Best-selling author of The Shack, William P. Young, has penned a new novel, Cross Roads (FaithWords), 

How does Cross Roads employ nontraditional manifestations of the Trinity like The Shack? The beautiful reality of imagery is that it employs word pictures, and as we all know, a good picture is worth. … Even in the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament, imagery is rampant and provocative. God is father, but also wind and breath, but also a mother hen who covers and protects her own, an eagle who rescues, a rock that is solid, a fortress that shields, a woman who loses a coin, a man who finds an abandoned baby girl and falls in love with her (Ezekiel, in case you were wondering). Idolatry is when one fastens upon a single image as a definition of God, and begins to assemble one’s life around that single facet. Imagery was never intended to define God, but like facets of a precious stone, each reflects the light of God’s character and the wonder of God’s nature in a way that we can perceive and sense and know. As a word-painter then, I am given freedom to express this magnificence in creative ways. God is not male or female, but all maleness and all femaleness is derived from the Beautiful One, who is a community of other-centered, self-giving love. So, part of the art is to craft metaphors and imagery that satisfies the heart, incompletely but partially, and bends the framework of our paradigms to allow for more space, more light, more love, more anger at all that damages and hurts, more beauty, more grace. The incarnation means that God fully joined our humanity. Jesus is the ultimate bridge birthed in bone and blood. I can touch and understand this man. God has found a son-language that I can comprehend. Can the Holy Spirit not come to me in a way that I can grasp, inside the wonder of a child or the honor of an elder? I think the landscape is open as we participate with the One who the creative.

Michelle Anthony, family ministry architect at David C Cook, answers further questions from Guest Editor Cris Doornbos, CEO of David C Cook:

Some parents have said that your concept of “creating environments” is freeing to them. What are these environments, and how do they bring spiritual health and freedom to parents?

The environments are described in my book Spiritual Parenting and really have to do with how we view our role as parents. If it is God’s role to do [handle?] the supernatural and bring about transformation in my child (at best, I can only control behavior), then it begs the question, “What is my role?” I see the role of parenting as one of creating an environment in my home where God can do what He does best—change hearts and lives.

It’s freeing because I am no longer the one trying to manufacture faith through good behavior or controlling circumstances, but rather focusing on a climate in my home that puts God and His character on display. My children simply get to live in the path of the divine, and it’s His divinity, through grace, that changes them.

 What do you feel is the greatest obstacle in parents assuming their God-given role to spiritually lead their families?

This obstacle is multifaceted because there are many contributing factors, but the greatest obstacle is that parents are not awakened to this God-given role. Christian parents have historically felt satisfied if they dropped their children off at a weekly Sunday school program, led and taught a moral life, and included prayer at meals and bedtime.

Biblically speaking, a Christian parent is one who is actively engaged in spiritual conversations and teaching in every moment throughout the week, erasing the line between sacred and secular, while choosing to disciple their children in active engagement of spiritual disciplines, which include prayer, reading and studying God’s Word, service, community, confession and worship, just to name a few. Unfortunately parents are too busy and ill-equipped to assume this type of a role and will need the church to come alongside to help them, with God’s Spirit to become awakened [in them].

Best-selling author Francis Chan continues his interview on new book Multiply (David C Cook).

How can the everyday Christian get to the point where disciple-making is normal in his/her life? When the Holy Spirit enters a person, there should be some pretty serious life change. There should be a difference between a person who is dead in their trespasses and sins and a person who now has the Spirit of Him who raised Christ from the dead dwelling in them. He or she should have some desire to tell others about the new love in their lives and a desire for loved ones to escape His wrath. It seems like these would be natural desires for the person with a new nature. I believe that as we are making disciples, we’re really going to experience the presence of Christ with us in a fuller way and a real, tangible way. That’s why He gave us the Holy Spirit. He says, “I’m going to give you this Holy Spirit, and when He comes, you’re going to receive power to be my witnesses.” What does it mean to follow Jesus, surrender completely, and make disciples? It requires saying, “Holy Spirit, what would You like me to say today? What would You like me to do right now? I’ve surrendered to You. I’ve died to myself and I want to follow You.”

Disciple-making is not something Christians should do in isolation, is it? No. Right now in San Francisco I’m gathering with a few guys every morning to study the Word and then go share the gospel door-to-door—and it’s hard. But I’m trying to think how many times in my whole Christian life I had other believers pray for my courage and my boldness to go out and share with other people. Up until this last year, I think I could count the times that’s happened on one hand. Then we wonder, “Why am I so insecure? Why am I so afraid? Do I really believe that prayer and gathering believers together to pray over me is actually going to change something? It’s been awesome to have like-minded people in the room, encouraging one another, “Come on, let’s do this. Don’t be afraid.” We share our discouragements from the day before, pray together, study, worship. I need to be reminded to love others and to be bold. I’ve got to be reminded of who I am, that I’m forgiven, you know? We each need people to do that for us. As we pray for each other in the boldness area, I see that prayer answered. And I see it happen as we go out. There are days where it’s like, “Let’s talk to anyone,” and that’s not normal for me. That’s not something I can’t muster up.

By Natalie Gillespie

CHRISTIAN RETAILING: What brand-new elements are you introducing for VBS 2013?

