A Gospel for All Ages lives at the intersection of two conversations--preaching and intergenerational ministry. By integrating these two topics, an entirely new conversation emerges, one that draws from both, that interrogates both, and that births something new in the process, creating fresh possibilities for a sleepy church.
The fields of preaching and intergenerational ministry rarely cross paths because they are championed by two different sorts of ministerial leaders. On the one hand, preaching and homiletics has largely been a field for teaching pastors, senior ministers, and other pastoral practitioners who are tasked with the important work of proclaiming the gospel to congregations of adults every week. On the other hand, the cheerleaders of intergenerational ministry have tended to be ministry leaders who find their primary vocation within the formation of adolescents and children. Increasing numbers of Christian educators and leaders who work in children's and youth ministry are lifting high the banner of intergenerational ministry.
Wherever your tent is planted in one camp or the other, this book is for you. If God has called you to the work of preaching, you find within these pages wise words and best practices for improving and expanding your homiletical practice in light of the eight-year-olds and eighty-year-olds who share a pew on Sunday mornings. If your vocation is Christian education or intergenerational ministry, these chapters will spur you toward that final frontier of all-age worship as you consider how your vocation can include the preaching of the gospel to young and old alike.
Six creative ministry professionals join author David M. Csinos in providing intergenerational best-practice resources. Each chapter includes discussion questions and exercises for future practice.
Table of Contents:
Introduction-- Assembling theInterGenAvengers
Part 1 -- Understanding Intergenerational Preaching
1--IntergeneratingOur Faith
2-- Preaching with Purpose
3 -- An Intergenerational Homiletic
4 -- Hallmarks of Intergenerational Preaching
Part 2 -- Practicing Intergenerational Preaching
5-- Interpreting the Gospel Together
- Crowd-Sourcing the Sermon -- Talashia Keim Yoder
- Talking the Message Out -- Murray Wilkinson
6-- Speaking the Gospel Together
- Sharing Faith Stories -- Karen DeBoer
- Preaching the Liturgy -- Amy Casteel
7-- Experiencing the Gospel Together
- Co-Creating the Gospel -- Tammy Tolman
- Participating in the Gospel -- Jim Keat
8-- Making the Move
Epilogue -- The New Normal: Intergenerational Preaching and Pandemic
Bibliography
About the Author :
David M. Csinos is associate professor of practical theology at Atlantic School of Theology in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and founder and president of Faith Forward, an ecumenical organization for innovation in ministry with children, youth, and families. He is the author and editor of several books, including Little Theologians: Children, Culture, and the Making of Theological Meaning and Children's Ministry in the Way of Jesus (with Ivy Beckwith).
HyeRan Kim-Cragg is associate professor of preaching, Emmanuel College, University of Toronto, Canada.
