Transforming Children into Spiritual Champions

by George Barna

No one can deny that our culture is opposed to Christian values, and the influences bombarding our children’s moral development can be deadly. But few parents and church leaders realize how critical it is to start developing a child’s biblical worldview from the very earliest years of life. The problem is parents who themselves did not receive early spiritual training leave their children’s training to the church. Yet the church often focuses on older children—not realizing that a child’s moral development is set by the age of nine. The answer is for churches to recognize the need to come alongside parents to provide them biblical worldview training, parenting information, counseling, etc., that will equip them to help their children become the spiritually matuare Church of tomorrow. Profiles presented of churches who are effectively ministering to children and winning the war our enemy is waging against them\. Research orientated books on childhood spiritual development. Raising Heaven Bound Kids in a Hell Bent World by Eastman Curtis / What Your Kids Need to Know About God and When by John Trent / Introducing the Spiritual Side of Parenting by Ron Clarkson / Bringing Up Boys by James Dobson.

Genres: Parenting, Christianity, Nonfiction, Christian Living, Church, Christian, Family

140 pages, Hardcover

First published November 21, 2003

About the author

George Barna was raised and educated on the East Coast before moving to California in the early 1980s. He held executive positions in advertising, public policy, political campaigns, and media/marketing research before beginning his own company, the Barna Research Group (now The Barna Group), in 1984. The firm analyzes American culture and creates resources and experiences designed to facilitate moral and spiritual transformation. Located in Ventura, California, The Barna Group provides primary research as well as developmental resources and analytic diagnostics. The company has served several hundred parachurch ministries and thousands of Christian churches throughout the country. It has also supplied research to for-profit corporations such as Ford Motor Company, The Walt Disney Company, Visa USA, and Prudential, and has assisted the U.S. Navy and U.S. Army as well.

To date, George Barna has written more than 40 books, predominantly in the areas of leadership, trends, spiritual development, and church health. Included among them are bestsellers such as Revolution, Transforming Children into Spiritual Champions, The Frog in the Kettle, The Power of Vision, and Pagan Christianity? Several of his books have received national awards. He has also written for numerous periodicals and has published various syndicated reports on topics related to faith and lifestyle. He also writes a bimonthly research report, The Barna Update, which is accessed by hundreds of thousands of people through his firm's Web site (www.barna.org). His work is frequently cited as an authoritative source by the media. He has been hailed as "the most quoted person in the Christian church today" and is counted among its most influential leaders. In 2009, George initiated Metaformation, a new organization designed to help people maximize their potential. More information about his current projects is available from www.georgebarna.com.

Barna is a popular speaker at ministry conferences around the world and has taught at several universities and seminaries. He has served as a pastor of a large multiethnic church, has been involved in several church plants, and currently leads an organic church. He has served on the board of directors of various organizations. After graduating summa cum laude from Boston College, Barna earned two master's degrees from Rutgers University. At Rutgers, he was awarded the Eagleton Fellowship. He also received a doctorate from Dallas Baptist University. He lives with his wife and their three daughters in Southern California. He enjoys spending time with his family, writing, reading novels, playing and listening to guitar, relaxing on the beach, visiting bookstores, and eating pizza.

Reviews

[Cary Sawatsky · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I had the power, I would make every Christian school teacher, Sunday School teacher and pastor read this book. Parents would need to read "Revolutionary Parenting" which was spawned from this book.

