Recently, I was provided a copy of The Toddler’s Bible by V. Gilbert Beers from David C. Cook to review. When I received the book, I couldn’t imagine that it would be any different than the countless other Bibles out there made for toddlers and preschoolers. There are four different ones on my kids’ shelf!

Upon opening The Toddler’s Bible, I was pleasantly surprised at the number of Bible stories that are featured. Most kids’ Bibles for young children I’ve read (and own) have a small number of stories in them; this one has over 100 of them! The stories are brief and interactive with well-done illustrations. One of my favorite features of The Toddler’s Bible is at the very beginning of the book. There is a page with suggestions on how to engage your toddler with the stories! The only challenge I had with The Toddler’s Bible was the size. I kept wishing that the book was larger with bigger pages and bigger pictures.

I would highly recommend The Toddler’s Bible for families with very young children. There are plenty of Bible stories highlighted in it, and the length is perfect for toddlers! You can pick up a copy of the Toddlers Bible from ChristianBook.com, Amazon.com or wherever else you purchase books. You can take a look at a trailer for the book by clicking on the picture below.

I have found in many family ministry conversations I’ve been in, there is always this ideal of what a family should look like that gets touted out. Laments about the state of the family and the lack of parents taking their role as spiritual teacher immediately follow. Discussions like these always have ended up with someone elevating a certain family in his or her church to demagoguery status because that family is what all other families in the church should aspire to be.

In her book entitled The Way We Never Were: American Families and the Nostalgia Trap, Stephanie Coontz challenges the notion of an historical traditional family. “Myths that create unrealistic expectations about what families can or should do tend to erode solidarities and diminish confidence in the problem-solving abilities of those whose families ‘fall short.’” I can’t agree more! Even my confidence starts to wane when I compare my family to “perfect family,” and I’m supposed to be the professional with all the answers!

One huge reason I maintain respect for the ReThink Group and believe that Orange is a conference worth investing in is the belief by Reggie and the rest of the Orange crew that there is no such thing as an ideal family. Families come in all flavors and conditions. I remember watching Reggie speak a few years ago at the opening session of an Orange Conference. He held up a picture frame holding the picture of a “perfect” family and bluntly stated that no such families exist and never have. He, then, proceeded to show pictures of real families–families that don’t fit into our neat and tidy boxes entitled “traditional family.” He emphasized the need for a strategy that helps all of these families grow closer to God that includes both the home and the church.

Where are you gonna go? Where are you gonna go to be inspired to expand what it means to minister to all families? Where are you gonna go to connect with other ministry leaders who are trying to figure out this family ministry thing? Where are you gonna go to get what you need to put together a strategy for your church to reach families in your community?

I’m going to the Orange Conference. I’d love to meet you there. The conference is April 25-27.  If you register before February 16, you’ll save $40 on the registration.

(image originally uploaded to Flickr by pixel pro photography south africa)

Here are some thoughts I sent to the 4th and 5th grade leaders that I have the privilege of working with at MPPC:

I’m not sure where the week went… I don’t know about you, but every year I promise to slow down at Christmas (the other time is Easter). Then Christmas rushes on by like a bullet train, leaving me gasping for breath and my head spinning. I feel bad for not reflecting… for not having that “Silent Night” moment. As I’ve been writing the storyteller scripts for the Christmas lessons, I rediscovered something: there was nothing calm or “silent” about the circumstances before, during and after Jesus’ birth. From a scandalous pregnancy, to a 3-day journey on foot, to a baby born amongst the smell of hay and animal dung, to shepherds running through the town, to a busy temple where two people prophesied over him, to strange foreigners visiting from the East, to a flight to a foreign country avoiding a homicidal king…  and not to mention angels popping up here and there! God did not stop time and space when he showed up. He jumped into the fray (and dare I say made it even more chaotic). If he can do it back then, I’m pretty sure he can do it today. So, instead of beating myself up this year for not slowing down, I think I’ll take Jesus’ hand and jump into the craziness with him. And just maybe, along the way, he’ll open my eyes to see how he can use me to bless those around me in little and big ways.

