Book excerpt: Every church knows that kids matter. A better question is, does your church act like every kid matters at every phase? A phase is a timeframe in kids' lives when you can leverage distinctive opportunities to influence their future. That means the whining infant, the dramatic fifth grader, and the stressed-out tenth grader are not just going through a phase that should be wished away. Instead, they are transitioning through a critical phase that you are called to discover, celebrate, and navigate strategically with them. This book presents a challenge to churches to treat every kid who breathes like they are made in the image of God. When you keep acting like every kid and teenager has the potential ... to believe, imagine, and love ... to care, relate, and trust ... to reason, improve, and lead It can change ... how the parents next door see your church. how the elders value teenagers. how the executive staff views children and youth ministry. how you organize what you do every week. how first graders see themselves. But more importantly ... it can change how every kid sees God, and that could change every kid's future.