When I’m not working on writing, I am a Pastor to Kids at a local church! It’s one of my favorite things I do. One of my roles is to stock our Nursery and Preschool rooms with the best picture books and board books for the leaders to read to the kids!
I recently pulled all the Christmas books in our Nursery and Preschool rooms and made a little video about them all! These are all on my recommends list for sure. Check out what books we stock in our church library below:
The Post-Quarantine Church: Six Urgent Challenges and Opportunities That Will Determine the Future of Your Congregation by Thom S Rainer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
It’s no secret that 2020 has been a difficult year in many ways. One way 2020 has impacted the world has taken place in our churches. As a Children’s Pastor, I’ve seen the way that COVID-19 has specifically affected kids: delaying crucial social developmental steps, creating distance between families and friends, and introducing a low-simmering trauma into their lives. That’s not even to mention the kids who have gotten sick from COVID-19, and even those who have died. This has been a tough year all the way around.
In the midst of 2020, Thom S. Rainer brought us The Post-Quarantine Church. This short book is trim and packed with thoughts, reflections, and steps forward for the church (specifically in the United States) as it seeks to look at what comes next. Rainer focuses on six different challenges for the church including: what it means to gather now, the impact of the digital world on the church, the local community and its connection with the church, prayer, facilities, and the business of fast-paced change during this season.
Part of the downfall of this book is that even though it was released in September 2020, some of the language sounds as though Rainer thought the quarantine and perhaps even the pandemic might have been completed by that time. He often uses “While we were in quarantine…” types of sentences, when the reality is that even as of the writing of this review in December 2020, many places across the world are still in a quarantine mode or even returning to their homes due to the rise in cases in many areas across the globe. However, if one you can set this aside, you’ll be able to see some very helpful advice, thoughts, and questions that certainly lead to self- and church-reflection.
Perhaps one of the most important chapters here is the chapter on managing change during this season. Even in my own ministry, we have had to pivot multiple times as we moved from in-person services to online services back in March 2020 and then in April 2020 talked about drive-in services, and then in July 2020 moved to in person services with social distancing and masks in place, and then navigated the space issues, quarantined volunteers and staff, and continuing digital presence for families at home Sundays and Wednesdays. Rainer lays out the fact that this is a time of fast-paced change as information constantly comes at us, as we navigate the difficulties of all the feelings and theories surrounding the pandemic, and even what moving forward in the short term looks like.
Also relevant for many here is the literal instant expansion of online ministry that has taken place in 2020. Children’s ministries around the world suddenly adapted to a new online format they had never used before. Even as some churches returned to in-person services, figuring out ways to do online content for families at home has been challenging in the Children’s ministry realm. It is much more difficult to livestream an in-person kid’s service with kids present due to seeking to protect the privacy of kids in relation to the internet. This has brought double work to many Children’s Pastors seeking to create online and in-person content each week.
I wish Rainer had looked at Children’s and Youth Ministry in particular within the church as those two have had to create many new ways of doing ministry during 2020 in order to accommodate social distancing and in some places capacity guidelines. Rainer is certainly focused here on lead pastors and the church as a whole rather than zeroing in on any specific types of ministry.
All said, this is certainly a helpful book and a very quick read. If you’re in ministry at a church and still struggling with how to move forward into 2021, this is worth a read.
Nbbc, Joshua: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition by Stephen J. Lennox
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Joshua: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition is the first Bible Commentary I have ever sat down and read from cover to cover. Dr. Stephen J. Lennox brings the book of Joshua to the 21st century and helps modern day readers ask tough questions (and I do mean tough questions) of the text, grapple with theological themes, and understand the background culture and composition of the book.
One of my favorite aspects of the New Beacon Bible Commentary series is the copious amount of sources included in the bibliography and throughout the text that leads readers to discover more scholarship on various specific topics brought up through the book of Joshua. An extensive bibliography is included here, and a must-go list for anyone studying the book in depth.
The book of Joshua is a complicated one, especially in light of the amount of seemingly God-sanctioned violence throughout the narrative. Dr. Lennox takes time up front to address many of these concerns in an entire section dedicated to the question of what to do with the violence in Joshua. Throughout, the author presents multiple theories from multiple angles in an effort to best present all the possibilities and allow readers to draw conclusions for themselves.
Each chapter is broken down, outlined, and presented in a three-part structure: Behind the Text, which showcases background information, framing, and other considerations before entering the text of the chapter; In the Text, which takes the reader verse by verse, addressing key issues along the way; and From the Text, which gives concluding thoughts, application, and tie-ins to the rest of Scripture. Along the side of every page are little “guide verses” that show what passage that page covers, which makes it easy to go back and flip through and find the section needed.
