Mail Bag
Book Review, Sabbath Tips, Gospel Pictures, and Tiny Chef
Welcome back folks.
The good times keep rolling on the blog this week. If you’re keeping track at home, that’s four weeks in a row of new posts going up. I’m not saying we can keep that pace up, but it’s been a nice run of quality pieces. Hopefully they’ve been helpful and encouraging for you.
The newsletter will be a little spotty the next few weeks. I’ve got a couple projects to wrap up the next two weeks that are going to suck up a lot of time. First, we’re wrapping up our big fundraiser for our Cub Scout pack, and I don’t want to be the reason we go bankrupt and the whole thing falls apart. So, I’ll be collecting money and hassling parents to get things wrapped up before the school year ends. It’s like being a telemarketer, but y’know, not actually getting paid to do it.
Next, I’m working to finish up the talk I’m giving at the upcoming Gospel Kids Conference (GKC). I’ll be chatting about family discipleship, catechism, and how parents can find easy wins in shepherding their kids. Once the conference is over, I’ll likely turn my notes into a newsletter post to share here as well. Of course, you can also register for a virtual ticket here to watch the main sessions live and get access to the breakouts once they’re wrapped and edited. I feel confident in saying that may be the best $25 ministry dollars you spend this year (not because of my talk, but it’s a great lineup of speakers!).
One idea I’d like to work on for the newsletter this summer is a ministry mail bag. You guys can send in questions related to kids ministry that we can kick around between our team or maybe other “experts.” Not exactly full-length articles, but a chance to unpack questions about curriculum, classroom management, theological questions, recruiting, calendar planning, or anything else on your mind.
Ideally, we’d have a shotgun blast of questions/answers each time that we can run in this newsletter or on the GCF site. Of course, to make that happen, we need good questions from you guys. Think more, “what’s helpful for me and other kids min leaders to learn about,” and less, “My aunt Virginia hates the curriculum that I wrote. How do I tell her she’s wrong, and I’m right?” It’s a tricky balance between a hyper-specific issue that’s only relatable to you, and something that could be of help to the larger kids ministry world.
All that said, you can submit questions here. We’ll collect questions over the next few weeks, and then figure out the best way to share any wisdom we can. I’m excited to hear what you guys are wrestling with, and how the Lord is at work in your various churches and ministries.
Book Review (Parenting, Discipleship)
“The Dreamer is the debut release from our friend Jenny Marcelene. It’s the first in a series of books she’s working on to help kids cultivate a biblical worldview and spark an interest in how they can pray for the nations. I’ve been sitting on this book for months, mostly because I wanted to read it with my boys who are 9 and 11 (right in the target demo for this book!) and get their feedback as we went.”
Is it weird to share an article you wrote in a newsletter you’re also writing? Maybe, but here we are. :-)
I’m always on the lookout for good books that I can read with my two boys. Part of their homework this year has been a half-hour of reading as soon as we’re home (sometimes later if the weather is nice and they want to get outside first). Sometimes they want to do their own thing, but the last couple months they’ve loved it when I read aloud and they can get comfy to listen. Jenny’s book (released last fall) was the last thing we read together, and they both had a blast with it. Check out my review, and then snag a copy of Jenny’s book before the next one drops later this year!
Sabbath Tips (Parenting, Discipleship)
“Right now, we’re in a moment when practicing a Sabbath is growing in popularity. There’s been lots written on the basic theology of Sabbath and lots of data published supporting the practice as good for your overall productivity and quality of life. Yes, as Jon Tyson recently pointed out, there’s been some over-correction around work and rest in the younger generations, but it’s still an essential part of a good basic rhythm of the life you’re made for.”
Austin Gohn continues to crank out some of the most helpful work you can find on Substack, and this piece on sabbath is one to bookmark, put into practice, and revisit. Sabbath has been a topic of conversation among guys at bookclub over our last few meetings (despite no book being about sabbath specifically). It’s a gigantic part of life for a couple guys and their families, some aspire to hold a weekly sabbath but are unsure how to get started. I think either would benefit from checking out Austin’s thoughts on how he started, finding rhythms, blocking the time, and prepping so his family can pull it off each week.
It’s clear he’s given this topic a ton of thought, has read deeply about it, considered lots of perspectives, and made it an experience that’s meaningful for himself and his family in their spiritual journey. He’s not writing in a way to guilt anyone into the practice, but seeks to invite families to find delight in the sabbath. He even provides a handy reading list if you want to dive into the sources he’s pulling from. In short, it’s the best easily digestible guide to thinking about and implementing the sabbath that I’ve come across.
Gospel Pictures (Kids Ministry, Parenting)
“No single picture gave my kids the whole gospel. Each exercise was an attempt to teach a small facet of gospel truth, split into bite-sized pieces. Every image, while distinct, complements other scriptural images, creating a unified whole like an expertly cut diamond. When they’re put together, the brilliance of the whole shines.”
Here’s a great piece from Michelle Ayres unpacking the value of simplicity in gospel illustrations for kids. While clarity in what we’re saying is certainly important in classrooms on Sunday, some kids will find it easier to learn with visual connections. It could be something as simple as an illustration to help them make sense of the truth you’re showing them, or maybe an object lesson that connects an idea in their mind. This doesn’t need to be complicated, or make things more difficult for teachers or leaders. It can be something as simple as adding some small elements to a lesson that’s already put together.
After all, Ayres argues, we see Jesus teaching with similar visual simplicity in the gospels as well. “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field” and “The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls” (Mt. 13:44–45). Bring in some costume jewelry to show off so they can put a visual image with the truth they’re hearing. Have them draw a simple picture of what that field hiding treasure might look like. There’s lots of way to add layers of understanding to the lessons we’re teaching. Not only that, but we can make these connections at home just as easily.
Tiny Chef
I’ve walked into a room with my wife cackling several times this week, and every time I do she’s watching these Tiny Chef reels. Today he hit us with an homage to Mr. Rogers, and I’ve never seen seen her so excited staring at her phone. Enjoy your ride down the rabbit hole of this adorable, stop-motion goofball.