Jared Kennedy

Parenting is never easy. And in today’s culture, it is as difficult as ever. In this short book, Jared Kennedy presents a guide to help Christian parents navigate one of the most complex issues of our time: gender. With clarity and compassion, wisdom and grace, Jared offers basic explanations and step-by-step guidance for parents seeking to understand and address various issues related to gender and sexuality. The book reveals the heart of a shepherd and carefully applies the hope of the gospel to the many challenges related to these issues arising among children and young people today. 

Helping Kids Navigate a Confusing Culture

A Parent’s Guide to Teaching Your Children About Gender

God Made Me for Worship (a part of the God Made Me series) by Jared Kennedy helps children understand the complexity of a Christian worship gathering by using the vision of Isaiah 6. This beautifully illustrated children's book celebrates how God reveals himself to his people in the movements of worship. Sitting in a worship service for any young child can be a difficult experience. One minute everyone is singing loudly, the next everyone is sitting and listening quietly (without talking!). Sometimes the adults know something that should be said out loud, like, "Thanks be to God!" How did they know what to say? How do people know when to talk to one another and shake hands? God Made Me for Worship focuses on teaching kids about the key liturgical movements in a worship gathering, including the call to worship, praise and adoration, confession, assurance and passing the peace, ministry of the Word and sacraments, and benediction and sending. Kennedy guides parents to help their kids understand why we're intentional about worship, encouraging them to engage—not just to manage behavior during a worship gathering, but to invite kids to respond to God along with the whole church body.

Helping Children Understand Church

God Made Me for Worship

The True Story of Easter

Jesus Rose for Me

Megan Kennedy

We know children are a blessing from the Lord. But is child dedication? Is child dedication just a sentimental moment to celebrate family with oohs and awes over the babies? Or is it a solemn moment before God and a covenanting one before the local church? Kennedy explains a philosophy of child dedication with poignant "How-To" plan for living out a powerful witness to Christ for one another and before the watching world. Whether you are rescuing various forms of child dedication from sentimentalism or perhaps sacrament, this book will guide you to faithful and fruitful ministry honoring God for the gift of children while blessing your church. JARED KENNEDY is the pastor of families at Sojourn Community Church - Midtown in Louisville, Kentucky, where he lives with his wife Megan and three daughters. He holds a Th. M. and M. Div. from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and has over a decade of experience leading family ministry. He is the author of The Beginner's Gospel Story Bible (New Growth Press, 2017). Jared tweets at @JaredSKennedy and blogs at gospelcenteredfamily.com.

How-To Plan a Child Dedication Service

Before the Lord, Before the Church

"This book presents a practical, four-fold strategy for gospel-centered, missional children's ministry (nursery-grade 5) to equip parents and the church"--

Practical Strategies for Discipling the Next Generation

Keeping Your Children's Ministry on Mission

Walls, Giants, and Enemies Fall

God Wins

Practical Strategies for Gospel-Centered Children’s Ministry When building a children’s ministry at a church, there is so much to consider: Which curriculum should we use? How many volunteers do we need? How do we keep parents in the loop? And that’s before we run into stalled check-in computers, missing activity sheets, and floors that need to be vacuumed. While all of the tasks of children’s ministry are important, leaders can get easily distracted with the everyday work of doing ministry and lose sight of the main focus—the gospel. Writing from personal ministry experience, Jared Kennedy shares a four-fold approach for gospel-centered, missional children’s ministry: hospitality, teaching, discipleship, and mission. This practical resource covers a variety of topics ranging from creating child protection policies to putting together lesson plans to catechism, helpful for children’s ministers and volunteers alike as they disciple children with the powerful message of the gospel. Published in partnership with the Gospel Coalition.

Daniel Montgomery

There's a leadership crisis in the church. Every leadership model claims to have all the answers to the challenges of leadership. Each perspective emphasizes certain qualities, and we search desperately for answers in the absence of clear direction. But there’s no simple leadership formula that meets every need we have in life and ministry. Challenging the conventional wisdom about what makes for a good leader, Daniel Montgomery calls us to a countercultural perspective on leadership rooted in our Creator. He presents a new framework for leadership, not just a beckoning to further pragmatism, relentless productivity, or a reactionary cultural fad. He helps us see leadership as a mosaic of five characteristics—conviction, creativity, courage, collaboration, and contemplation—reflective of the very image of the triune God. Armed with this perspective, we will be able to see, strive after, and celebrate the great and complex vision of leadership God has called us to—for the flourishing of our homes, churches, and workplaces.

5 Leadership Principles for Ministry and Everyday Life

Leadership Mosaic

Jesus is bigger and more powerful than any superhero. He can turn water into wine, calm a stormy sea, give sight to the the blind, and even raise the dead. When Jesus is with us, God is with us. Author Jared Kennedy uses simple words and concepts to help toddlers and preschoolers understand that Jesus is powerful and good. He isn't just stronger than any superhero, he is God-the King of the universe. This beautifully illustrated board book for ages three to five is third in the Beginner's Gospel Story Book series. Children will learn that Jesus is God through the story of his miracles and be encouraged to go to him for help because he cares for them. The preschool-friendly pictures in Jesus Is Bigger Than Me will also help teach about shapes, colors, and counting. Children will be captivated by the bright, modern illustrations and the simple encouraging content will turn their hearts to Jesus.

True Stories of His Miracles

Jesus Is Bigger Than Me

The Beginners Gospel Story Bible is a gospel-centered, Bible storybook for toddlers and preschoolers with fifty-two Bible stories retold in a simple and compelling way. Author Jared Kennedy traces through the stories of the Old and New Testament how God keeps his promises in surprising ways better than anyone could have ever thought or imagined! Each story highlights for young children Gods story of redemption through Jesus and the unexpected ways that Gods grace and mercy are revealed throughout the Bible. Children will hear the good news of Gods love for them clearly expressed in ways that will speak to their young hearts. Each story ends with a question that parents and caregivers can use to further reinforce the story. Brightly colored illustrations highlight each story and add fun teaching elements of counting, opposites, patterns, and object recognition to keep the youngest childs attention.

Jared Kennedy

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