It’s been exciting to see children’s ministries all over the place helping children see and respond to global social issues. The challenge, though, for children’s ministry leaders and parents is finding resources to help children grab onto and understand issues like building wells for clean water. It’s such a foreign concept for children who grow up not having to worry about whether or not the water they are about to drink will make them sick or not.

Here is a great picture book written by Ariah Fine entitled Clean Water for Elirose that speaks on a level that kids can understand what it might mean to not have access to clean drinking water. Not only does Ariah help kids contextualize the issue of clean water but it also gives kids and families action steps they can take to make a difference in the world when it comes to building wells in underprivileged areas of the world.

I encourage you to take a look at the electronic version of the book by clicking here. Not only that… I encourage you to buy copies of books for the kids in your ministries. All the profits from the book go to Charity:Water. Ariah has partnered with them this year to raise $5000, which will build one well! You might even consider buying the books, selling them for a nominal profit to the families at your church and donating those to a well building project of your own!

To order the book, check out the book website at http://cleanwaterforelirose.com. The pricing is structured as a Pay-What-You-Can-Afford beginning at $3 per book with free shipping.

Ariah is also giving a book away a day between December 1 and 15. Here are some ways you can enter:

• Like the Clean Water for Elirose Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/CleanWaterForElirose
• Refer someone to “Like” The facebook page (proven by them posting your name on our wall as the person who referred them)
• Follow @WaterForElirose on Twitter
• Tweet or post on Facebook about Clean Water for Elirose linking back to the website, facebook or twitter page
• Blog about Clean Water for Elirose on your blog (counts as two entries) – And you might want to post it on our Facebook or email info@cleanwaterforelirose.com just so we don’t miss it.

Email me your snail mail addy, and I’ll get that curriculum in the mail for ya!

If you missed the contest or didn’t win… sorry. Keep an eye open, though. I get to give away stuff every now and then

If you hadn’t already checked it out, hop on over to my post on how you can use Phil Vischer’s new DVD Why Do We Call it Christmas? to teach about Hanukkah!

We’re supposed to be talking about Christmas, you say? What does Hanukkah have to do with Christmas, you say? Well, I’m glad you asked! Check out this clip from Phil Vischer’s latest video, “Why Do We Call It Christmas.”

In the ever growing commercialization and secularization of Christmas, we tend to toss things like Hanukkah aside or ignore it. Sometimes we are even threatened by it–scared that we are “taking Christ out of Christmas” if we acknowledge anything other than Christmas. Little do most of us realize that Jesus grew up celebrating Hanukkah (or as Sunday School Lady so aptly pointed out, the Feast of Dedication). While Hanukkah isn’t a celebration about Christ, per se, it is a celebration of God’s miraculous provision for his people. I think that’s definitely worth knowing about and recognizing.

If you pick up Why Do We Call It Christmas? (and why wouldn’t you… along with the curriculum?), here are some ideas/thoughts to take into consideration when discussing Hanukkah:

• The lampstand was supposed to stay lit all the time (Leviticus 24:4). It represented God’s light of goodness and righteousness that was always there.
• Why do you think it was a big deal for the lampstand to stay lit for eight days when it only had enough oil to stay lit for one day? How do you think the Israelites would’ve felt if the lampstand had gone out?
• Read John 1:1-12 together. What is Jesus compared to in these verses?
• Read Matthew 5:13-14 together. Who is the light in these verses?

I highly recommend picking up this video for your family or the curriculum for your church. As is characteristic with Phil Vischer’s work, there is something in this video for all ages.

Thanks to the generous people at Jellyfish Labs, I have a copy of the Curriculum DVD ($79 value) to give away! In order to qualify to win, you need to do two things:

1. Leave a comment telling me what Roman name you’d like to have.
2. Share this post on Facebook (be sure to tag me) or on Twitter (include @henryjz in the post).

