The most vital mission field of the church is growing fast - and growing up all around us. How will we connect today's children to the full impact of the Gospel while we can still reach them? God created children in His image. That alone give them inherent worth, and means God has expectations about their dignity and development. In fact, God's goal is nothing less than "life to the full" for each one (John 10:10). A full life means a whole life. Yet as Dan Brewster makes clear in Future Impact, many children today face almost overwhelming barriers, like poverty and prejudice, that deny them the wholeness for which God created them. Our challenge? The church is uniquely called to remove those barriers for the children in our midst and around the world. Join Dan Brewster in this insightful study of children and their rightful place in the church's mission strategy. In this book, you'll explore: -The theological foundations of ministry to children -The ethics of child evangelism across cultures -The components of biblical, holistic child development -Practical applications of church-based child development programs -Why childhood years have proven to be the prime time for people to both hear and respond to the gospel -Unexpected resources to enhance the effectiveness of your outreach to children Discover why children have been, and continue to be, one of God's most cherished resources in advancing His kingdom. You'll never see a child in the same way again.

Mission work is not for the faint of heart. We admire those brave souls who leave behind the comforts of home and go to foreign fields to bring the love of Christ to people in need. And sometimes it feels uninspiring to be stuck at home in the day-to-day of parenting when others are out there changing the world, soul by soul. Shontell Brewer has a message to renew the spirits of everyday moms: they too have a critical calling as the very first missionaries their children meet. In her informal, funny voice, Brewer points out the many unexpected parallels: A missionary may need to learn a foreign language and new customs to understand and communicate with those around her. A missionary has to follow the path God puts before her, sacrificing sleep, comfort, time, and toilets. Sound like any moms you know? Brewer tackles common challenges from mom-guilt to the temptation to be a martyr to those days when it feels like only a box of cookies and a Netflix binge can restore a sense of peace. But through it all, she shares the truth that there's more to parenting than potty training and orthodontist appointments. Mothers make the love of Christ tangible and understandable to their children. With determination and a few purposeful steps, moms can embrace their own mission field, leading their families--heart, soul, mind, and strength--to Christ.

Sticky Faith delivers positive and practical ideas to nurture within your kids a living, loving faith that lasts a lifetime. Research indicates that almost half of high school seniors drift from their faith after graduation. Struck by this staggering statistic, and recognizing its ramifications, the Fuller Youth Institute (FYI) conducted the "College Transition Project" in an effort to identify the relationships and best practices that can set young people on a trajectory of lifelong faith and service. This easy-to-read guide presents both a compelling rationale and a powerful strategy to show parents how to actively encourage their children’s spiritual growth so that it will stick with them into adulthood and empower them to develop a living, lasting faith. Written by Fuller Youth Institute Executive Director Dr. Kara E. Powell and youth expert Chap Clark--authors known for the integrity of their research and the intensity of their passion for young people--Sticky Faith is geared to spark a movement that empowers adults to develop robust and long-term faith in kids of all ages. Further engage your family and church with the Sticky Faith Guide for Your Family, Sticky Faith curriculum, and Sticky Faith youth worker edition. Sticky Faith is also available in Spanish, Cómo criar jóvenes de fe sólida.

The author gives encouragement and insight into life-changing action that will impact generations to come. Parents will be inspired to build faith and character in the heart of their kids. Topics covered include: the God-filled normal life, impacting a thousand generations, creating a home of unity, the noble calling of fatherhood and motherhood, the blessing of family worship, and discipline that disciples.

With more than 450,000 copies in print, When Helping Hurts is a paradigm-forming contemporary classic on the subject of poverty alleviation. Poverty is much more than simply a lack of material resources, and it takes much more than donations and handouts to solve it. When Helping Hurts shows how some alleviation efforts, failing to consider the complexities of poverty, have actually (and unintentionally) done more harm than good. But it looks ahead. It encourages us to see the dignity in everyone, to empower the materially poor, and to know that we are all uniquely needy—and that God in the gospel is reconciling all things to himself. Focusing on both North American and Majority World contexts, When Helping Hurts provides proven strategies for effective poverty alleviation, catalyzing the idea that sustainable change comes not from the outside in, but from the inside out.