ROBB FAUST: We have two themes this year, which is new for Standard. We have God’s Backyard Bible Camp: Under the Stars and God’s Backyard Bible Camp: Under the Sun. Fifty-three percent of churches now hold VBS in the evenings, so the Under the Stars kit is geared specifically for that timeframe, although it can be used during the day too, but all the Bible stories in that kit take place sometime in the evening. We also decided this year to offer everything in one kit. We used to offer a basic kit and a power kit, but now everything you need to hold VBS is all in one kit and is still just $199.99, although it includes more than $500 in resources. We completely redesigned our materials, so that instead of a big leader’s guide, we are offering leaflets, booklets and cards for each day that you can tuck right into your Bible. There are newly formatted bundles for each age group, including a preschool bundle, elementary/preteen bundle and teen bundle. We also include a DVD set that contains a missions DVD, planning DVD, music DVD, bonus music CD-ROM and an exportable media disc with all mp3s and mp4s of the music and videos. Another disc set included in the kit contains all the teaching resources and leader’s guides as pdf files, so if you need an extra guide, you just print it off. Everything you need to lead and plan our VBS is now in one kit.

ROBERTA LEHMAN: New for 2013 is the Backyard Kids Club. Many churches are looking for ways to take VBS outside their church and into their communities. Our VBS 2013 Backyard Kids Club Director’s Guide and Backyard Kids Club Kit provide portable resources that can be used easily wherever there is a group of kids gathered. The VBS 2013 Backyard Kids Club Kit is an all-in-one box designed for a club of about 20 kids. The VBS 2013 Backyard Kids Club Director’s Guide provides step-by-step guidance to the person or team who will be coordinating and planning the Backyard Kids Club. It’s all based on the Colossal Coaster World theme and coordinates well with the numerous accessories, decorations and promotional tools available.

CRYSTAL MCDOWELL: Our new element would be our DVD. Our theme for 2013 is Jesus Family Reunion: The Remix. We had a Jesus Family Reunion VBS in 2006, and it was very successful. This year, we are taking each theme and relating it on the DVD to a family situation. In the lessons, we also picked family situations in the Bible that can be used to understand things like forgiving and obeying.

KAREN MCGRAW: In addition to adding more resources to some of our electronic products, we’ve created a brand-new Parent Pocket Guide to help churches extend the VBS lessons beyond the threshold of the church. The Parent Pocket Guide gives parents all the information they need to reinforce the lessons their kids are getting at VBS. Our student guides also include a fun family activity to further promote involvement of the whole family.

SHANNON VELASQUEZ: We introduced Imagination Station last year, and it is coming back this year. We reimagined crafts and introduced science, fun gizmos and experiments that flew off the shelves. This year, for our Kingdom Rock VBS, we are reimagining our student books and how to get them back home so kids can continue learning and talk to parents or friends and family member. We are also reimagining our Bible Memory Buddies.

CHRISTIAN RETAILING: Is your VBS focused primarily on elementary ages? How does it work for nursery kids and teens?

FAUST: We have a book called Beyond Your Backyard that is an adult VBS curriculum. … Our kits also have preschool, elementary/preteen and teen components and leader’s guides. We have a VBS designed for preschool through adult.

LEHMAN: LifeWay’s VBS provides content for all ages. Babies, 1s, 2s, 3s through Kindergarten, Grades 1 and 2, Grades 3 and 4, Grades 5 and 6, Youth, Adults and also children and adults with special needs. We also provide a full line of Spanish VBS resources. LifeWay’s Youth VBS is perfect for preparing youth to serve during children’s VBS. It’s also great for retreats, Bible studies or as a weeklong youth VBS program.

MCDOWELL: We want VBS to reach the whole family. We created lessons with family situations from the Bible that can be used from preschoolers all the way to teens. Our VBS is geared toward the black community, and that is shown on our DVD and in the music. I think about where the black community is when I write the lessons, but the message is for everybody—it’s Jesus.

MCGRAW: We don’t think of VBS as a program just for elementary children. It’s a program for the whole family. Whether as a team member or as a kid attending VBS, everyone can be involved. Even those parents who can’t participate by volunteering can be involved through our Parent Newsletters, the new Parent Pocket Guide and the family activities provided on the student guides. Not to mention attending Closing Programs and other family-oriented VBS events. Gospel Light has a number of products for preschoolers. The Pony Corral Teacher’s Guide has Bible stories and Bible Learning Activities geared for children from 3 years old through Kindergarten. We also have Pony Corral Fun Pages for each child for each day of VBS. Also included in our Director’s Planning Guide is the Nursery and Toddler Guide. We recognize the need for churches to provide quality care for the little ones whose parents volunteer at VBS. We also have youth and adult guides provided by our Regal book division. These Bible studies are designed to take the Bible content covered in VBS to a deeper level. Our focus is always on providing curriculum that is age-appropriate.

VELASQUEZ: With our VBS programs we really encourage older kids to come back and help. We call ours the easy VBS program because you just have to learn one simple Bible point. And if you are a crew leader, you have a group of five kids that you are taking through the rotations. If you are a helper at the Imagination Station, you stay there the whole time. We also offer a program for teens every year called Unlimited Youth that comes out with our traditional VBS.