Relational Children's Ministry: Turning Kid-Influencers Into Lifelong Disciple Makers

by Dan Lovaglia, Jim Burns (Foreword)

Children’s ministry has the power to change the lives of kids and families. Unfortunately, it’s not always clear that the work a person does with kids is really making a lasting difference. Ask children’s ministry leaders and kid-influencers if they are making the impact on children’s lives as they had hoped and most likely the responses will be mixed. And for good reason. Research over the past decade has revealed an alarming lack of long-term growth in the faith community as children progress through student ministries into adulthood. Clearly, something needs to change. Relational Children’s Ministry seeks to reverse this trend by equipping children’s ministry leaders with practical tools to disrupt the status quo approach to discipleship with children and realign their ministries for greater long-term impact. Ministry leaders Children’s ministry leaders will receive practical training to refocus their children’s ministry along with time-tested tools to personally recommit to lifelong discipleship. Kid-influencers can become a disciple-making community that redirects the current trajectory for this and future generations.

272 pages, Paperback

First published April 5, 2016

About the author

Dan Lovaglia is a discipleship catalyst, ministry consultant, and leadership coach. He is the Camp Pastor and Associate Director at Camp Paradise in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, author of Relational Children's Ministry, a certified Working Genius facilitator, and owner of Lovaglia Consulting. With 30 years of pastoral leadership experience, Dan builds into families, ministry and business leaders through writing, speaking, consulting, and training.

Connect with Dan on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn @DanLovaglia.

Reviews

[Aubrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised by this book! The book starts off strong in Part One and discusses why relational children’s ministry is important. It took me awhile to get through this book and I started losing interest in Part Two as the main objective was how to relate to kids and families. I felt like most of the information was common knowledge. Part Three makes the book worth the read, hands down. Part three asks tough questions that lead to seeking God’s direction for the ministry.

Overall, I would suggest reading if you work in Children’s Ministry as it gives the reasons as to why and how to create a program that invites lifelong discipleship. I liked how this wasn’t a cut and paste book with suggestions of what/how to create relational ministry but it dives deeper into what Gods call for discipleship is as a whole and breaks it down as to how the relates to children’s ministry.

[Todd Mckeever · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started to read this book and had great expectations as it drew me in. I probably allowed my expectations to go too high too quick as after about a couple chapters I found myself slowing down a little and the book feeling more like too many other books.

Like many other books out there, the book did have great stats, Dan shows that he knows what we in the field go through, good scripture support, great stories that he starts each chapter off with, and discussion questions at the end.

I still gave it 3 star's and enjoyed it.

[Cara Cavicchia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn’t disagree with what he was saying. This book was just way too longwinded and repetitive. Every chapter had like 10 points without a ton of practical help.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[cambria ✧ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this for my children’s ministry class and I loved it!

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s all about relationship.

Good advice, some practical steps to take. Relationship: ours with God, leaders with God, ours with leaders, leaders with kids, ours with kids, kids with God. Repeat. It’s like the cycle of Grace.