How do children experience and understand God? How can adults help children grow their life of faith? Throughout more than a decade of field research, children's spirituality experts Catherine Stonehouse and Scottie May listened to children talk about their relationships with God, observed children and their parents in learning and worship settings, and interviewed adults about their childhood faith experiences. This accessibly written book weaves together their findings to offer a glimpse of the spiritual responsiveness and potential of children. Through case studies, it provides insight into children's perceptions of God and how they process their faith. In addition, the book suggests how parents, teachers, and ministry leaders can more effectively relate to and work with children and pre-adolescents to nurture their faith, offering a helpful picture of adults and children on the spiritual journey together.

What does living for Jesus look like in the everyday stuff of life? Many Christians have unwittingly embraced the idea that “church” is a once-a-week event rather than a community of Spirit-empowered people; that “ministry” is what pastors do on Sundays rather than the 24/7 calling of all believers; and that “discipleship” is a program rather than the normal state of every follower of Jesus. Drawing on his experience as a pastor and church planter, Jeff Vanderstelt wants us to see that there’s more—much more—to the Christian life than sitting in a pew once a week. God has called his people to something bigger: a view of the Christian life that encompasses the ordinary, the extraordinary, and everything in between. Packed full of biblical teaching, compelling stories, and real-world advice, this book will remind you that Jesus is filling the world with his presence through the everyday lives of everyday people... People just like you.

“A perceptive and practical book about why our calendars so rarely reflect our priorities and what we can do to regain control.”—ADAM GRANT “Carey’s book will help you reorganize your life. And then you can share a copy with someone you care about.”—SETH GODIN You deserve to stop living at an unsustainable pace. An influential podcaster and thought leader shows you how. Overwhelmed. Overcommitted. Overworked. That’s the false script an inordinate number of people adopt to be successful. Does this sound familiar: ● Slammed is normal. ● Distractions are everywhere. ● Life gets reduced to going through the motions. Tired of living that way? At Your Best gives you the strategies you need to win at work and at home by living in a way today that will help you thrive tomorrow. Influential podcast host and thought leader Carey Nieuwhof understands the challenges of constant pressure. After a season of burnout almost took him out, he discovered how to get time, energy, and priorities working in his favor. This approach freed up more than one thousand productive hours a year for him and can do the same for you. At Your Best will help you ● replace chronic exhaustion with deep productivity ● break the pattern of overpromising and never accomplishing enough ● clarify what matters most by restructuring your day ● master the art of saying no, without losing friends or influence ● discover why vacations and sabbaticals don’t really solve your problems ● develop a personalized plan to recapture each day so you can break free from the trap of endless to-dos Start thriving at work and at home as you discover how to be at your best.

This research addresses the gap that is present in both missiology and family and youth ministry. Missiology does not focus on children and youth specifically, while this is the largest population in the developing world. On the other hand, family and youth ministry has a more pastoral than missional approach, not always taking cognisance of contexts like globalisation. Thus, the purpose of the book is to address the sometimes unintended and unnoticed influence of globalisation on the mission of the church, with a specific focus on children, youth and family. For this purpose, the International Association for Mission Studies study group for children, youth and families coming from different parts of the world decided to describe the powers, inequalities and vulnerabilities of children, youth and families in a globalised world from their specific contexts. Although the most prominent research methodology was critical literature studies, methods like autoethnographic, and empirical methods were also used. No decisions were made on a specific method of research for this publication. This publication can be viewed as an interdisciplinary and intra-disciplinary, because it deals with social sciences, anthropology, psychology, missiology, systematic theology and practical theology.

Ever wish parenting came with a do-over button? “Here’s where I messed up. . ." Whenever I say those words during my parenting workshops, you can hear a pin drop. Parents are on the edges of their seats. “And here’s what I’d do differently next time. . ." That’s when every pen in the room begins writing furiously. Let’s face it. Hindsight is 20/20. If you ever find yourself saying "I wish I had a do-over. . ." You're not alone! Join author and youth culture expert, Jonathan McKee, as he shares from his own personal parenting experiences of raising three kids, while making purposeful, effective tweaks along the way. Delivered with a refreshing blend of humor and vulnerability, the author's candid style and real-world application will equip you with solid, helpful practices you can actually use in your own home. With chapters like "Let It Go," "Press Pause," and "Tip the Scales," McKee provides the honest answers you're seeking as you parent your kids.