Customer Reviews

The Fabulous Reinvention of Sunday School: Transformational Techniques for Reaching and Teaching Kids

5 star:		(8)
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I can think of only one word to sum up what I thought of this book: Fabulous!

Honestly. Last week someone on my staff gave me this book. Although I have a creative streak, usually my administrative tendencies crowd out that part of my personality. Knowing that Willow Creek highly values and usually sets the standard on using the "arts" in ministry... I initially wasn't interested. I figured this would be a book I would skim. No, really. Any book that is purposelyfilled with funny and wierd sketches on almost every page is enough to make we want to sit in front of CSPAN all day. I think my deal was that I just don't like using drama and arts in the context of children's ministry because from my experience, it is usually crappy! So, I wasn't really interested.

That very night I was up late doing some work. It was 1:00 AM (yes, I don't have kids yet) and I wasn't quite ready to turn in for the night, so I pulled out this book. Finally at 3:30 AM I put the book down because I knew I was going to be trashed the next day if I didn't get at least 4 hours of sleep. One word... AMAZING! Totally not what I expected. Yes, the book is full of information about drama and the arts... but it's so much more than that. Simply put, it's completely about the most important part of what I do every weekend, the 20 to 25 minutes when I take God's word and give it to the kids who attend my service. This book is about maximizing that time, ensuring that it is a moment that will stick with them for longer than 20 minutes after they leave. Never have I read a book like this. It's theoretical, it's practical and man is it funny. I caught myself laughing out loud time and time again. Aaron (the author) has definitely been there and done that as I identified with many of the moments us children's ministers live on a regular basis.

Content covers everything from setting a stage, great prop ideas, lighting secrets, rehearsal plans, critique forms, sound ideas and so much more. As a speaker who constantly wants to get better, Arron gave me great new ideas of what to do with my hands, where to be when I'm making my big point, and what to do when those infamous 5th grade boys start a secret conversation of their own in the back. If that weren't enough, Aaron filled the pages with examples that he's used that put you right there in the middle of the application. He's also included a huge appendix filled with great resources so that I can do what he wrote about.

I just finished reading this book. I plan to read it again next week. Yesterday I bought 15 more for my staff and some key leaders. If you work with elementary kids (preschool too... there's a great section on preschool programming), you must have this book. Read it, soak it in and then put it into practice. I feel that this book will be one of the most influential books in the children's ministry at my church.

Aaron Reynolds has a great passion for helping kids apply God's Word to their lives. I had the wonderful opportunity to sit in on two of his children's ministry workshops, hosted my Willow Creek Community Church. Every time I have applied his techniques to my teaching, the kids LOVE IT! They hang on the edge of their seats, they don't interrupt, they're completely quiet, ready to participate on my signal. I don't have to stop teaching to tell someone to pay attention, not anymore! I have used Reynolds techniques on small and very large groups of kids, the results are the same...TOTALLY AWESOME!

Aaron's teaching style is unforgettable! And now, he's put it in a book for us to look on time and time again.
I highly recommend reading The Fabulous Reinvention of Sunday School for EVERYONE who teaches preschool to elementary age kids.

Reynolds techniques can be applied to teaching any subject, as well as God's Word. If you want the lessons to stick and have an audience that hangs on to the very end...you need this book. The kids will love you for it! They will remember what you taught them long after you will. Be prepared for kids to come up to you asking you about a lesson you taught two months ago. It really happens, trust me.

I run a children's program at my church. This book is full of great ideas and particle ways to build the confidence of your teachers in the class room.

I just cannot say enough about this book!!!!! I wish I had read it years ago ! filled with great ideas on how to get Gods word into kids,,,,I cannot wait to apply some of these ideas to my program.I almost NEVER write reviews but this book is sooooo good i think everyone in kid ministry should read it.

I picked up this book knowing that as an improv actor with The Fidgets Improv Comedy Team, I probably wouldn't learn much.

Was I wrong! This book has completely revolutionized the way I teach Bible stories. Aaron has incredible insight into how one can grab a child's attention and hold it for incredible periods of time, all the while delivering key Biblical concepts.

If you teach Sunday School, this book is an absolute must-read!

A must have for your Children's Ministry - any church whether small or large will benefit from the creative thinking. This is more than a "how-to" it's a "why didn't I think of that?" I highly recommend you buy two copies - one for your library, and one to pass around!

This book is informative, interesting to read, fun, full of great ideas and practical. Our teachers are getting excited again about Sunday School. Most books tell you what you need to do. This one tells you how to do it and models it for you.

This book is 5 Star+. Not only does it bring practical, biblical, wildly fun advice and ideas for children's ministry ( and even adult ministry) it is a good read just because! Aaron's writing style and the format of the book gives it the feel of video and audio, really. It is more than just conversational, it is interactive. Everyone knows the people who are involved with children's ministry are often those that have never really left childhood. The pages of this book are sprinkled with cartoons, quirky pictures, and actual examples that teach even the greenest of volunteers. I am so thankful to have stumbled on this book. Don't think twice, buy it! It absolutely and completely delivers what the front cover says.