[Keith · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good book. Except I feel like it repeated itself over and over.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

George Barna, who is one of the top researchers of the attitudes and behaviors of Christians in the U.S. I highly recommend this book to parents, and especially to those that are responsible for the ministry to children. It talks about what the churches and parents in this country are doing (or not doing) in order to raise children to be true spiritual champions. Here is the stuff that I highlighted or underlined, lots of great nuggets and thought processes:

If your life is to be lived for a grand purpose — namely, to love God with all your heart, mind, strength, and soul, and to love others as you love yourself — then you must evaluate each choice you make in light of its consistency with that purpose (see Luke 10:27)

they are not able to demand the depth of commitment that children and their parents need to make in order to see significant life change occur. Without that mantle of authority, many of these volunteers lament that they feel as if they are engaging in church-sanctioned babysitting rather than spiritual transformation

Their moral, physical, emotional, and intellectual perspectives and behaviors intersect with those that honor God only when such choices appear to be to their immediate and personal advantage. Unfortunately, even most individuals who think of themselves as Christian do not truly operate on the basis of God’s principles and expectations, except when it is convenient or inescapable. Again, our national research suggests that shockingly few Christian adults make their moral, physical, emotional, and intellectual choices on the basis of sound reasoning from Scripture. The results is that they miss God’s richest blessings and begin to question why God doesn’t love them and doesn’t take better care of them, and they even question if He is real. Is that how you want your children to grow up — being in tune with God only when it seems to serve their best interests and losing out on the great life He has in mind for them if they would only pay attention and get with the program?

When we watch a movie, we tend to think of it as either being satisfying or unsatisfying entertainment. However, a movie is much more than that. It is a weapon in the eternal conflict to either strength or weaken our worldview and our capacity to represent our side int he eternal war.

In fact, one of the greatest victories won (so far) by God’s enemy has been the ability to convince most people - even most Christians - that there is no war being waged, so we might as well relax, feel good, and enjoy life.

Meaning and purpose are not all about occupational choices, educational degrees, marital status, financial security, personal achievement or leisure and recreational pursuits. It is about knowing God so intimately that you can discern His calling upon your life.

when you consistently live for God, His desires eventually become indistinguishable from your desires.

God calls each of us to commit to that vision -our calling - and prepares us for success in its pursuit by giving us the special combination of talents, skills, education, experiences, relationships and spiritual gifts required to bring that vision to reality.

A mark of God’s purpose for our lives is that there is little chance of accomplishing that purpose based solely on our human capabilities.

If we had a life purpose that we could accomplish without divine intervention and empowerment, then who would need God

What can you do to help the youngsters with whom you have contact discover God’s purpose for their lives? As you explore their personally, spiritual gifts, passion, intellectual capacity, physical abilities, character traits, and resonance with particular biblical characters and stories, funnel that knowledge toward guiding them to a clear idea of the role that has been reserved for them in God’s army. Encourage them to feel neither arrogant nor disappointed by that role. No calling is better than any other, and if it is God’s calling for them, then it is perfect for them. Keep in mind that discerning the calling takes time, effort, and sometimes a period of struggle or suffering. In other words, this is a process, not just a morning-long project. Be prepared to work alongside a child for a prolonged period of time as God unfolds the insights and experiences that will crystallize the calling in a way that generates ownership by the called individual.

Unfortunately, most Americans develop their worldview by default. The alternative to worldview-by-default is for you, as a parent or spiritual leader, to intentionally and strategically lead a young person through a process designed to help the youth arrive at a worldview that is consistent with God’s truths, principles, and desires for His creation. Once the worldview of children has been shaped and embraced, they unconsciously strive to make choices that are consistent with their perspective. To do otherwise raises internal dissonance, which brings discomfort and a sense of being lost. Many of the battles that we fight in our culture today — battles related to personal values, public policies and laws, individual behavior and religious beliefs and practices - are predictable and inevitable given the worldviews that people possess. If we want to transform our society so that it honors God, we must address the worldview that most young people embrace. They are prone to behavior that is consistent with their beliefs, and their beliefs are the result of their worldview. The notion of help other develop a biblical worldview seems daunting to many parents and spiritual leaders. It need not be, through. We start with an understanding of what resources are required to facilitate such an outcome.

As a coach in this worldview process, your challenge is to raise the young person’s acceptance of and reliance upon Scripture as a trustworthy source of direction and wisdom.

