Children/Student Ministry Resources

I was asked to review a couple of resources for use in Children’s/Family ministry as well as a student curriculum for spiritual formation. The Children’s ministry tool is a devotional for family use titled, INDESCRIBABLE by Louie Giglio, illustrated by Nicola Anderson (Tommy Nelson, 2017) This hardback book contains 100 devotions about God and science which are both fun and profound.

Each of the 100 devotional thoughts begins with a Scripture passage, explores an aspect of science, from space, to human biology, to Nature and the animal kingdom. Each sections closes with an integration to theology and a closing prayer. The illustrations are winsome and pleasing to adults as well as children .I intend to save this book to use in the future should small children again enter into my regular devotional reading times, it is a delight!

The second book is a curriculum for high schoolers titled, THE JESUS CREED For Students by Scott McKnight (Paraclete Press, 2011) assisted by Chris Folmsbee and Syler Thomas. This shorted student edition (Only 100 pages) is based on the 300 page original The Jesus Creed Winner of the 2005 Christianity Today Book of The Year). The thesis of both books is simply stated, “The first rule of spiritual formation is this: a spiritually formed person loves God and others” (Matthew 22:37-40) (p. 11). The student version contains student applications as well as an excellent discussion on the role of faith and doubt in chapter 7 (pp. 60-62). The ethical implications of The Jesus Creed and The Lords Prayer are presented in such a way as promote personal change through Spiritual Growth as well as change the world one relationship at a time based on the “three words for a boundary breaker: forgiveness, fellowship and freedom”.(p.97) The student curriculum includes a companion video. This is good stuff! It is practical, developmentally appropriate, and well presented. If you are looking for a useful curriculum for high school students this fall, this might be what you are looking for in your ministry.