Children don't just learn theology. They actively create it, playing with ideas and drawing together aspects of their own lives to form theological understanding. In Little Theologians David Csinos offers a groundbreaking exploration of how cultural contexts intersect with the theological meaning-making of children.The qualitative research that Csinos undertook opened windows onto the religious and spiritual lives of children within four culturally distinct congregations o...

Drawing on current scholarship and research by authors with experience of a range of International contexts who are experts in their field, this accessible guide focuses on approaches that encourage spiritual, physical, mental and emotional development in children.By outlining a range of lenses through which readers can reflect on their ministry with children and their families. this book offers inspiration to help them improve their practice. Up-to-date research and thinking provi...

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 eme...

A Gospel for All Ages lives at the intersection of two conversations--preaching and intergenerational ministry. By integrating these two topics, an entirely new conversation emerges, one that draws from both, that interrogates both, and that births something new in the process, creating fresh possibilities for a sleepy church.The fields of preaching and intergenerational ministry rarely cross paths because they are championed by two different sorts of ministerial leaders. ...

Children know God. They encounter God in diverse ways as they walk along the spiritual journey. Amidst this diversity, four distinct avenues for connecting with God emerge in the lives of children: word, emotion, symbol, and action. These are the four spiritual styles, broad approaches to spirituality and faith through which children experience God and make sense of their lives in the world around them. Children's Ministry that Fits blends insightful research, relevant theory, and practica...

Why is the church so important to God? What’s really going on in the Bible? How can I make sense of my life?Finding Ourselves in God’s Story addresses the pressing questions and concerns that today’s youth bring to their faith. Introducing Christian faith from an Anabaptist perspective, author Michele Hershberger puts readers in touch with two stories that Christians constantly hear and tell. First, there is the Bible’s story of God working to restore us, ...

Many churches today face worry and concern over their collective future. One tragic consequence is that growing anxiety can turn inward on communities of faith. A subtle distancing and dividing can occur, often happening along generational lines. Us-versus-Them thinking morphs into Old-versus-Young. Instead of a culture of generation to generation, churches are shaped and formed more by a culture of generation versus generation.Imagining All Generations offers a better, mo...

Many ministry leaders today watch as their congregations separate into age based groups and miss the profound beauty of worshipping as one body. You want a community where the youngest children and the oldest adults grow together in faith, but the path from age segregation to intentional connection often feels overwhelming. Church Together provides the essential roadmap you need to transform your faith community into a vibrant home for every generation. Authors Traci Smith and David M. Csi...