If we profess to be followers of Jesus Christ, then our worldview should demonstrate a commitment to His principles and standards as manifested in our daily choices and actions. Your challenge is to motivate young people to have a thirst for the righteousness of God; that is, to always do what is right in God’s eyes because they want nothing more than to honor and please Him.

shared experiences are among the most successful teaching episodes. Teenagers and adolescents, who tend to move about with their relational tribe of 4 to 12 individuals, often rely on experiences to provide their defining moments.

As people seeking to introduce righteousness and holiness into a fallen world and within a culture that revels in darkness, being different will brings its share of challenges. In a world that treasures position, possessions, and pleasure, the notion of sacrificing personal rewards and opportunities for the benefit of the spiritual growth of children is frowned upon.

Initially, adults have the opportunity to provide moral and spiritual lessons simply because they are adults. After a short while, though, children are able to assess the spiritual integrity of the adults in their lives. From that point forward, the adult must earn the right to flex that authority.

but the activities implemented tend to be ritualistic and of questionable quality; and the outcomes usually are not measured, tracked, or interpreted. It also seemed as if a church starts its ministry full of high hopes and energy, committed to high-impact ministry; but as it develops its own persona and ministry niche within the community, the ministry to children generally takes a backseat to the more visible and adult-oriented efforts of the church.

One of the typical building blocks is a clear conceptual foundation - a philosophy that permeates every department, program, and policy. Not surprisingly, this was true of the best children’s ministries, too.

The church must know what parents are seeking to accomplish in the lives of their kids as well as some of the struggles that are encountering in their efforts.

Consequently, the resources used by the church in its ministry to young people are designed to prepare parents for greater effectiveness, to advance existing efforts by the parents, to serve as a catalyst for new developmental ventures attempted by the family and to enhance the quality of the approaches and exercised used to mature children’s faith.


4 out of every 5 churched 13-year-olds do now know what worship is, and a substantial majority of them admit that they do not feel they have ever experienced God’s presence.

Every weekend I get parent after parent chasing me down to ask about their kids. But what they want to know is whether or not their child showed up to class, whether their child had his or her Bible and whether their child was well behaved during the class. Nobody seems to care very much about how the child is doing spiritually, as if merely showing up two or three times a month precludes having to even ask the question.

if children are gleaning anything at all from their church experience, they will return to their home and watch to see if the principles and beliefs taught to them are consistent with and reinforce by the behavior of their primary spiritual nurturers — their parents. Sadly, even when useful information and ideas learned from church experiences are grasped by these children, they are lost or negated in the spiritual confusion that reigns within the typical churched household.

That common refusal to substitute good intentions for good outcomes distinguishes those ministries that facilitate spiritual growth from those who only talk about it.

[Rob Sumrall · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Transforming Children into Spiritual Champions, researcher and author George Barna throws his hat into the increasingly-crowded Family Ministry arena. The reader will discover the same things that we have come to expect from Barna: massive and thorough research, insights from the Christian community, and helpful evaluation of the data. Much of what Barna has to say focuses on the church's responsibility to create environments where discipleship happens in the lives of children. While he repeatedly acknowledges that discipleship is the primary responsibility of the parents, this book focuses on what churches need to do in that process. I wish he had honed his research more towards parents in evangelical churches and what they do. Such a study would have been more helpful in my opinion. If parents are charged with the responsibility of being the primary disciples of their children (and they are!), then why focus on what the church needs to do to disciple children. This book, while helpful, does not stand up to others in the field. Those interested in digging into family ministry should consider the works of Timothy Paul Jones or Randy Stinson. Those authors focus more on the home and what parents need to do to take seriously their job of discipling their children.

All in all, Barna's work is what most have come to expect from him - sound, well-researched, and well-written. Reading this book will certainly help leaders see the importance of building up future generations for the Kingdom of God.

Five Great Quotes:

"Although fewer that 10 percent of churched households spend any time at all during a typical week either reading the Bible or engaging in substantive prayer as a family unit, about 3 out of every 4 (72 percent) churched parents believe that are doing well when it comes to providing a regular regimen of spiritual experiences and instruction to their children" (133).

