Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
Children have always been close to the heart of God and as followers of Jesus it is our responsibility to protect, nurture, and pass our faith to children. In Small Matters: How Churches and Parents Can Raise Up World-Changing Children, authors Greg Nettle and Santiago "Jimmy" Mellado offer a model of discipleship that encourages parents to raise up the next generation to be deeply committed to and in love with Jesus.
When we awaken to the fact that children between the ages of four and fourteen are the most likely to make a decision to follow Jesus, and that the discipleship that children receive forms their future, it will transform the way we view children, invest in them, reach out to them, teach them and ultimately, empower them to be disciples of Jesus.
In recent history the church has embraced a model of discipleship that encourages parents to, "Bring your children to us and we will disciple them. And, by the way, we would love it if you would help." This model is ineffective as much as it is unbiblical. It is imperative that the church today shifts to a new model of discipleship that encourages parents to, "Disciple your children as your primary responsibility. And, we (the church) would love to help."
Because our world is becoming more and more sensitive to the needs of children, a reflection of the heart of God, it provides those of us who follow Jesus with an unprecedented opportunity to disciple children in our homes, in our churches, in our communities and throughout the world. Now more than ever people are willing to invest in the cause of children through new church planting, equipping children's ministries, and child sponsorship; all of which are committed to holistic child development.
Synopsis
Children have always been close to Jesus' heart. As his followers, it's our responsibility to protect, nurture, and pass our faith to children. In Small Matters: Why Children Are Such a Big Deal, authors Greg Nettle and Jimmy Mellado offer a model of discipleship that encourages parents to raise up the next generation to be deeply committed to and in love with Jesus.
Ministry pioneer D. L. Moody once said that if he could relive his life, he would devote his entire ministry to reaching children for God. What Moody understood was that, by investing in them, the potential for effective change in a child's life is huge. When we awaken to the fact that children between the ages of four and fourteen are the most likely to make a decision to follow Jesus, and that the discipleship that children receive forms their future, it may give you an idea of the importance of ministering the young.
Greg and Jimmy challenge the typical church models of youth discipleship and offer ways to shift into a more effective and more biblical method that begins by empowering parents in their homes and works outward:
- Discipling children in the home.
- Discipling children in the church.
- Discipling children in the community.
Now more than ever churches have to invest in the cause of children through advocacy, sponsorship, and children's ministries--all of which need to be committed to holistic child development. Small Matters will transform the way we view children, invest in them, reach out to them, teach them and, ultimately, empower them to be disciples of Jesus.
This is a book about small matters, which are really large matters... God has used the small things of this world to do his work, and he continues to do this today. In Jesus' kingdom, the first are last and the least are the greatest, the servants are the heroes and the small are the biggest winners of all. John Ortberg, author and pastor.
Synopsis
Children have always been close to the heart of God, and as followers of Jesus it is our responsibility to protect, and pass our faith to children; In Small Matters, authors Greg Nettle and Santiago "Jimmy" Mellado offer a model of discipleship that encourages parents to raise up the next generation to be deeply committed to and in love with Jesus.