The Faith of Our Children: Eight Timely Research Insights for Discipling the Next Generation

by Matt Markins

This book provides children's ministry leaders and their teams with the insight needed to build ministry around the primary areas that form lasting faith. This book informs leaders about the systems needed to help cultivate faith that lasts. Readers will enjoy the casual voice this book is written in as well as the metaphors and rational logic included. The short, easy-to-read chapters provide space for reflection. Table of Contents Part 1: Formation - The Primary Investments That Tend to Form Lasting Faith in Children 1: Lasting Faith Is the Desired Outcome 2: The Most Catalytic Factor in Forming Lasting Faith Is Loving, Caring, Adult Relationships 3: Bible The Most Foundational Factor in Forming Lasting Faith Is Consistent Bible Engagement 4: Sometimes We Feel Like We're Losing Because of Dominant Cultural Forces Part 2: Systems - The Norms, Processes, Infrastructure, and Culture We Depend on to Form the Faith of Our Children 5: The Way Children's Ministry Leaders Spend Our Time Does Not Match Our Desired Objectives 6: When It Comes to Having Fun, We Are Outperforming Our Own Expectations 7: Parents Are The Primary Influence Over Their Children But Are Less Engaged In Discipling Them 8: Children's Ministry Leaders Find It Difficult to Measure and Evaluate Our Effectiveness Letter to Your Pastor Methodology

136 pages, Paperback

Published September 7, 2023

About the author

MATT MARKINS serves on the Global Leadership Team at Awana as the Vice President of Ministry Resources as well as the Vice President of Marketing and Strategy. Prior to joining the Awana executive leadership team, Matt served in leadership roles with Thomas Nelson Publishers, Randall House Publishers and was the co-founder of the D6 Conference (a discipleship and family ministry community). Matt's ministry in organizational leadership has been marked by leading and influencing change from within by casting vision, forging strategic partnerships, nurturing healthy culture, developing organizational alignment and implementing sustainable plans toward ministry effectiveness, health and growth. He and his wife Katie have been volunteering and growing in children's ministry for more than twenty years. As Nashville transplants, they live and play in the Chicago suburbs with their two sons tolerating dreadful winters, but soaking up refreshingly mild weather the other seven months of the year.

Reviews

[Taylor Lassiter · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a former staff member with Awana and friend of Matt Markins, I try to read everything he writes. "The Faith of our Children" is a research-driven call to ministry leaders to re-evaluate the outcomes of child discipleship. This is a statistics-heavy book with many graphs and charts. If you aren't into statistics, then you may not be as excited about this book, but if numbers catch your attention then this is a book for you. Markins is compelled by research, and he has the information to back up his claims.

I think Markins makes a compelling case for Child Discipleship, though I feel the "3B" strategy feels a bit shoehorned into the statistical outcomes (it reads as if the philosophy was decided, then research was presented to back it up rather than 3B as an outcome to the research). The "Letter to the Pastor" at the end was fantastic, and I think should have been moved to the front pages.

D6 Publishers didn't do Markins any favors with the layout. Though the book looks small and accessible, the print is small and the massive amount of statistical information causes one's eyes to glaze over the pages rather than chew on the compelling research presented. I think D6 was trying to keep the book to roughly 100 pages, but a better layout and 150ish page format in a hardback edition would have made this volume carry more weight (figuratively, not just literally) and help it catch the attention of decision-makers in the church. I also think the title should be reworded to be more of a clarion call for reassessing the outcomes of Children's ministry. While I think Reselient (another book published by Awana that is referenced in this volume) was too alarmist and anecdotal, "The Faith of our Children" could have brought more convictional clarity to its approach.

Overall, this is a solid read and should be included in any discussions about the future of Children's Ministry in North America. If you care about Child Discipleship and the future of the church in North America, then be sure to take note to any project or writing from Matt Markins.

[Melinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thought‑Provoking Content Undermined by Poor Design Choices

The Faith of Our Children offers solid, thought‑provoking information backed by extensive studies and statistics. Matt Markins presents valuable insights that are both timely and important, especially for those invested in children’s spiritual formation. The content itself is strong and well worth engaging with.

Unfortunately, the editorial design does the author no favors. The font size is so tiny that reading becomes tedious and, at times, genuinely uncomfortable. It appears the publisher tried to keep the physical book small to give the impression of a quick read, but the result is the opposite—painful on the eyes and unnecessarily difficult to navigate. Several graphs and charts are printed so minuscule that they’re nearly impossible to decipher.

I would gladly have traded a few more pages for a readable typeface and legible graphics. While I hope to share the ideas in this book with others in my church, I cannot recommend this particular edition due to the design issues. The message is worthwhile, but the presentation is a significant barrier.

[Ethan Callison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eye opening for what is seen as the need of change versus the pressures to keep “the machine running”.

I enjoy data/research books, and this is definitely one of those. If you don’t enjoy that, I’d still recommend.

Ch. 5 of the books is alone worth the price of the book.

[Jacob Orlando · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really good for seeing current statistics and occasionally providing some insight. But this is not a deep book that gets into fully addressing the problems that it raises.