Review of Formational Children’s Ministry by Ivy Beckwith

by Michael Novelli   |  March 02 2010    10:01 AM

Recently I was asked by my friend Amy Dolan from LemonLime Kids to be a part of a blog tour celebrating the release of Formational Children’s Ministry: Shaping Children Using Story, Ritual, and Relationship by Ivy Beckwith. Baker Publishing did provided me with a free copy, but rest assured my views on this book are entirely genuine!

This book is a compelling, accessible read that is helpful for anyone working in ministry. I would love for everyone using stories and experiential learning to read this book. It is that good!

I found my self underlining quote after quote, saying, “yes!” and “exactly!”. Beckwith puts to words my same philosophy of education with passion and clarity. She begins by sharing her observation of the state of children’s ministries by recounting her own experiences, recent research and her encounters with hundreds of ministry workers in her workshops. Unfortunately, much of this points to the realization that, “yes, children’s ministry in our churches is, indeed, broken.” (p.13) It seems that ministry in United States is stuck in a rut, focused on a meld of consumeristic (attractional) and formal education approaches.

Though churches are repackaging children’s ministry with attractive and fun play environments, the focus is still the same: teaching facts with a moral application. The problem with this is that spiritual formation is not “primarily a cognitive endeavor”; it involves our whole beings and “direct experience.”

The author suggests a better way forward: “One of the ways, if not the way, children develop faith and are spiritually formed is through having their imaginations captured for the kingdom of God.” ( p.14) She is contending for the same emphasis that I do with my ministry: imagination is the gateway for deeper learning. This requires a different rhythm of ministry in our churches and homes–rhythms of story, ritual, and relationship.


Shaped by the Bible Story
Many churches following after the school model of education use the Bible as “a tool or textbook” where “the predetermined one-size-fits-all life application becomes the centerpiece of the lesson.” (p.28) The author suggests that this predetermined focus actually may “get in the way of the spiritual transformative power of the Bible story.” Beckwith continues, “We need to really understand that Bible stories are not vehicles for getting us to propositional truth about God. Bible stories are already truth about God. Let’s let the story be the story and tell its own truth to us.” (p.30 / bold added) Instead, we should be creating space to “allow the bible to be a living, breathing member of the learning environment.” (p.28) This kind of environment “invites children to find the in-breaking of God in their own lives.” (p.29)

I resonate so deeply with this. This perspective follows the ancient Hebrew path of learning and is precisely the goal of Bible storying... to let the story speak, and let meaning arise from the story as the Spirit of God illuminates and the imaginations of the participants are sparked toward creative response. YES!

Another section about story caught my attention. Ivy suggests, “We need parents and other important adults who surround them to be able to articulate their own stories of faith.” She surmises that both adults and children lack the skills and direction to do this well.


Rituals and Formation
Rituals are what “anchors us in the story of God.” (p.70) “The practice of Christian rituals imprints God’s story upon us and helps us to understand it in a way that simply hearing cannot do. There is something about the kinesthetic aspect of the ritual that bonds us to God’s story and God’s way that is amazingly transformation.” (p74)

This section challenged me toward the idea of practicing everyday rituals with my family. We have done well in creating ritual during certain holidays and times throughout the year–like hosting a Seder–but daily practiced are a more challenging for us.

I loved how Ivy infused the practices of spiritual disciplines and solitude in her children’s ministry. I was prompted to find a space in my home that is a “quiet space” or “solitude corner” for all–even my four year-old! My wife and I will need to work hard to create this, and ensure that is a place of creative rest and not viewed as punishment.

> I wonder, what are some examples / resources to help implement daily ritual into our family life? When will Ivy write a book for parents? We need this!!


A Focus on Relationships
I was compelled by the last sections of the book that focus on nurturing vital families (p.127). Beckwith challenges us to create ministries that “enable parents to weave God’s story into the story of their families.”

What if this was the mission statement for your children’s ministry? ...your church?

In addition to the common thread of cultivating imaginative ministry, Ivy’s book also points us toward building into intergenerational faith communities and families toward formation. More than a ministry fad, this is the way forward to create lasting impact.

How do we coach, inspire and equip parents to help their families be shaped by God’s story?

We must give a greater emphasis on coaching, inspiring and equipping parents to help their families be shaped by God’s story. We must model this in our ministries, and invest energy and resources in coming alongside parents and guiding them in this endeavor. Thank you, Ivy, for this excellent resource!