I will choose a winner at the end of the day on Wednesday, November 16 2011.

Just as a teaser, here are three of the points I make about helping kids read the Bible:

• Inspire children to hear and read the Bible as a whole
• Help children see the Bible as more than an instruction booklet
• Help children understand that the Bible has something to say about how they live from day to day

You’ll have to read the article if you want those points unpacked You can, then, hop on over to the Kidology forums where you can discuss the article and your thoughts about biblical literacy today. (If you aren’t already a member of Kidology, what are you waiting for?)

Speaking of things digital… I’m finishing up my presentation notes for a workshop that I am doing at Group’s Kidmin Conference in just over a week entitled, “Teaching Digital Learners.” I’m really looking forward to facilitating this workshop and the insights the participants and I will be learning from each other. If you haven’t registered for the Kidmin Conference, you might still be able to squeeze in. Online registration is closed, but you can call (859) 940-5847 to check on availability!

If you have registered, I look forward to meeting you there. In addition to the workshop, I’ll be part of the What Matters Now in Children’s Ministry conversations happening along with Amy Dolan, Matt McKee and Greg Baird. I’d love to chat, have coffee, or even share a meal with you and/or your team. Whether or not you plan on attending the “Teaching Digital Learners” workshop, I encourage you to hop on over to the Kidmin Conference discussion forum and join the conversation going on there about this topic. Your contributions will greatly add to the workshop.

(picture originally uploaded to Flickr by ePublicist)

At the end of August, the entire Family Life ministry team at MPPC (children’s, middle school and high school ministries staffs) went on a retreat–together–to talk about our shared vision for reaching kids and families. Never in my 20+ years of being involved in ministry have I ever heard of something like this happening anywhere! It’s amazing how those few days together built respect and trust across all of our teams.

Why doesn’t stuff like this happen more often? I’m sure there are varied legitimate answers to that question. I’d like to propose one reason for the chasm between the children’s ministry and student ministry worlds: each ministry acts as an island unto itself. As ministry to kids and families became more specialized with the dawn of youth and children’s ministries, church staffs began to build their ministries around their specific age demographic. They began to created their own languages, customs and values. In some churches this siloing of student and children’s ministries has even created animosity between the two.

I bet, by now, you’re wondering how this is ever going to be a post about Orange… Well, it’s this culture that Orange is trying to dismantle and redefine. Of all the conferences out there, the one thing that makes Orange stand out among the rest is the value of synchronized vision and strategy of ministry from birth through high school and beyond. Orange is the one conference where leaders from children’s ministry and youth ministry can come to learn a common language and come together to partner with families to help children develop a lifelong love and transformational relationship with God.

It’s not easy trying to forge a merger between children’s and student ministries. The momentum of ministry to families that you create, though, when it happens is well worth the effort. If you are truly serious about ministering to the families at your church and in your community and you realize the value of a common vision and strategy that spans birth through high school, then Orange is a great place to start that journey. Orange is also a great place to meet other churches on the same journey.

Registration started on September 22. Take advantage of the early bird registration. Don’t just come as a children’s ministry or as a student ministry. Come together and form a new culture of family ministry and your church.

Over a year ago we embarked on a crazy journey. To make a long story, short… we felt led to leave Thunder Bay, Ontario and my position at Redwood Park Church to move back to California. Along the way, we discovered some reasons for the move: being closer to family after living away for 12 years and me going to grad school were just a couple of the reasons. Upon arriving in California with no jobs, no place to live, and no idea of what God had next at the beginning of July 2009, Erin landed a well-paying job within a couple of weeks (and she’d been out of the workforce as a stay-at-home mom for 11 years)!

Well, here we are in the middle of August 2011, and I thought I’d give you all an update.

