The following is a part of a group blogging project I’m a part of at ElementalCM.com
(photo originally uploaded to Flickr by Cocoabiscuit)
For more info on what this group blogging project on the book Too Small To Ignore, read this.
Review of Chapter 14, “Imagine”
by Anthony Prince
Imagine a world where kids matter…
That’s the world Dr. Wess Stafford wants to see ushered in. That’s the world that this chapter (Too Small to Ignore, Chapter 14) wants us to talk about.
So, here we go:
Stafford wants us to let go of the world in which we exist, in order to create a world where every decision is made with us first asking, “What about the children?”
Far too often, books like this live in fantasy. They speak the language of professors and pompous theologians. Books like this never talk about practical application, they simply tell us to do better – then leave us to define and create that “better” world.
This book is not those books.
If you want some real, bold, practical take-aways from Too Small to Ignore, turn to chapter 14. It’s all there.
Stafford wants your church to care about children. He doesn’t think it’s enough to say that we care… he wants us to show that we care. We should live like we care. And he gives examples.
“What if every senior pastor was absent from the pulpit two Sunday mornings a year because he was working in the church nursery? Wouldn’t that send a message to the congregation!”
I know a handful of student ministry and children’s ministry pastors who yearn for their chance to preach during a weekend service… the message it would send to the congregation of your church, if your senior pastor served in your ministry twice a year, would preach louder than your best sermon.
I dare you to try to prove me wrong.
“What if Children’s Day was as big a deal in our churches as Mother’s Day or Father’s day?”
Did you KNOW there was a Children’s day?! The ideas Stafford talks through in his 120+ words dedicated to this holiday get me excited about marking this day on my calendar. I wrestle with celebrating Mother’s Day and Father’s Day in church … so this idea resonates with my soul.
Out of the nearly 30 ways Stafford imagines us changing the world around us, 11 are changes that those of us in church leadership can work toward and actually achieve tangible results.
A sidenote:
Stafford talks about the world AS IT IS for children in war torn and impoverished countries around the world throughout this book. This chapter is no exception. If you’re like me, and the idea of children being harmed makes you ill, you’re going to want to pace yourself through this book – and this chapter… especially the section marked “A World Where Kids Count.”
You still need to read this book.
The world Stafford speaks of CAN exist, all we are missing is the vision and the heart. This book can give you both.
Like this:
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t the books you should put on your shelf to gain respect from visiting Children’s Pastors. This may be the first time you’ve heard of some of these resources in the context of Children’s Ministry.
