In recent years, the spiritual formation of children has received considerable attention from scholars in the fields of theology, church history, and practical theology. In what ways, if any, are those theories and insights being received by local churches? The intent of this project was to explore ways that the new forms of church that have appeared in North America in the past 20 years minister with children and their families. Visits and phone interviews were made to 25 new-form churches. This article reports the findings of that investigation, noting patterns of similarity and difference in the views of children and the types of ministries the children experience.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AnthonyM. (2008, October). New paradigms for ministry. Paper presented at the Conference of the National Association of Professors of Christian Education, Atlanta, GA.
2.
BarnhillC. (2007). The postmodern parent: Shifting paradigms for the ultimate act of recreation. In PagittD., & JonesT. (Eds.), An emergent manifesto of hope (pp. 51–58). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker.
3.
BeckwithI. (2004). Postmodern children's ministry: Ministry to children in the 21st century.Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
4.
BerrymanJ. (1995). Godly play: An imaginative approach to religious education.Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg.
5.
BouldingE. (1967). Children and solitude.International Journal of Religious Education,43(1), 7–9 and 36–67.
6.
CavallettiS. (1992). The religious potential of the child.Oak Park, IL: Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.
7.
ColesR. (1990). The spiritual life of children.Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.
8.
GibbsE., & BolgerR. (2005). Emerging churches: Creating Christian community in postmodern cultures.Grand Rapids, MI: Baker.
KeltnerD., & HaidtJ. (2003). Approaching awe, a moral, spiritual, and aesthetic emotion.Cognition and Emotion,17(2), 297–314.
11.
McKnightS. (2007, January 19). Five streams of the emerging church: Key elements of the most controversial and misunderstood movement in the church today.Christianity Today51(2) Retrieved from www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2007/february/11.35.html.
12.
StonehouseC. (1998). Joining children on the spiritual journey.Grand Rapids, MI: Baker.
13.
SweetL. (Ed.). (2003). The church in emerging culture.Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
14.
WebberR. (2002). Younger evangelicals: Facing the challenges of the new world.Grand Rapids, MI: Baker.
15.
WesterhoffJ. (2000). Will our children have faith? (Rev. ed.). Harrisburg, PA: Morehouse.
16.
WilhoitJ. (2008). Spiritual formation as if the church mattered: Growing in Christ through community.Grand Rapids, MI: Baker.
17.
YustK. M. (2004). Real kids, real faith: Practices for nurturing children's spiritual lives.San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
