Filled with stories from one ministry professional to another, Family Ministry for a New Generation includes practical ways to equip parents to partner with the church in faith formation, inspiration and ideas for incorporating remembrance and celebration, creative ways to motivate children and teenagers to step out of their comfort zones and rely on the Holy Spirit, and insight into how God uses each person’s life as part of a unique story that is told throughout the generations.
Dreaming of More for the Next Generation
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle. Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Browse our Bookshelf Favorites store for big savings on popular fiction, nonfiction, children's books, and more. |
Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Editorial Reviews
About the Author
Dr. Michelle Anthony has over twenty-five years experience in church ministry and is the author of over a dozen resources for Christian education. A mother of two, Dr. Anthony is the Ambassador of Family Ministries at Rock Harbor Church in Costa Mesa, California and the Family Ministry Architect for David C Cook.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images? |
Customer Reviews
Share your thoughts with other customers
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I am days behind my deadline on reviewing this book and it is completely the fault of Michelle Anthony. Yes I have been given the privilege of reading this book titled: "Dreaming of More for the Next Generation: Lifetime Faith Ignited by Family Ministry", published by David C. Cook and thought I would be able to give it my usual 1-2 day read. WRONG!
In this book Michelle talks to those of us in ministry leadership roles about how we can be a facilitator of true life & truth faith transformation in kids AND Parents! I said facilitators not teachers, not instructors! If there is a significant theme that Michelle makes clear in this book it's this:
The Holy Spirit is TEACHER
Parents are PRIMARY.
This was just the start of how Michelle was going to stir my world and thoughts as I proceeded through reading this book. It ended up being a book that was highly highlighted by me. I will share just a few of those highlights:
"The moment we are seduced by the things of old, the new wine is not ours to taste."
"Our job is simply to create environments where He can work, to come alongside what God's Spirit is already doing...our job is to hoist up the sail as wide as we can, so that God's wind is blowing a child's life, we get to come alongside that."
"We need to resist getting distracted by doing things about Him and instead create an environment where children encounter Him."
This book takes a well planned out dive into what Spiritual formation really is, the role of the Holy Spirit, parents and us as leaders.... Read more ›
In this book Michelle talks to those of us in ministry leadership roles about how we can be a facilitator of true life & truth faith transformation in kids AND Parents! I said facilitators not teachers, not instructors! If there is a significant theme that Michelle makes clear in this book it's this:
The Holy Spirit is TEACHER
Parents are PRIMARY.
This was just the start of how Michelle was going to stir my world and thoughts as I proceeded through reading this book. It ended up being a book that was highly highlighted by me. I will share just a few of those highlights:
"The moment we are seduced by the things of old, the new wine is not ours to taste."
"Our job is simply to create environments where He can work, to come alongside what God's Spirit is already doing...our job is to hoist up the sail as wide as we can, so that God's wind is blowing a child's life, we get to come alongside that."
"We need to resist getting distracted by doing things about Him and instead create an environment where children encounter Him."
This book takes a well planned out dive into what Spiritual formation really is, the role of the Holy Spirit, parents and us as leaders.... Read more ›
By amshorty
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Excellent service, everything ran smoothly, arrived earlier than expected, packaged well, cheaper than i expected to pay, appreciated the emails and tracking to keep me up to date
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
If faith is simply about good teaching and proper behaviour, then the church is a sufficient place for children to learn that, but if faith is that plus more--if it is understanding how to live out what we believe in real time, by the power of God's Spirit over a lifetime, then the family (with spiritually minded parents), would be the best place for that, according to Michelle Anthony in this book.
In many churches, large numbers of children seem to be graduating from church children's ministry without a firm faith, and many fall away from attending church entirely, notwithstanding engaging, exciting programs and apparently sound Biblical teaching. The missing element, according to the author, is the failure to recognise that the role of parents, and not children's ministry teachers, should be primary in the spiritual nurture of children.
