Let the Children Give: Time, Talents, Love, and Money

Delia Halverson -

Let the Children Give is a unique stewardship resource in that it wasn't written for adults or kids - but rather to equip adults to train kids in whole-life stewardship. The message of this book could be summarized as follows: Christians are called to be responsible caretakers of everything we've been given by God.

Features and Strengths

Below is an overview of how Let the Children Give accomplishes its objective to challenge Christians - kids and adults - to be good stewards of all of God's gifts:

The Biblical and Historical Background of Stewardship.  Halverson begins by defining stewardship, noting "We do not grow spiritually without giving - not just monetary giving but giving of all our gifts." In a quick summary of church history, she contrasts the different understandings of stewardship in Jerusalem, Rome, Europe, and North America.

Age Level and Learning Goals for Stewardship.  One of the main ways children learn, Halverson points out, is by watching adults. It's also important, when reaching kids, to recognize that everyone has a different learning style, and to respond accordingly.

Adding Stewardship to Regular Curriculum.  Let the Children Give helps adults think through the language they use when instructing children, activities that promote stewardship, as well as spontaneous opportunities to live out stewardship.

Art and Crafts.  This section gets really practical, offering 18 projects that help kids experience (and remember) stewardship life lessons.

Drama and Storytelling.  Halverson works in some creative ideas here to make a point. For example, to illustrate "order out of chaos", she suggests that before class time, to move chairs and tables out of place, throw trash on the floor, and turn the lights off. Then read Genesis 1 to the students.

Writing and Research.  Twenty different learning experiences are identified: a Bible study on stewardship, hunger elimination, energy savings, and more. She also (wisely) encourages the adults to not focus on spelling, grammar, etc.

Games and Puzzles.  Halverson writes: "Games hold a rung near the top of the learning ladder [because] they give opportunities to actually experience situations, and we learn best through experience." Among the suggestions: Stewardship Tag.

Music, Rhythm, and Reading.  Ideas in this section include creative options for using music to convey that stewardship is part of all of life.

Celebrations and Experiences.  A number of experiences designed to be life-changing or habit-forming are offered. For example, one project is a Calendar for Stewardship, challenging kids to implement a specific thought or idea about stewardship each day.

Involving Children in the Church Stewardship Plan.  Insights are provided for involving church leadership to take ownership in the development of children in stewardship. Ideas are provided to help families train and encourage both the adults and kids in their home to live out biblical stewardship.

Things to Be Aware Of

Lots of practical ideas here and a great concept; but some readers may conclude that Let the Children Give's emphasis on the environment is perhaps too strong (there's literally a section on page 21 on tree hugging), and the Bible teaching could have been stronger in a book designed for church use.

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