E.M. Standing's compilation of essays on Montessori religious education

On Guard offers churches eight strategies for preventing child abuse and three for responding to it, helping to move church staff and leaders beyond fearful awareness to prayerful preparedness.

Here is the church, here is the steeple . . . This update to the classic children's rhyme is an introduction to church for a new era, a whirlwind tour through all the wonderful things church can be and do and mean. From megachurches to little chapels to underground meetings, from welcoming to helping to feeding the hungry, church can be and do a lot of things. But ultimately that old rhyme said it best: the church is the people! With gently rhyming text by Sarah Raymond Cunningham and the vibrant and diverse illustrations of Ariel Landy, This Is the Church is an ideal gift for baptisms, confirmations, or any occasion in which children are welcomed into the life of the body of Christ.

A Powerful Approach to Bringing God's Grace to Kids Did you know that the way we deal (or don't deal) with our kids' misbehavior shapes their beliefs about themselves, the world, and God? Therefore it's vital to connect with their hearts--not just their minds--amid the daily behavior battles. With warmth and grace, Jim and Lynne Jackson, founders of Connected Families, offer four tried-and-true keys to handling any behavioral issues with love, truth, and authority. You will learn practical ways to communicate messages of grace and truth, how to discipline in a way that motivates your child, and how to keep your relationship strong, not antagonistic. Discipline is more than just a short-term attempt to modify your child's actions--it's a long-term investment to help them build faith, wisdom, and character for life. When you discover a better path to discipline, you'll find a more well-behaved--and well-believed--kid.

A Biblical take on children in church Written from personal experience Offering practical help

A comprehensive guide to help you determine why your child left the Church and how to bring them back.

Finally! Church history presented in an easily understandable 'living book' form appropriate for young people! "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:19-20) John Mason Neale beautifully captures the struggle of the early Church: from her humble beginnings in Jerusalem, through her rapid spread throughout the ancient world as the apostles scattered far and wide to proclaim the Word of God, to her challenges of preserving the Faith in spite of the many temptations that flooded the Church after its legalization. Included in this volume are stories of some of her greatest saints, -martyrs glorifying God under intense persecution, and defenders of the Faith fighting for Truth against a wide assortment of heretical teachings. Using an immensely engaging style of narration, this work is truly a classic, offering great historical detail in a story form that captures both the mind and heart of a child. This edition includes many added illustrations, biblical, patristic and historical references, as well as an extensive appendix, increasing its educational value for readers of all ages. From a Chalcedon Orthodox Christian point-of-view.

Churches are supposed to be a safe haven, but many deal with the tragic reality of child sexual abuse. This guide, supported by a multidisciplinary team of child abuse experts, helps churches and faith communities formulate policies and procedures to protect children and address possible abuse in their ministries.

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.

The issue of baptism has troubled Protestants for centuries. Should infants be baptized before their faith is conscious, or does God command the baptism of babies whose parents have been baptized? Popular New Testament scholar Scot McKnight makes a biblical case for infant baptism, exploring its history, meaning, and practice and showing that infant baptism is the most historic Christian way of forming children into the faith. He explains that the church's practice of infant baptism developed straight from the Bible and argues that it must begin with the family and then extend to the church. Baptism is not just an individual profession of faith: it takes a family and a church community to nurture a child into faith over time. McKnight explains infant baptism for readers coming from a tradition that baptizes adults only, and he counters criticisms that fail to consider the role of families in the formation of faith. The book includes a foreword by Todd Hunter and an afterword by Gerald McDermott.