Children’s Spirituality Summit Set For June 27-29
This year’s Children’s Spirituality Summit should be of particular interest to parents and children’s Bible teachers because its theme, Spiritual Formation Across Contexts: Families, Churches, and Communities, specifically targets the need to take children’s ministry beyond the walls of the church and the professional children’s minister (and children’s ministry). The three-day event will be held at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee from Wednesday afternoon, June 27, through Friday afternoon, June 29.
Conference Details
Summit President Holly Allen has highlighted the value of a more holistic approach to a child’s spiritual development that involves the other significant arenas of a child’s life. “A church by itself can accomplish only so much. In order to maximize our ministry with children and facilitate their spiritual growth, we need to consider ways to engage the child’s family and community in addition to the local congregation.”
Keynote speakers for the conference include Dr. Steve Kang, Professor of Educational Ministries & Interdisciplinary Studies at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois, Dr. Scottie May, Associate Professor of Christian Formation & Ministry Emerita at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois, and Dr. Robert J. Keeley, Professor of Education at Calvin College and visiting Professor at Calvin Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
In addition to keynote addresses, the event will include several Pecha Kucha* presentations, breakout sessions, and affinity group gatherings. “We’re blessed to have a diversity of exciting, engaging speakers with a breadth of knowledge and experience in children’s spiritual formation,” Allen noted. “Whether you’re an academic, volunteer children’s Bible teacher, or parent interested in strengthening your child’s faith, this event will challenge, inform, and inspire you to make a difference in the lives of the kids with whom you minister.”
Allen added, “The Children’s Spirituality Summit brings together children’s ministers, developmental psychologists, spiritual formation leaders, lay leaders, pastors, teachers, sociologists, parents, and theologians from a broad spectrum of Christian traditions to collectively explore children’s spiritual formation. Our speakers and workshop presenters bring a wealth of knowledge and experience in the area of children’s spirituality and will challenge us to engage children in our homes, in our churches, and in our communities.”
*Pecha Kucha is a presentation style in which 20 slides are shown for 20 seconds each. The style keeps presentations concise and fast-paced.
