It's Just a Phase: So Don't Miss It: Why Every Life Stage of a Kid Matters and at Least 13 Things Your Church Should Do About It

by Reggie Joiner

Every church knows that kids matter.

A better question is, does your church act like every kid matters at every phase?

A phase is a timeframe in kids' lives when you can leverage distinctive opportunities to influence their future. That means the whining infant, the dramatic fifth grader, and the stressed-out tenth grader are not just going through a phase that should be wished away. Instead, they are transitioning through a critical phase that you are called to discover, celebrate, and navigate strategically with them.

This book presents a challenge to churches to treat every kid who breathes like they are made in the image of God.

When you keep acting like every kid and teenager has the potential
... to believe, imagine, and love
... to care, relate, and trust
... to reason, improve, and lead

It can change ...
how the parents next door see your church.
how the elders value teenagers.
how the executive staff views children and youth ministry.
how you organize what you do every week.
how first graders see themselves.

But more importantly ...
it can change how every kid sees God, and that could change every kid's future.

Genres: Parenting

254 pages, Paperback

Published June 1, 2022

About the author

Reggie Joiner is the founder and CEO of Orange, a non-profit organization whose purpose is to influence those who influence the next generation. Author of more than 30 books, including Think Orange, Seven Practices of Effective Ministry, and Lead Small. Reggie has changed the way churches and organizations create environments for and equip leaders, parents, and the next generation. Orange partners with over 8,000 churches internationally and is the architect of the Orange Conference and the Orange Tour, which provide national training opportunities for senior pastors, church leaders, and ministry volunteers.

Prior to Orange and along with Andy Stanley, Reggie co-founded North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, Georgia. During his 11 years as the executive director of Family Ministry, Reggie developed the new concepts of ministry for preschoolers, children, students, and married adults. He has found a way to wear orange for 4,353 days and counting.

Reggie is a graduate of Georgia Southwestern College. He and his wife Debbie have four grown children and live near Atlanta.

Reviews

[Melanie]

4.5! it’s a must read for all kid/youth ministry leaders!

[Will Waller]

For a book study at our church, this book did not reach the depths I had hoped it would in research. When you look at the bibliography, it has only a few references to research from family psychologists and Biblical experts. That's not up to snuff. It could certainly be beefed up and then slimmed down - a rather strange combo, but needed for this book which balloons to over 150 pages, many of them containing plenty of blank space. Another problem with this book. The charts rarely (if ever) work like a traditional chart. They have squiggly lines for no discernible reason.

The book contains some nuggets of wisdom. Most of the meat is contained on the final pages, giving a how-to to ministry leaders for evaluating and deploying changes to their children's ministries. Save that, and skim the rest.

[Jessica]

This book was full of great information for pastors, ministry leaders, and parents!