If you are looking for deeper study on the book of Joshua, Dr. Lennox’s commentary is a must-have.
Many Colors: Cultural Intelligence for a Changing Church by Soong-Chan Rah
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
During 2020 in the United States of America, we have seen our fair share of difficult, traumatic, and horrifying seasons. Between global pandemics, political fervor at a fever pitch and ready to explode, the saga of what is truth and what is fake, and natural disasters from tornadoes to hurricanes to wildfires, this has been quite the year. But it has also been an important year because this was the year that racism and cultural identity came to the forefront of public discussion after the tragic deaths of several African-Americans. This conversation was not able to be had in person due to social distancing and quarantines that have affected our country and disallowed people to have this important conversation in person rather than over social media, blogs, podcasts, and the news.
Soong-Chan Rah’s Many Colors: Cultural Intelligence for a Changing Church will not solve these issues. It will not be the sudden revelation that leads to widespread heart change across the United States. It really only scratches a tiny surface of space and allows readers to enter in to the discussion with a toe. But it is an important scratch, especially for those who are in ministry, and for those who are new to the culture conversation.
Let me begin by defining what I mean and what Rah means by culture. “Culture” is a buzz word in many evangelical circles that conjures up images of an oppressed church by a “wicked culture” that seeks to destroy the foundations of Christianity at every turn. While this may be the way some view culture, this is not what Rah is presenting. When he talks about Cultural Intelligence, he is talking more in terms of the ways that groups of people operate in their daily lives: from the types of food that a group may prefer, or music, or film, or ways of communicating. For example, some cultures communicate very directly, with facts and numbers, and seldom tell stories to illustrate an idea, while other cultures are the exact opposite, and will never tell you directly what they are thinking and love stories as way of communication.
Throughout the book, Rah talks about the vast lack of cross-cultural intelligence existing in the United States in particular. Most groups tend to stick together and rarely find ways to cross into each others’ worlds. This is what the book is all about: answering the question of how we extend a hand to others within the body of Christ and respect their culture by seeking to understand, experience, and even embrace it. This is a difficult, difficult task, and Rah starts there by saying it will be hard. It will cause many to have uncomfortable feelings and emotions as they process their own culture, the history of the United States, and then find ways to bridge the gaps that need to be bridged.
Rah doesn’t sit only in theory, as some books in this genre do. The last third of the book is dedicated to practical ways to seek to love one another through hospitality, the telling of stories, journeying together through difficult experiences, and looking at the ways our churches in particular operate and how they may or may not be welcoming to others.
For those who have read other books on the topic, this will not necessarily be new information. Much of the beginning two-thirds may seem repetitive against other works that have spent more time with the subject. However, the last third is particularly helpful, and relevant to the current social climate in the United States as a way forward to discussion, understanding, and bridging the gaps in culture between races.
All-Consuming Fire: Object Lessons from the Book of Acts for Kids by Anne Marie Gosnell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I am always looking for great ideas, object lessons, experiments, and even simple activities that will allow kids to discover who Jesus is, who they are, and then lead those same kids to a place where they can respond to God’s love for them. Having used Anne Marie Gosnell’s object lesson books in the past and seeing the way kids in our Children’s Ministry had those “Aha!” moments after watching and hearing her object lessons, I knew I needed to get this latest one on the Book of Acts.
All-Consuming Fire: Object Lessons from the Book of Acts for Kids contains 24 lessons from the Book of Acts, walking from Acts 1 all the way through Acts 28, and even including one lesson on the letters of the New Testament. Each chapter gives you an overview or main idea from the Scripture passage, as well as a list of materials needed, some background information, an object lesson, Bible lesson, and a life application section including discussion questions throughout the chapter to use with the kids in your ministry. There are also tips for teaching kids sprinkled throughout the book, as well as extra resources on leading a child to Christ and how to be an excellent Bible teacher. There are also additional resources you can access once you purchase the book, including verse posters for each lesson.
What I love most about these object lessons is the way each one really helps kids to connect the dots: from the Bible story to the objects to the life application point. Anne Marie Gosnell’s ideas are a lot of fun too, and sometimes a little “explosive,” which really gets the kids’ attention! Most of the objects used are things you can find in a local store, online, or in your Children’s Ministry closet at church.
