Chapter 5 ::: Skeeples and Lomes

Now, did that peak your interest? Well, you're just going to have to read Think Orange to figure out just what a Skeeple and a Lome is!

Order your copy of Think Orange by clicking here.

Chapter 4 ::: Both/And

From Reggie Joiner - Think Orange - Page 79...

"When it comes to entities that God has created specifically to make disciples and accomplish His mission, there is the church ... the family ... and ... nothing else"

The church can't change the next generation on its own ... the family can't change the next generation on its own ... its a both/and situation. The only way to change the next generation is a both/and approach where the church and the family work together - each realizing the others importance in ministering to the next generation.

When the church assumes that the parent knows what to do and how to do it - the process breaks down, just as it does when the parent assumes that the church knows what support they need in raising their child. As silos - the church and the family can't reach the next generation effectively, but together they can have a HUGE impact!

Chapter 3 ::: The Family

It is the smallest unit of society - the family. God created ... the family is intended to show us how God loves here on earth. You don't earn a mother or father's love ... just as you don't earn God's. Our family influences us and helps to mold who we are - yet somewhere along the way I think we lost what it truly means to be a family. In keeping up with the Jones' we've forgotten what quality family time looks like. It's not just being together, but actually interacting in a meaningful way that has a lifelong impact on a child.

God hasn't called anyone to be a perfect parent ... in fact, there is no example of a perfect parent in the Bible. But there are numerous examples of parents - living, making mistakes, acknowledging their downfalls, and interacting with their children.

The family is an integral part of a child's life ... it displays the heart of God.

From Reggie Joiner - Think Orange Page 50

"Although the concept of family has had different expressions in every generation, it has always been significant to our existence. Governments are organized, walls are build, and battles are fought for the sake of families. It is the core of civilization and a primary influence on the human condition."

Chapter 2 ::: The Light

The church - a light - yellow.

The mission of the church is to shine a light on who God is - this is what it was created for. It was not intended to shine a broad light on political issues, church politics, the unchurched, homeless, or anything else - it was solely intended to shine a light on WHO God is ... the rest are spin offs of shining that light to the community.

Reggie Joiner says it best on page 36 of Think Orange ...

"What is sacred is the mission of the church .... Our mission is not to preserve the local church as it presently exists in its various forms or models; our mission is to be the church."

So often, I feel that we get caught up in preserving the local church, or trying to make it what we want it. We argue over whether to drink coffee in the worship center, have a guitar and drums on stage, play secular songs or traditional hymns, dress-up or dress-down, and the list could go on and on and on ... there isn't a day that goes by where some church somewhere in the world loses focus of its light and wanders off course. Ultimately, what matters is someone's relationship with God ... not the things we argue over on a daily basis.

There's a lot at stake as the church shines it light, yet - if done in the proper way that illuminates WHO God is the next generation will be impacted in ways we can't even imagine - they'll grow spiritually and love others as God intended us to love them.

Chapter 1 ::: Orange

Red + Yellow = Orange ... OR ... Church + Family = A Stronger Influence.

Think Orange is a new way of thinking about the partnership between the church and the family, or maybe its really an old way of thinking re-found. Partnering the church and the family isn't much different than what was done in Biblical times, but its something that we've moved away from. In Think Orange the thought is to come back to that original way of thinking - to combine the two main influences in a child's life, instead of pitting them against each other.

Over the next few weeks I'll be blogging through Think Orange and hope that you'll join me in discussion, thoughts, reading, and even trying it out in your own life!

From Reggie Joiner (Chapter 1, Page 26)

"Both groups are simultaneously hard at work to build faith in children, but the problem is that they are not working in sync. Working on the same thing at the same time is not as effective as working on the same thing at the same time with the same strategy."

Think Orange

The Church - Yellow - God's light to the world

The Family - Red - Unconditional love

Together red+yellow = orange ... BUT its so much more! The family AND the church is the hope of tomorrow, not just the church or just the family. Together anything is better than when its alone.

I just finished reading Think Orange by Reggie Joiner. It is a candid, easy read about a very deep journey of moving towards a family ministry model where both the church and the family see one another as partners ... not experts. In the book there are many great ideas and thought provoking concepts. You won't find "the answer", but you will find thoughts that will get you thinking and evaluating yourself, your ministry, and the partnership between the family and the church.

It's a great read for anyone in any type of ministry ... staff or volunteer or any parent!

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Children's Ministry in the 21st Century

Here's a recent read...

Children's Ministry in the 21st Century

What I liked...

This book is a compilation of several different Children's Ministry Leaders. They bring their expertise in specific areas to the table and share about what the current best practices are when it comes to ministering to children and families. Also, its relevant. It talks about the issues that are facing our kids here and now ... not what we should have done, but what we need to be doing!

What I didn't like ...

Being a PreK Director ... I'm partial to the little guys :-) And this book focuses primarily on ministry to children in Kindergarten and older. While MANY of the ideas are applicable to the younger crowds, it would still be nice to see a book like this written with Preschool Ministry as the focus :-) This book does devote a chapter to Preschool Ministry.

Who should read it...

This is a great book for anyone who cares about the next generation! Whether you're a volunteer, a parent, or a ministry leader ... everyone can walk away with SOMETHING from this book ... whether its a cool idea to try or just a new perspective on the world around you and how it relates to ministry - you'll find something in it that will make you think, evaluate, and apply!

Overall...

This is an easy read and a fairly good book. It has TONS of practical tips (nearly every chapter is followed with at least 10 ideas to try!) The book can be read from cover to cover, or in segments based on topics. If you want to just focus on Special Needs ... then you could just read the Special Needs Chapter and get a ton out of it!

My Score...

4 out of 5 (It's good ... definitely a recomended read, but not something I would read over and over!)