Formational Children's Ministry: Shaping Children Using Story, Ritual, and Relationship (emersion: Emergent Village resources for communities of faith)
"This is a genius book, written by an enormously gifted child educator who will help you reconceptualize your ministry to children. Both the child and the adult will be transformed by this book."--Dan B. Allender, PhD, professor of counseling psychology, founding president, Mars Hill Graduate School; author ofTo Be ToldandLeading with a Limp"Formational Children's Ministryreaches beyond guided conversation, creative storytelling, and the mere calls to build relationships to challenge us to engage in story-based, meaningfully-patterned, real-life interactions to find fresh faith in children's ministry."--Gregory C. Carlson, PhD, chair and professor of Christian ministries, Trinity International University__________________________________We want to raise faithful children.But are churches today helping to fulfill that mission? Or do our children's ministries look more like entertaining babysitting services than places where true spiritual formation happens?InFormational Children's Ministry, Ivy Beckwith helps ministers and parents create ministries that capture children's imaginations, not just to keep them occupied, but to live as citizens of the kingdom of God. She asks big questions, such asWhat if we taught children how the stories of God, church history, the local community, and the child intersect and speak to one another?What if children's ministry was less about downloading information into kids' heads and more about leading them into these powerful, compelling stories?In addition to providing theological reasons for formational children's ministry, the book offers practical examples of how Beckwith and other practitioners are implementing a formational model.If you're ready to create a place where children truly feel a part of God's story, where they don't just learn information but live it, this book is your first step.Ivy Beckwith is the author ofPostmodern Children's Ministryand has served churches of all sizes. She has worked as an editor and education consultant for Group Publishing and Gospel Light Publications. She currently serves the Congregational Church of New Canaan, Connecticut, as the Minister for Children and Families.