Over the past 5 days, I’ve discovered the wonderful acitivity of geocaching! The best way I can describe it is high-tech treasure hunting. You use a GPS to find things all over the place! Anyway, one of the things you’re encouraged to do is set waypoints along your geocaching journey, especially if you are exploring an unknown trail or something like it. A waypoint is simply a set of geographical coordinates that specify a certain place… sort of like setting a waypoint where you parked your car so you can find your way back if you get lost. Another way to look at waypoints is that they are virtual signposts or breadcrumbs to help you see where you’re going and where you’ve been. All that to say, there have been a couple of significant waypoints recently as we continue to chase the Wild Goose.

This fall, I will begin a Masters program in Sociology at San Jose State University! Classes start in a couple of weeks, and I am really excited about it. My desire is to focus on children, families and religion with the intent to take a look at the cultural and theological factors that affect the church world when it comes to ministering to children and families. It is also my hope to bridge the gap between the academic world of child spiritual formation and family and children’s ministry in the local church. I’m not sure what that all looks like, but that’s part of the adventure!

In October of this year, I am privileged to be one of the workshop leaders at Group’s Kidmin Conference! I will be facilitating a workshop called Teaching Digital Learners. I’m stepping in for my friend Matt Guevara who isn’t able to make it to the conference. I’m really excited to share about this topic and brainstorming with those who will be at the workshop about how to understand and reach a whole new generation of kids who now process things much differently than most of us do. I hope to see you there. If you are, let me know… I’d love to have coffee, lunch, breakfast, dinner…whatever!

Beginning on Monday, August 15, I will be joining the children’s ministry team at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church as the 4th/5th Grade Assistant Director. In short, that means I will be overseeing the aspects of children’s ministry that are focused on 4th and 5th grade. I’m looking forward to being a part of the team at MPPC. We’ve been attending there as a family for the past couple of months and have been blessed by what the church is doing in the San Francisco Bay Area. I’ve missed working in children’s ministry this past year think this position is a great fit for where God has us. The fun part is that my first day on the job is also the beginning of a 2 and a half day retreat with the entire family ministry staff… talk about jumping in!

So, there’s a quick update about some waypoints that God has placed in my life recently. I’ve been taking it one step at a time and look forward to the journey ahead. Please pray for our family as we transition to this new season. Specifically, please pray that we are able to replace our dying van (we need another van and a smaller car); pray that we can figure out all of the childcare challenges of going to a family where both parents are working; and pray that I will be able to quickly readjust to being in school again after 13 years. I’m so thankful to all of you who have been praying for us and cheering us on along this.

In 2009, Brian Haynes came out with his book, Shift, which outlined for ministry leaders a strategy for capitalizing on certain milestones in life to partner with parents in passing faith to their children. In fact, I was part of a blog tour in October 2009 for the book. If you haven’t checked out Shift and are curious, you can check out my review of Shift here. You can also pick up some Shift resources here.

Well, Brian has come out with a complementary book entitled Legacy Path. Legacy Path is written for parents and outlines Biblical principles pointing to the importance of parents passing on faith to their children, the necessity of parents cultivating their own faith, and strategies for passing on faith that are connected to certain life milestones.

Legacy Path is an easy read. I completed it in a couple of hours. It’s brevity makes it a book that would be easy for busy parents to pick up and get through. Don’t be fooled, though, by it’s length. Legacy Path is packed with solid material that is hugely practical. Brian gives parents strategies they can use or adapt to intentionally pass on the baton of faith to their children. I recommend this book for new and veteran parents alike. I also recommend that churches consider Legacy Path as a resource they can provide to families.

I was given the opportunity to ask Brian a few questions about Legacy Path and the Legacy Milestones. Following is my interview with Brian:

Kidmin and Culture (KAC): What do you say to a parent who reads Legacy Path and says, “Our family life is so busy, I just don’t see doing something like this as realistic. Does that make me a bad parent? What are some baby steps I can do to pass on faith to my child?”

Brian: “Most parents feel like their life is really busy, making it a struggle to prioritize the faith training of their child. That does not make them a bad parent. It does mean that, if they are Christ-followers, they should wrestle with how to rearrange life to have time to be intentional in the faith development of their children as they sit at home, walk along the road, lie down, and get up.

