I finished another (temporary) Kindle freebie Dreaming of More for the Next Generation: Lifetime Faith Ignited by Family Ministry by Michelle Anthony. This book is written by a children's pastor who felt the Lord convicting her to change the focus of her ministry from children to the parents...to equip the parents to disciple their own children. My copy is well-highlighted - this book is applicable not only to those who lead children's ministries, but also to parents.
Some quotes:
"God's intent for the family is for each generation to pass on faith to the next. So not only did He say that faith was the primary thing that He would expect from us someday, but He also set up an infrastructure that He envisioned would be best for this type of replication: the family." (Page 22)
This is the basis for her change in ministry. I kept thinking how I would love to visit her church and be mentored!
"Even today, we can create environments where we put God on display in all things." (Page 23)
Her vision is to equip the family, but the family is not her idol. I love the idea of putting God on display!
"We will equip and disciple parents with the same intentionality that we have equipped and trained our volunteers in the past." (Page 38)
Quite a bit of the book is devoted to the idea that God can speak to children.
"...when do the children get to be with Jesus?" (page 65)
So much of Sunday school can be a distraction to actually knowing Him. I love her ideas - very applicable to the home setting as well.
"We need to make Him central, the focus of all we do. We need to resist getting distracted by doing things about Him and instead create an environment where children encounter Him." (Page 68)
"So if God's Spirit is teacher, what is our role? We can think of our role as creating environments that allow the Holy Spirit to do what He does best: transform lives." (Page 90)
"One such assessment led us to remove our Bible Buck Store and place a prayer wall, cross, and giving box as worship centers for parents and kids to visit before and after the service." (Page 95)
"One church I know has a "storytelling wall" where kids, after checking in, can simply write how God has been writing their story over the past week or weeks." (Page 134)
Other ideas that I want to remember to try in some form with my children:
Asking questions: "I wonder...(how did God put the stars in the sky, etc.)" Page 165
Writing His praises in stones in a jar (Page 167)
Prayer walls (page 167)
Words to describe God on the refrigerator (Page 168)
She also discusses how to go about change in a church ministry, being sensitive that with any change, some people will be grieving the loss of what the ministry used to be. She encourages us with the example of the early church: "They were concerned with being of one mind, with making sure that each other's needs were met, and with ensuring they were operating as a "whole" rather than as individuals." (Page 182)
I have to confess this particular section of the book was very convicting. I don't "do change" well myself, especially when I think I know better...*eep!* I want to be gracious and supportive of the leaders at my church when they make changes, and not be a discouragement to them. If I don't agree, I can pray for them and pray for a change of heart for me if they are indeed doing what God's will is for our church. But I must not gossip or be difficult.
After I finished this book, I wanted to create the space for my children to worship...truly worship and listen to God, of course judging everything according to His Word.
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