The author provides seven core ideas which are foundational for family ministries within the local church:
* Family is primary (parents are the primary nurturers of their children's faith)
* Spiritual formation is our goal (not just information)
* The Holy Spirit is the teacher (children need to learn to rely on him, not on human teachers)
* Scripture is our authority
* The big God story (children need to hear the redemptive storyline of the whole Bible)
* God is central (the aim of all teaching is to cultivate an actual relationship with God)
* Ministry support (a unified staff and teams of volunteers with a common goal)
Many parents do not know how to talk to their children about matters of faith or how to model a vibrant spirituality. Churches clearly need to do better in supporting parents in this area.... Read more ›
In many churches, large numbers of children seem to be graduating from church children's ministry without a firm faith, and many fall away from attending church entirely, notwithstanding engaging, exciting programs and apparently sound Biblical teaching. The missing element, according to the author, is the failure to recognise that the role of parents, and not children's ministry teachers, should be primary in the spiritual nurture of children.
The author provides seven core ideas which are foundational for family ministries within the local church:
* Family is primary (parents are the primary nurturers of their children's faith)
* Spiritual formation is our goal (not just information)
* The Holy Spirit is the teacher (children need to learn to rely on him, not on human teachers)
* Scripture is our authority
* The big God story (children need to hear the redemptive storyline of the whole Bible)
* God is central (the aim of all teaching is to cultivate an actual relationship with God)
* Ministry support (a unified staff and teams of volunteers with a common goal)
Many parents do not know how to talk to their children about matters of faith or how to model a vibrant spirituality. Churches clearly need to do better in supporting parents in this area.... Read more ›
13 of 26 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
Be warned, this is a textbook suitable for speedily indoctrinating children into the Pelagian and Arminian heresies. That will sound harsh to Dr. Anthony and her fans since she is obviously well intentioned - but this book has nothing to do with orthodox Christianity at all. Dreaming of More is a works righteousness treadmill that will drive children to despair and into rebellious rejection.
Not once is the author able to articulate what the Gospel is and how it should be shared with children. Instead we are given tens of pages of "stuff" that cannot be differentiated from a program at The YMCA or Boys and Girls Clubs save for having lots of religious packaging.
Indeed, Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses would probably be comfortable with much of the book's content since a crucified and risen Savior is absolutely unnecessary for any of what she espouses.
There is a frightening amount of mysticism and an alarming lack of Biblical knowledge. For example, Dr. Anthony claims that God is waiting for us to create spiritual space for the Holy Spirit to move freely. That is, simply, blasphemous. Likewise, Dr Anthony claims that true worship comes from a sincere heart. No, Dr. Anthony, turn kids *away* from looking inside themselves since from the heart comes every evil thing (Mat 15:19).
There are dozens and dozens of similar examples, but it is truly tragic that a small section deliberately entitled "The Gospel" does not have any good news to share. And certainly don't expect any of the bad news about hell.
Do you want a successful children's ministry?... Read more ›
Not once is the author able to articulate what the Gospel is and how it should be shared with children. Instead we are given tens of pages of "stuff" that cannot be differentiated from a program at The YMCA or Boys and Girls Clubs save for having lots of religious packaging.
Indeed, Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses would probably be comfortable with much of the book's content since a crucified and risen Savior is absolutely unnecessary for any of what she espouses.
There is a frightening amount of mysticism and an alarming lack of Biblical knowledge. For example, Dr. Anthony claims that God is waiting for us to create spiritual space for the Holy Spirit to move freely. That is, simply, blasphemous. Likewise, Dr Anthony claims that true worship comes from a sincere heart. No, Dr. Anthony, turn kids *away* from looking inside themselves since from the heart comes every evil thing (Mat 15:19).
There are dozens and dozens of similar examples, but it is truly tragic that a small section deliberately entitled "The Gospel" does not have any good news to share. And certainly don't expect any of the bad news about hell.
Do you want a successful children's ministry?... Read more ›
