open {early childhood}

my 2 year-old niece is learning to talk. she’s saying words, forming sentences, making connections, and chatting away, which makes listening to her really fun!

however, she’s still learning. her language skills aren’t yet perfect. sometimes i want to jump in and help her. i’ll ask her a question, and if she’s slow to answer, i'll answer for her. at other times i’ll talk over her if i don’t understand what she’s saying.

i desperately wish i didn’t do this, but i’m still learning, too.

to me, what matters most in the spiritual formation of our youngest children is openness. our ability to be open to a child’s individual learning and exploration process is key in his spiritual growth. each day in our churches, homes, and schools, we help our youngest children form their worldviews, their belief systems, and their spiritual lenses. when we demonstrate an openness towards exploration, we encourage children to form a foundation that includes openness towards god and His movement.

when we let children learn at their own pace, fast or slow, we promote learning for a lifetime.

i want to be more open towards my niece as she learns to speak as well as towards the youngest children in my church as they learn about god and His stories. i believe our openness will inspire strong faith foundations, and encourage children to love god in his fullness. 

essay originally appeared in What Matters Now in Children's Ministry: Early Childhood Edition

{and, the story behind What Matters Now: Early Childhood}

a few years ago, my friend Jill came to me and asked if i'd be interested in creating an early childhood resource with her. you see, jill and i share a passion for early childhood formation in the church. jill serves as an early childhood director, and i first began as an age 4/5 teacher and curriculum writer at willow creek church. we deeply believe in the power of young children experiencing, knowing, and worshipping God. 

we believe that in the first four years of a child’s life spiritual formation is critical and foundational. during this time children form their opinions about god, the world, and themselves.

as church leaders, we have an amazing privilege to inspire, educate and influence faith in the hearts, minds and spirits of young children. but, at times, jill and i felt alone in this pursuit. we wondered why the best resources, biggest budgets, and most attention were given to older children. we set out to create a resource that would bring new light to the important work of early childhood. 

and, it was in this pursuit we discovered that we are not alone.

as we interacted with kidmin leaders interested in answer the question “What Matters Now in Early Childhood Ministry?” we were energized by the responses and enthusiasm shown by 21 early childhood professionals all seeking to grow faith in our youngest kids.

we've collected their answers in this book. we hope their thoughts will inspire deep faith and passion in your own spirit. it is our desire to begin a larger conversation in the kidmin community about the potential of early childhood ministry. what if it mattered more?

may this short collection energize our work, and commit us to a lifetime of inspiring faith.