Children's Ministry in the Way of Jesus

by David M. Csinos, Ivy Beckwith, John H. Westerhoff III (Foreword)

Attract kids to church, the logic often goes, and you get parents in the pews. All that's left, then, is to get the kids out of the way. Here children's ministers David Csinos and Ivy Beckwith draw on research in human development and spiritual formation to show how children become disciples and churches become centers of lifelong discipleship. For too long, the local church has focused primarily on programs for children rather than ways of doing ministry with children. But in light of emerging missional movements, the church is changing and forming a new kind of ecclesial culture. And children's ministry must follow suit. Csinos and Beckwith propose a new way of thinking for these modern churches―they suggest that children can contribute to our theological understandings, as well as invest in and practice Biblical justice just like adult church members. Here is a unique resource that explores children's ministry in light of true spiritual formation and discipleship.

Genres: Religion, Spirituality, Christian

208 pages, Paperback

First published September 30, 2013

Reviews

[Violet · Rating 3 out of 5]

“’I don’t know that we can have a new kind of Christianity if it’s just for adults and we don’t find a way to pass … these new faith traditions and rituals that we’re creating, along to our young people.’” Melvin Bray’s words resonated with Ontario native David M. Csinos and Ivy Beckwith. Children’s Ministry in the Way of Jesus—a blueprint for children’s ministry in postmodern, emergent churches—is the result.
 
The first four chapters lay out the practical and theological necessities for such a book. They envision a ministry posited on “new forms of Christianity,” heavy on formation, light on salvation:

“If children are born already in connection with God … then helping them learn theological doctrines necessary to cross the bridge from damnation to salvation seems inappropriate” p. 57.

 
The authors are highly critical of children’s ministry as it has evolved through the modern era, claiming the emphasis on entertainment and teaching children about God has produced shallow Sunday-Christians.
 
On the other hand their formation methods will cultivate, they say, “a generation of disciples who follow Jesus with the whole of their being” p. 187. Methods include strategic choices of content, encouraging questions and doubts, intergenerational involvement and mentorship, an emphasis on hospitality, social justice, and more.
 
The first four chapters left me with a lot of questions. What are these “new forms of Christianity”? If children are born already in connection with God what was the point of Jesus’ death?
 
The book’s practical chapters make many good points. I don’t think there is a Sunday School teacher alive who isn’t teaching with the hope of making lifelong disciples. Some of Csinos’ and Beckwith’s ideas would certainly help with that. However, I would suggest that readers may want to examine the theological underpinnings of Children’s Ministry in the Way of Jesus before jumping wholeheartedly on the bandwagon.
 
This review was first published in Faith Today, November/December 2013 issue.
 

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is much about this book that I hardily endorse, most especially that we, especially in mainline Protestant denominations, have long deserted the path of spiritual formation for our children. The only reason I did not give it a higher mark is that, although they talk about what went wrong with Sunday School, what is wrong with it currently, and what it should look like, there is precious little about the HOW to change things in order to return to spiritual formation. Perhaps another book...

[Margaret Pritchard]

Absolutely essential reading, especially for those on the Protestant Evangelical side of things, as that's the culture the authors are from and therefore the one they mostly address.

However, this book is also an advertisement for why publishers shouldn't cut corners by laying off copy-editors. The book was riddled with basic errors that jarred and threw me out of it - there/their confusion, its/it's confusion, missing articles, "which" instead of "with," words in the wrong order ("the in" instead of "in the," for example), etc. Publishers, you look sloppy when you do this, and you let your authors down.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is something radical about this book. It's not a "how-to" book, although there are ideas in it. But it advocates for really seeing children as people and as disciples of Jesus who need not just to be watched or entertained, but of fully participating in the mission and the life of the church. The chapters on justice and on intergenerational connections, as well as honoring children's questions and doubts, were the most engaging to me.

I will be thinking about this book for a long time.

[Tammy Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of good ideas

I learned a lot about children's ministry from reading this book. There are several good ideas to help is minister to the whole child. There were several things that I really disagreed with. I did however like the idea of being missional, intergenerational and including the children in the congregational community.

[Teresa Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic resource for children's ministry leaders. Rather than chasing all of the fads in kidmin, every children's ministry leader should consider the challenges and encouragement offered by Csinos and Beckwith. I use this book in a children's ministry course and it always provokes a great conversation as we discuss the greater purpose of our programs, events, and activities.

[Jessica Richards · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of great thoughts on children's ministry, and more progressive than most children's ministry books that I have come across (quotes from Rob Bell and Shane Claiborne).

[Brittany McDonald Null · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book provides great framework for rethinking Children’s Ministry- moving away from a program centered approach to holistic spiritual formation

[Sarah Butterfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

I underlined almost every page Full of challenging truths and thought-provoking advice. An absolute must-read for anyone who works in ministry!

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an important book in the area of children's ministry. In fact, the ideas transcend helping to form children's faith and speak to all us in our life of faith. Sometimes the authors speak as if their ideas are moving against the tide of children's ministry. That may be true but I think the current is changing. Many of us on the ground have realized that only memorizing facts and stories do not build faith. We need to help children see (or they help us see!) how God is active in our lives- personally and as a community. Our focus should be on helping children "know God and to have firsthand encounters with God" not settling to only know about God.

I highly recommend this book!

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had been looking for a book like this for some time. Matching progressive adult theology with what we teach our kids.

[Dawn Gentry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent theological approach to children's formation and our ministry to them in the church conttext