"Various studies have confirmed the results of some of our data: By the age of nine, most of the moral and spiritual foundations of a child are in place. From the time a child is born until he or she is in the early primary grades, the child is voraciously consuming cues and lessons related to each of the developmental dimensions. It seems that by the time he or she is nine, the child shifts mental gears and begins to use the cues he or she receives front hat point forward to either confirm or challenge an existing perspective. It also appears that by the time the child has reached this age, it is much more difficult to change an existing view than to form a new view" (65).

"In total, 59 percent of all 13-year-olds are 'notional Christians' - people who say they are Christian but are not committed followers of Christ in any discernible way" (38).

"This is a major reason why youth ministries that are based on large group events have little lasting impact: Nobody really knows the children, cares about them, follows up on them or personally directs their paths in the way that they should go. Teaching a gymnasium packed with kids may be emotionally satisfying for the teacher, but the process leaves much to be desired in terms of human impact" (136).

[Kathleen McKim · Rating 4 out of 5]

George Barna has a knack for outlining his findings clearly and understandably. This book encouraged me as a parent by helping me set priorities for my children's spiritual growth as well as helping me establish guidelines for what to expect from our church's children's ministry. This book would be of great value for any one who works with Kids in a Christian setting or for Christians who work with kids in a secular setting. Chapter 4 is very helpful I'm establishing criteria for what children's ministry should consist of. Chapter 5 outlines how a ministry can be evaluated. Some readers may take issue with the fact that Chapter 5 lacks as many Scripture references as 1-4, as it is based on modern pedagogical methods not necessarily found in the Bible. However, this chapter seemed most fitting for those in Christian school or home school settings.

[Omar Domenech · Rating 1 out of 5]

The problem with this book is that it disguises opinion as data. Barna rebrands his personal political convictions (Conservative American Republicanism) as "biblical worldview" and then uses data that shows that his views are minority opinions to claim that Christians do not have a biblical worldview. He is hoping you won't notice the sleight of hand; that you will forget that when he says "biblical worldview" he is referring to his own personal political convictions and not to something that could legitimately be described as the biblical world view. This whole book is built on the premise that every Christian should strive to agree with Barna's political opinions (which he calls "biblical worldview") and raise their children accordingly.

[Mike Edge · Rating 5 out of 5]

George Barna builds a very compelling case for parents and all who work with children in the church context, that young people should be at the forefront of our attention.
It is while children are young (beginning at age 2 and continuing to age 12) that their world-view is formed, the concepts of right and wrong, salvation, etc. are put in place.
In addition he gives concrete ways to work with children in the home and in the church.
A must read for anyone who wants to make a difference in the lives of young people and the church.

[Crystal · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is one of those books that I just couldn't finish, no matter how hard I tried. Although it does include many good statistics, there were many theological presuppositions that I just couldn't stomach. I found myself getting angry at the generalizations and I was unable to move past it to learn from the statistics. Perhaps I'll try again next year.

[Csawyer60 · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is a book that has caused a spiritual revolution in the church regarding how we look at children and the best way to lead them to a living relationship with Christ. Barna, to his credit was the first person to sit down with the kids, ask them the questions and then was astonished by their answers. It is really cool book that lets you see the church from the perspective of 13 year olds.

[Seth Pierce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Barna provides some indicting research into churches and how the minster to children. This book not only provides some excellent and practical challenges for ministering to the young within the Body of Christ, but also provides some challenges to parents as well.

Some of this material will be making its way into sermons…

[Andrew Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thought provoking and challenging

As a parent and also one that works with kids in a ministry setting I want to see the next generation raised up to be fully devoted followers of Christ that are making an impact on the world and extending the borders of God’s Kingdom. This book gives some great insight and challenges for parents, and youth workers.

[Kent · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe Barna's easiest read. I have been building a philosophy of personal transformation which suggests that most transformation occurs prior to age 13. In this work Barna supports the hypothesis with several national studies.

