Tuesday, October 31, 2006
And don't forget the ECC
And of course you can check out the ECC and the Resources for Children and Family Ministy on their website, too. If I remember correctly they have resources specifically for small churches and rural churches but I'm not sure, you'll have to check it out.
Children's Ministry in Small Churches
Someone was looking for Children's Ministry resources specific to a small church. I haven't read the books and I've not read each of these articles word for word but hopefully something in this list will inspire you! If you don't mind inspiration from this side of the ocean. :)
And ok, the links worked when I tried them. If they don't work tell me.
Help I'm a Small Church Youth Worker
Shepherding the Small Church
Scroll all the way down to the article on the bottom. “How
Smaller Churches Can Reach Children”
Article: “The Time Has Come”
Article: "Ideas for how to cope if your church is small"
(this one's from the UK)
Article: “Let the Children Come”
Article: “Small Churches Up to Big Things”
Article: “Life on the edge: a small church redefines its mission”
from (Christian Century, July 12, 2003 by Richard H. Bliese)
And ok, the links worked when I tried them. If they don't work tell me.
Help I'm a Small Church Youth Worker
Shepherding the Small Church
Scroll all the way down to the article on the bottom. “How
Smaller Churches Can Reach Children”
Article: “The Time Has Come”
Article: "Ideas for how to cope if your church is small"
(this one's from the UK)
Article: “Let the Children Come”
Article: “Small Churches Up to Big Things”
Article: “Life on the edge: a small church redefines its mission”
from (Christian Century, July 12, 2003 by Richard H. Bliese)
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Dipping into newer material
I was browsing through information from the most recent children's spirituality conference. I found a couple of interesting articles the other day when I didn't have time to read them.
If you're exploring Jewish Holidays, this also looks interesting.
If you scroll down past the homeschooling stuff. Don Ratcliff has some other interesting material including Experiencing God and Spiritual Growth With Your Child. Apparently it's a free download.
If you're exploring Jewish Holidays, this also looks interesting.
If you scroll down past the homeschooling stuff. Don Ratcliff has some other interesting material including Experiencing God and Spiritual Growth With Your Child. Apparently it's a free download.
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Follow up Book
That's it, folks. There are some rich appendixes and a wrap-up chapter "Looking Back, Looking Ahead," but there's already been another conference and a whole new book's worth of reading material at their website on line.
From what I hear, Children Matter, is a good follow-up book for Children's Spirituality. It's written by some of the speakers from the first conference exploring ways to apply all of this to children's ministry. It will be interesting to see how this affects our implementation.
From what I hear, Children Matter, is a good follow-up book for Children's Spirituality. It's written by some of the speakers from the first conference exploring ways to apply all of this to children's ministry. It will be interesting to see how this affects our implementation.
CS Chapter 23
Sorry, this went out the first time before I finished it.
Chapter 23 "Ministering to Unchurched,Urban, At-Risk Children by Gary C. Newton author of Growing Towards Spiritual Maturity. This is a chapter written by someone who's first-hand experience with these kids surely guided his research. Here are some of his thoughts:
The thinking that ". . . one of the best ways to begin an outreach ministry to a people group of another culture is through its children..." often drives ministry. It's interesting that the successful organizations that he surveyed didn't consider working with parents and families a primary goal. Although they looked for opportunities to interact with and build relationships with families they focused more on leader/child relationships.
For this project he asked, "What are the components of an effective ministry to such children that eventually results in their long-term spiritual growth and development and the establishment of stable families, churches, and communities?" He describes himself as "ministering to the needs of unchurched children and their families living in my neighborhood." (CS p. 383) It would be interesting to track these kids from the organizations he surveyed into adulthood.
To me, his concern with "long-term" and his experience reaching out "in my neighborhood" are significant. He's also been doing this for 34 years. (CS p. 383)
He looked at 15 programs that focus on unchurched, urban, at-risk children across the US and Canada (kids 8-12). He asked pastors and leaders what they considered to be "the most effective children's outreach ministries in each city that seem to have produced the most fruit in terms of changed lives, families, and communities." His students at Huntington College interviewed the leaders of these organizations by phone or questionaire. (CS p. 384)
When you're talking about Christian formation you can look inward or at individuals but when you're talking about long-term change in children that ultimately affects and effects a whole community of people, the way the work of the first apostles did, numbers become significant. Long-term changes in hundreds of people (hundreds of children) and the generations that follow - that's significant. (CS p. 385-388) But I guess that's the goal, isn't it. Or maybe not, but Jesus does that, doesn't he?
The details in this chapter make this is a valuable read for anyone serving or thinking about serving unchurched, urban, at-risk kids. Too many details to blog about, so I won't bore you, but definately worth reading.
Chapter 23 "Ministering to Unchurched,Urban, At-Risk Children by Gary C. Newton author of Growing Towards Spiritual Maturity. This is a chapter written by someone who's first-hand experience with these kids surely guided his research. Here are some of his thoughts:
The thinking that ". . . one of the best ways to begin an outreach ministry to a people group of another culture is through its children..." often drives ministry. It's interesting that the successful organizations that he surveyed didn't consider working with parents and families a primary goal. Although they looked for opportunities to interact with and build relationships with families they focused more on leader/child relationships.
For this project he asked, "What are the components of an effective ministry to such children that eventually results in their long-term spiritual growth and development and the establishment of stable families, churches, and communities?" He describes himself as "ministering to the needs of unchurched children and their families living in my neighborhood." (CS p. 383) It would be interesting to track these kids from the organizations he surveyed into adulthood.
To me, his concern with "long-term" and his experience reaching out "in my neighborhood" are significant. He's also been doing this for 34 years. (CS p. 383)
He looked at 15 programs that focus on unchurched, urban, at-risk children across the US and Canada (kids 8-12). He asked pastors and leaders what they considered to be "the most effective children's outreach ministries in each city that seem to have produced the most fruit in terms of changed lives, families, and communities." His students at Huntington College interviewed the leaders of these organizations by phone or questionaire. (CS p. 384)
When you're talking about Christian formation you can look inward or at individuals but when you're talking about long-term change in children that ultimately affects and effects a whole community of people, the way the work of the first apostles did, numbers become significant. Long-term changes in hundreds of people (hundreds of children) and the generations that follow - that's significant. (CS p. 385-388) But I guess that's the goal, isn't it. Or maybe not, but Jesus does that, doesn't he?
The details in this chapter make this is a valuable read for anyone serving or thinking about serving unchurched, urban, at-risk kids. Too many details to blog about, so I won't bore you, but definately worth reading.
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