There is something quietly powerful about reading a story with a child. In the shared space of a picture book — the turning of pages, the questions that surface, the images that linger — something more than literacy is at work. Faith is being formed.
This series grew out of that conviction. We are grateful to Melissa Deelstra, a children’s ministry leader from Prince Edward Island, Canada, and a friend of the Center for Faith and Children, for bringing her passion and practice to these pages. Melissa cares deeply about children’s spiritual formation, and her work recently took a beautiful shape in the launch of The Lighthouse Library — an ecumenical lending library designed to help families and churches read intentionally for faith formation, supported in part by the Presbyterian Church in Canada.
Joining Melissa is CFC’s own Dr. Mimi Larson, who adds a curated look at new books worth putting in children’s hands.
Together, the four posts in this collection explore the why, the how, and the what of reading for faith — from the theology of story to the practice of reading well, from building a culture of story in your church to the newest titles shaping young imaginations.
The Story That Stays: Why Reading Matters for Children’s Faith By Melissa Deelstra
How to Read With Children for Faith Formation By Melissa Deelstra
Helping Your Church Cultivate a Culture of Story By Melissa Deelstra
Stories That Shape Faith: Our Favorite NEW Books for Children By Dr. Mimi Larson