“That being said there are some great ways to ease into being intentional spiritual parents. Just praying with your kids before bed is a great way for them to hear your heart for God and for them as your children. Reading one verse in the morning, in the car on the way to wherever, or at night before bed is an easy way to bring the Scripture home. A great simple step is to go to church together consistently for worship, Bible Study, and community.”



KAC: There are some families who are already passing on the faith in their own way. Do those families need to readjust what they are doing to conform to what is outlined in Legacy Path? Are there other ways to pass on faith that are different than those in Legacy Path?

Brian: “The Legacy Path is a plan based on biblical principles. There are many plans out there that are great and will work very well. If a family already has a plan that is working I would say stick with that. If anything in my book helps, adds to, or allows you to tweak your plan, then by all means go for it. I don’t have the only plan . . . just a plan. I heard someone say once, “If I have a plan and you don’t have a plan then I like my plan better than your plan.” If you have a plan, work it. But if you don’t have a plan, I think The Legacy Path is a relatively simple way to train our children with intentionality.

”

KAC: While the principles you lay out in this book are meant for all types of families, it seems that much of what is written is targeted at more traditional families with a father who works and a mother who stays at home with the kids. How can these principles apply to non-traditional families?

Brian: “I am writing from the perspective of a biblical worldview to an audience of Christ-followers in all stages of their faith. On the subject of faith training, it’s easy for ministry leaders to sometimes get hung up on differences between traditional and non-traditional families. But these principles are not necessarily limited to only work for a family with a husband, wife, 2.2 kids, and a dog. The truth is the principles will work in any family with an adult committed to Christ. That’s the key.

“Every family has unique issues and obstacles to overcome. Biblical principles super-cede all of those obstacles. That does not mean it is easy for a single mom or dad to go it alone at home. It doesn’t mean a blended family won’t have issues. It doesn’t mean a traditional family will have it easy. Truthfully, faith training our children from any perspective is a struggle, but a battle worth fighting. I have seen these principles work in any family where an adult is committed to Christ and willing to make an effort.”



KAC: How do the strategies in Legacy Path translate across ethnocultural lines?

Brian: “I think the building blocks of the strategy apply across ethnocultural lines. A faith talk can happen in any culture. God moments happen in any culture. Milestones happen in any culture.  Many of the illustrations and ideas I give likely have a suburban to urban middle-class flare because that’s my experience. Adaptability is the key here. Families can decide how they will practice the principles of The Legacy Path. Houston is an increasingly diverse city. Even just in our city I see the milestones play out different ways in different families based on cultural and socio-economic realities. One example of this is the use of the Quinceanera as the rite of passage ceremony for girls. With such a large Latin population in our city, we see Christians from that culture adapt Milestone 5 in a way that fits their culture. Since parents are the primary faith trainers, they have the responsibility and freedom to adapt the strategies in ways that make sense for their particular culture.

”

KAC: What is the biggest take-away from Legacy Path?

Brian: “The biggest take-away is that every parent is a primary faith trainer and is building a legacy whether they intend to or not. The only difference is whether it’s positive or negative. We can be intentional about building a legacy of faith, but the path to legacy is filled with sacrifice.

”

KAC: What is your vision for this book? How do you see it impacting families and culture?

Brian: “My prayer for the book is two fold. First, that parents would find this to be a simple road map to help them know where to step next in the journey of spiritual parenting. I also hope that ministry leaders who have adopted a form of milestones in their church after reading my first book, SHIFT, will now have a simple tool to hand to parents to help them understand their role as intentional faith trainers. The book is written so that ministry leaders can lead small groups of parents through the book. There are discussion questions at the end of each chapter to springboard conversation. I pray that God uses this to bring glory to His name throughout the generations.“

You can find Legacy Path at online retailers like Amazon. You can also check out other stops on the Legacy Path book blog tour here. If you are interested in finding out more about the Legacy Milestones, you can check out the Legacy Milestones website as well as follow Brian Haynes on his blog.