[Dalton · Rating 3 out of 5]

2nd semester
This book was ok in my opinion, wasn't the best but yet it wasn't the worst either. I wouldn't recommend this book to a friend because it isn't an easy read. It used very good imagery though. It relates to my life by being a good reference to what I want to be when I grow up.

[Bradleyhg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this sort of book.

[Gina Mcclain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Necessary tool for any ministry leader.

[Jonathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a very easy read, but has some great facts and figures to support a healthy ministry to children.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good message. Lots of statistical info- read small pieces at a time.

[Aaron Thomas]

Every parent needs to read this book to realize the importance of training your children. Most children's spiritual and moral foundations are set by the age of nine. Time is of the essence.

[Teresa Huddleston]

This book is an eye-opener to parents and the church. We need to come together so we can help our children develop a Biblical Worldview and they will never depart from it.

[Christer Hargrove · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great insights into the needs of children and the responsibility of parents.

[Eileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must read for parents....for you are children's ministers. Read it while they are young so it sets a fire early.

[Elizabeth Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awsome information that every Christian with kids, church leader and teacher, etc. needs to read. Well researched and documented. Uses by those working in Awana Kids Clubs International,

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you attend a Christian Church and are in any way interested in children's spiritual health - you NEED to read this book. Highly recommended!

[Thawngtha]

i want it for my research

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three stars only because it is dated.

[Mindee Berkman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A must read for anyone who has kids or is involved in children’s ministry.

[Mike Bright · Rating 3 out of 5]

Up front I acknowledge and appreciate the work that George Barna does. He is an important and effective influencer in our world. His research methods provide valuable information for the church. I also agree with everything he says in the book and appreciate what it says.

Given that intro, I obviously have some complaints and comments. This is a topic of interest to me, so I have read about it in the past. This book didn't really give me new information, just some new statistics to reinforce previously held beliefs.

George Barna is excellent at collecting and interpreting opinion data. However, the book strays into the realm of theological teaching and imperatives, educational philosophy and cognitive research. Mr. Barna is not an expert in these areas, and I would prefer to see input from such experts, or at least pointers to such information. Not to put down opinion surveys as a research tool, but there are other research methodologies that have a lot to say in this area - they were not referenced. Finally, I did appreciate the examples of solutions to the problem, but think this aspect of the book could have been significantly expanded with more concrete and practical techniques. In particular, the next to last chapter on evaluation could have benefited directly from Mr. Barna's personal area of expertise.

In summary, good book with a good message. It could have been a great book.

[Melissa · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was disappointing, I was hoping for a biblical and research based philosophy of children's ministry. I wonder if there were some editing errors, or if the exegesis was just poorly done. George Barna makes claims about children followed by Scripture references. Many times the scriptures have only a tenuous link to what he was discussing.

One of the more outlandish claims he made was that in Scripture, a couple who didn't wish to have children were viewed in a negative light. The bible references listed after this statement had little to do with the claim, but were general commands such as "Be fruitful and multiply" from Genesis. I'd love to discuss this with the author, and see where he developed such a view, as I can't find this concept in Scripture. (I do see that Christians are called to be fruitful in a variety of ways, such as making disciples and bearing fruits of the Spirit.)

I actually didn't finish this book because I felt I couldn't trust the author's statements.

[Kendra McIntyre · Rating 3 out of 5]

Heavy stuff to consider here. Some takeaways: If you don't reach your child young, it is likely they will not adhere to the Biblical principles and lifestyle you hope for; the church is to come alongside parents to develop their spiritual growth, and you have to figure out some way to quantifiably measure your child's growth. Lots of good things to talk about with my fellow parents and our youth minister.

[The Jesus Fandom · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the second book I read on teaching children – somehow a lot of content about the topic came across my path this year. Good book. I especially appreciated the statistics on the importance of child education. I think most people don’t understand how important it truly is to start spiritual education young and hopefully shocking statistics like the ones in this book might serve to jolt them awake.