All said, if you are taking the kids in your Children’s Ministry through the book of Acts anytime soon, this book is a must-have. It’s really like getting twenty-four great messages dropped in your lap! This book truly is the most comprehensive Acts Teaching Guide for Children’s Ministry I’ve ever seen.
Frolic Bible Babies by Lucy Bell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
There is so much to love about Frolic Bible Babies! From the cover art to every page, this board book draws in the reader immediately with bright colors, well-drawn faces, and engaging backgrounds.
This little book covers the lives of four babies found in Scripture: Isaac, Moses, Samuel, and Jesus. Each story is told simply and in a way that tells about how special each one of these babies is to God, and how every baby and toddler hearing these stories, seeing these pictures, and interacting with this book will discover that they are special to God as well.
Some of the art is taken from the Frolic First Faith Storybook Bible. While the stories may be repeated here as well, the emphasis in this board book is on these specific babies. A little extra time is taken on Jesus to show that Jesus is God and loves everyone.
One other important facet to this particular board book, and why I highly recommend it, is that the Biblical figures are drawn here with attention to how they might have actually appeared in history, and not as European, blond-haired and blue-eyed individuals. This accurate representation of these characters not only grounds them further in history, but also helps kids from around the world to know that they can see babies like themselves in the stories of Scripture.
This is a great board book addition to any home or church nursery! I especially recommend this one and any of the other Frolic books. You can find them at any online retailer!
When Bad Churches Happen to Good Pastors: Why Pastors Leave and What You Can Do about It by David Frisbie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Churches can be a wonderful place — a family that cares for one another, worships God together, and comes every Sunday to find encouragement and refreshment from God’s Word through the words and actions of a pastor. However, churches can also be incredibly painful places to serve — places where pain is meted out quickly and readily by church members, sometimes intentionally and sometimes unintentionally. In their book When Bad Churches Happen to Good Pastors David and Lisa Frisbie tackle the difficult subject of churches that hurt pastors.
Using a conversational style, the Frisbie’s sit down with multiple pastors who have walked away from ministry after difficult pastorates in difficult churches and interview them about their experiences. These stories range from hilarious in hindsight to heartbreaking. Along the way, the authors identify different kinds of church issues that can arise and lead to a pastor’s self-exit, sometimes leaving the congregation blindsided and asking what happened.
Each chapter is focused on a different aspect of “bad” churches:
* Fights for power or control within a church body
* Church “dynasties” — families that control the decisions of the church
* Church “bosses” — individuals who have been around long enough or give enough tithe to push decisions in a certain direction
* Conflicts between groups within the church that lead to the pastor being caught in the crossfire
* Churches with wounded pastors who are not cared for spiritually, mentally, or financially
This book is a must read for church boards, denominational leaders, and pastors who have been through the trauma of a difficult church, if for no other reason than to realize that the problems in one congregation are not unique. Across the United States there are churches who cause problems that leave pastors wounded in the process.
The call is clear: the church needs to deal with issues within their own congregations, support and encourage their pastors, and when sin rears its ugly head, face it dead on and deal with it in a biblical, loving manner. Lead pastors need our appreciation and support.
While this book does not cover When Bad Pastors Happen to Good Churches, it does touch on the flipside of the topic and dives deep into what churches can do to strengthen the pastorate and care for the people in the pastor’s family. For churches dealing especially with high pastoral turnover, this book could shed light on the hidden or open problems within the church congregation itself.
Inside the Transformative World of Children’s Ministry by Kyle Tyler
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
If there is one book that a Children’s Pastor, a Lead Pastor, a church board, or Children’s Ministry volunteers could read, it is Inside the Transformative World of Children’s Ministry by Kyle Tyler. As I read through, I could not help underlining, highlighting, and literally thanking God that someone had taken fingers to keys and written this down. Tyler has so many important things to say about Children’s Ministry and the church, and we need to listen.
Starting from a macro view of what Children’s Ministry is, does, and should be, Tyler traces through the philosophy behind ministry to kids, and then in later chapters moves to more practical, shoes to the pavement, advice and ideas. Children’s Ministry is not just about “watching the kids” while the adults “do the real spiritual work;” kids are full members of the body of Christ, and as Tyler says here, holding a baby in the nursery and telling them God loves them is an act of worship.
Lead Pastors, please read this book.
Church boards, please read this book.
Children’s Pastors, ministers, directors, and volunteers, please read this book.
It really is that important. We can’t afford to let our kids’ ministries slip through the cracks. It should be one of the first ministries we pour time, effort, and funds into. Thank you, Kyle Tyler, for such an important book on ministry to children.
