Nurturing Faith

Faith left on rocky soil withers. But faith nurtured in the good soil of Christian teaching, formation, and mentorship grows to maturity and yields thriving community. Educational ministries are so often where this happens—where the desires of the human heart are shaped toward a love for God, a love for one’s neighbor, and a love for the world. In this comprehensive guide to educational ministries in the twenty-first century, Fred Edie and Mark Lamport explore how church leaders and others involved in Christian education can nurture a robust, cruciform faith within their communities. When discussing strategies and goals, Edie and Lamport consider a range of contexts and a variety of related fields that might give insight into educational ministry: theology, pedagogy, philosophy, social science, and more. Those working with any age group—children, adolescents, and adults—will find a relevant discussion of key underlying theological themes, a guide to concrete practices, and indispensable help in navigating shifting cultural dynamics. Exceedingly practical and consistent with the teachings of the gospel, the wisdom in this book will speak to all who long to foster discipleship in their church, school, or missional community. Key Features A “Road Map” at the beginning of each chapter concisely introduces the chapter’s topic and essential themes. Sidebars throughout the text provide deeper insight into particular important or nuanced concepts. Discussion questions at the end of each chapter facilitate further reflection, especially in conversation with others. Suggestions for further reading are provided at the end of each chapter for those interested in exploring the chapter’s ideas in greater depth. Concluding the book is a series of afterwords from experts in the field of Christian educational ministries: Martyn Percy, Almeda Wright, Craig Dykstra, Kirsten Oh, Elizabeth DeGaynor, and Thomas Groome.

""Wimberly's latest work presents pastors, church lay leaders and scholars with a new lens to think critically and joyously about how Christian education undergirds and supports the worship experience in nurturing faith and hope in black parishioners."" --David L. Wallace, Sr., Dean, Johnson C. Smith Theological Seminary The Interdenominational Theological Center, Atlanta, Georgia ""This highly recommended work provides a thoughtful yet comprehensive framework of the black Christian worshipping community as the context where faith and hope are nurtured."" --Marsha Snulligan Haney, Associate Professor of Missiology and Religions of the World, The Interdenominational Theological Center, Atlanta, Georgia ""This is a must read for all pastors and worship designers who desire to make worship relevant for African American Congregations."" --Cecelia M. Long, former General Secretariat of the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women in the United Methodist Church ""Innovative, dynamic, thought provoking, and inspiring. A must read for pastors, church leaders, Christian educators, and anyone interested in revitalizing Christian education in the 21st Century."" --Yolanda Y. Smith, Assistant Professor of Christian Education, Yale University Divinity School, and author of Reclaiming the Spirituals: New Possibilities for African American Christian Education ""Dr. Wimberly has seized upon the, heretofore, unspoken wisdom of the black church . . . Local church laity and clergy will easily access this fine work for local churches."" --Lynne Westfield, Assistant Professor of Christian Education, Drew Theological School, Madison, New Jersey ""Wimberly understands comprehensively the ways education is embodied in congregational life. Indeed, she invites us to nurture faith and hope."" --Jack L. Seymour, Professor of Religious Education and Academic Dean, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, Evanston. Illinois Anne E. Streaty Wimberly is Professor of Christian Education at The Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, Georgia. She is the author of several books including Soul Stories: African American Christian Education (1994).

Analyzes the spiritual formation of young children and calls for renewed attention to scripture and the involvement of families in the process.

The revised and updated edition of this classic Christian family resource that shows families how to articulate their faith features a new chapter six. It takes into account the growing number of blended families in the U.S., and discusses multi-faith and multi-cultural families and the challenges they face. Parents, guardians, and those who do ministry with children will benefit from this book.

This book combines both biblical and theological foundations for children's ministry with a careful assessment of other issues in nurturing children, such as developmentalism, the context of learning and growth, values, cognitive abilities, and social relationships.

Rachel Turner offers simple, everyday approaches for parents to help their babies and toddlers connect with the God who knows them, sowing seeds of faith for the future.

Nurturing Child and Adolescent Spirituality: Perspectives from the World's Religious Traditions provides a forum for prominent religious scholars to examine the state of religious knowledge and theological reflection on spiritual development in childhood and adolescence. Featuring essays from thinkers representing the world's major religious traditions, the book introduces new voices, challenges assumptions, raises new questions, and broadens the base of knowledge and investment in this important domain of life. Nurturing Child and Adolescent Spirituality will set the stage for new waves of scholarship and dialogue within and across traditions, disciplines, and cultures that will enrich understanding and strengthen how the world's religious traditions, and others, understand and cultivate the spiritual lives of children and adolescents around the globe.

As Your Children Grow, Will Their Faith Grow Too? As both stories and statistics attest, the number of evangelical children who abandon Christianity in adulthood is staggering. To see effective change, parents cannot leave their child’s faith to chance. Rather, families must start nurturing faith early—you cannot start once your child is grown, you must start at home. Strengthening family and home life is the best way to encourage your children to maintain a lifelong faith. It Starts at Home upholds marriage and family as the proving ground for lasting success. Experienced pastors Kurt Bruner and Steve Stroope provide a clear purpose, an effective strategy, and a simple plan for anyone who wants to be intentional in their homes. Their insights will help leaders recalibrate their priorities by asking them to evaluate their leadership where it counts most. This newly revised edition evaluates the current trends families and young adults face that can contribute to this crisis. Don’t let your child’s faith fade to memory—learn how you can create a home that will prepare them for lifelong faith.