Kathleen Chapman - Teaching Kids Authentic Worship: How to Keep Them Close to God for Life

Kathleen Chapman, writing in a very conversational, practical, and often humorous style, had me in her introduction! She delightfully points out that worship for children is not singing God Is So Good fourteen times... but rather helping children discover a million fascinating things about an awesome God. And she is convincing that this discovery will glue a child to God... forever. If youre a parent... youll be encouraged. If youre a grandparent, your heart will be awakened to a whole new purpose in life! If youre a childrens pastor... youll recognize this familiar topic but discover some fresh new dimensions. If youre staff on the childrens ministry team in your church... help is on its way! If youre a seminary professor, you might be disappointed. If youre a seminary professor who has young children, you will love it. If youre a typical worship leader... beware!

Dan Johnson, the Idea Agency

Teaching Kids Authentic Worship is a valuable and timeless book. Children who are taught real worship at an early age have learned to profess the truth about God. Thats powerful since so many misunderstandings about both ourselves and about God originate in childhood. Buy this book to teach the children you love, and its truths will affect your own worship as well.

Rich Buhler, speaker, author, broadcaster,
creator of TruthOrFiction.com

Kathleen Chapman is the most creative person I know. She literally has helped thousands of children (and adults too!) enjoy and experience a more vibrant faith in God through creative worship experiences. This book is practical, hands on, experiential, and life-changing.

Jim Burns, president, YouthBuilders

Kathleen Chapman has written the definitive book on teaching kids the purpose, meaning, and way of worship. Period. Kathleens passion for God and for kids explodes out of her writing. Crack open page one and your view of worship will never be the same. Not only is the book required reading for parents, Sunday school teachers, and worship leaders, this book takes the reader past mere information to the heart of spiritual transformation. A lifelong practitioner of worship, Kathleen writes with depth, humor, insight, knowledge, and experience for what it takes to glue a kid to God. Filled with practical ideas, this book will challenge you and inspire you personally and professionally. Its so sticky you wont be able to put it down.

Joey OConnor

In business, rule #1 is Keep the main thing the main thing. Kathleen sets forth a guide for parents and all those who work with children to help them not only understand what worshipping God is, but how to do it. As parents and teachers, our God-given responsibility is to train and prepare our children for a life that honors God. In the life of a child this is the main thing.

Gary B. Dixon, chairman of the Northwest Christian Education Conference,
consultant for Cook Communications Ministries

I dont know anyone on the planet more enthusiastic about children or more passionate about creatively teaching them to love and worship God with all their heart, mind, soul, and strength than Kathleen Chapman. Her new book aims not only to shape a whole generation of authentic young worshippers, but also the church they inhabit and the world they in turn will seek to impact and influence for Jesus Christ.

Denny Bellesi, senior pastor, Coast Hills Community Church

Theres no doubt that Kathleen Chapman has a unique ability to connect with children and lead them to God. Now she shares her unique, compelling, and colorful methods with parents, teachers, and church leaders. Let God use these pages to guide you in pointing children to a lifelong relationship with God through worship. This book represents an investment in eternity!

Mary Hunt

Kathleen has captured the essence of teaching children to worship.

Johanna Townsend, president, For Kids Only,
Newport Beach, California

Once again I find myself learning from Kathleen! This book will not only help you to teach kids more about worshipit will teach you how to develop and deepen your own worship of God too.

Tom De Vries

Well, here it is. The search is over for the ultimate guide to teaching kids authentic worship. God has blessed Kathleen Chapman with gifts in challenging and motivating children that I have yet to see matched. Her experiences are documented brilliantly to make this book a treasure for childrens ministry programs and families around the world. Now, this is worship!

Dean-o Lies, leader of Dean-o and the Dynamos,
Mission Viejo, California

TEACHING KIDS

AUTHENTIC

WORSHIP

How to Keep Them Close to God for Life

KATHLEEN CHAPMAN

2003 by Kathleen Chapman

Published by Baker Books
a division of Baker Publishing Group
P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
www.bakerbooks.com

E-book edition created 2011

Ebook corrections 3.21.2012

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meansfor example, electronic, photocopy, recordingwithout the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

ISBN 978-1-58558-194-8

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version. NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com

Scripture marked KJV is taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

Scripture marked NASB is taken from the New American Standard Bible . Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

Scripture marked NIrV is taken from the Holy Bible, New International Readers Version. NIrV. Copyright 1995, 1996, 1998 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Scripture marked NKJV is taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture marked TLB is taken from The Living Bible 1971. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL 60189. All rights reserved.

Scripture marked ICB is taken from the International Childrens Bible, New CenturyVersion, copyright 1986, 1988, 1999 by Tommy Nelson, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee 37214. Used by permission.

For the lights and loves of my life,

Nancy, Mark, and John

And the loves of their lives,

Bob, Anne, and Heather

And

for

Sophie

CONTENTS

My thanks and appreciation to:

My husband, Duane, for partnering with me these thirty-three years, growing our three kids to know God. I love you forever.

My sister, Susan Anderson, for your brain, for pushing me to places I never dreamed attainable, and for your four precious boys, whom Ive questioned to exhaustion over their lifetimes.

Jannet Kunkel, my oldest friend and cohort in life. Your love for kids and encouragement in ministry have spurred me on many times when I wanted to quit.

Mary Hunt for your friendship, unmatched wisdom, and brilliant advice about writing a book.

Joyce Dalby, who makes me laugh in the twinkling of an eye; Bonnie Fevergeon, who lets me dream as big as the sky; Tom Devartanian, who uses the biggest words Ive ever heard in my life; and all three of you for your remarkable editing skills.