For Baert and Faithville, the mission remains clear: teach the Bible, spark joy, and walk alongside families in pointing kids to Christ.
“I don’t even know how this happens except by God’s grace,” Baert said, reflecting on the fruit he’s seen through Faithville. “He takes what we often consider our best efforts—but still kind of a meager effort—and does amazing things with it.”
Faithville Productions has been an NRB member since 2025. Learn more at www.faithville.com.