Kennemur, colleagues pen updated resource on ‘Children and Salvation’

Karen Kennemur, professor of children’s ministry at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, saw a need and, with the help of colleagues, sought to fill it. The resulting book, Children and Salvation: Biblical, Theological, and Practical Considerations, is an updated resource on the topic of children and salvation from a Southern Baptist perspective.

In the book, published by B&H Academic, Kennemur and co-editors Kelly A. King (’09), Shelly Melia (’98), and Donna B. Peavey connect biblical scholarship with practical applications for ministry. Melia, associate dean and program director for the Graduate School of Ministry at Dallas Baptist University; Peavey, professor of Christian education at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary; and Kennemur, who holds the Bessie Fleming Chair of Childhood Education at Southwestern, also contributed chapters to the book. King, research doctoral studies coordinator at Southwestern Seminary, wrote discussion questions and tips for using the information at the end of each chapter.

“It’s a great combination of theology and Christian education,” Kennemur said. She got the idea for the book from her experiences as both a student and professor.

Kennemur, a two-time graduate of Southwestern, said that when she was in the seminary’s Master of Christian Education (MACE) program in the late 1990s, the book Children and Conversion was used in her children’s ministry classes. She also used that book, written by Clifford Ingle in the 1970s, when she became a professor.

It wasn’t just Southwestern—colleagues at other seminaries and Christian universities also were using the book.

“So then you couldn’t get it,” she said. “They quit publishing it.” Kennemur and colleagues contacted Lifeway to request a scanned copy of the book that they could send to their students. Eventually, she concluded that a new book may be needed.

She took Ingle’s book to Southwestern President David S. Dockery and told him about her idea for a new book.

Kennemur noted the only other Southern Baptist perspective on children and baptism was written by Gaines Dobbins in the 1950s. “And so you have something that’s written in the 1950s, and then you have something that’s written in the 1970s,” she said. “And so I said to [Dockery], ‘Do you think this is a valuable project?’ And he said, ‘Absolutely.’”

Kennemur wanted perspectives from different people, including theologians, and said Dockery helped her choose authors for the different chapters. He even wrote one himself: “A Theology of Children and the Church.”

Dockery expressed his own appreciation of the project, saying, “I am so thankful for Karen Kennemur’s fine leadership in the area of children’s ministry, which is clearly evidenced in her initiative and outstanding oversight related to the new volume on Children & Salvation. Giving guidance to a capable editorial team, Professor Kennemur has assembled a fine group of biblical scholars, theologians, practitioners, and ministry specialists to provide a full-orbed approach to questions and challenges related to ministry, evangelism, discipleship, and church involvement regarding children. I pray that this splendid volume will serve as a helpful resource for many in the years to come.”

Other contributing authors include Kennemur’s Southwestern colleagues Joshua Williams, professor of Old Testament; James Wicker, professor of New Testament; Malcolm B. Yarnell III, research professor of theology; and W. Madison Grace II, provost and vice president for academic administration and dean of the School of Theology; as well as Southwestern alumni Adam Harwood (’01, ’07), professor of theology and associate dean of theological and historical studies at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary; and Sandra Peoples (current PhD student), disability ministry consultant, Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, and adjunct professor in Liberty University’s School of Divinity. Ron Hunter Jr., CEO of D6 Family Ministry and Randall House, also contributed a chapter.

Kennemur said the book is useful for students, pastors, children’s ministers, and more. Even though it’s an academic book and not written specifically for parents, she said there are chapters on discipleship and evangelism, the home and spiritual formation, and salvation for children with disabilities that parents may find helpful.

Kennemur said the previous book used in children’s ministry was a good theology book, “but you didn’t know what to do with the information. It was important information, but there was no pushing to use that with families and children. So this [book] does.”