Penny loves the sermon on Sunday because she loves to think about big things. But when preaching from the front porch to her friends doesn't turn out quite as she expected, Penny wonders if she was wrong to want to teach others about God. Written by Amy and Rob Dixon, Penny's story reminds us that God gives good gifts to everyone!
Look Inside and Purchase: https://www.ivpress.com/penny-preaches
Amazon Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Penny-Preaches-Gives-Gifts-Everyone/dp/1514008580
Amazon Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Penny-Preaches-Gives-Gifts-Everyone/dp/1514008580
Q&A with the Authors, Amy Dixon and Rob Dixon:
Q: What inspired you to write Penny Preaches?
Amy Dixon: We want to normalize girls being able to imagine themselves in leadership roles in the church. We have four kids: a boy and three girls. Because of Rob’s work in the egalitarian field, we’ve always been really intentional about wanting our kids to know that girls and boys are both equally loved and valued by God. We’ve wanted our girls to be able to see themselves doing anything God calls them to in the church and beyond. But finding models for them has been difficult. In addition to that, as a female in ministry in my twenties, I had my leadership questioned more than once because of my gender, and I pray that we are forming a church in the future where that isn’t a problem anymore.
Rob Dixon: I’m fortunate to have lots of motivation sources. I think about our girls and what kind of church I want them to inherit. I think about this from a justice angle—it’s unjust when the church doesn’t permit women to use their gifts. I think about this from a missiological angle—for two centuries the church has been trying to fulfill the great commission with half the team on the bench; let’s try something different! And, pragmatically, I spend a lot of my time trying to convince boomers and Gen Xers to change their theology and practice regarding gender equality, and I hope Penny influences the younger generations such that we don’t have to change their minds later on, when it can be more challenging to rethink your paradigms.
Q: Briefly summarize the main theme of Penny Preaches. What is distinctive about your approach?
Amy: God gives good gift to everyone. We wanted there to be a faith-based book that empowers girls to exercise their teaching gifts in the church. That is the unique thing about this book.
Rob: God gives good gifts to everyone! What’s distinctive about our book is that we are illustrating that thesis using a little girl who aspires to preach. Go, Penny, go!
Q: What do you want readers to take away from your book?
Amy and Rob:
- God speaks to us.
- God has given each of us gifts.
- God’s gifts aren’t allocated by gender, with a list for men and another for women.
- We’re each called to use the gifts God has given us to expand the kingdom.
Modeling is important—it’s going to be hard for a girl like Penny to become a preacher if she can’t see it modeled for her, so shout out to Pastor Sarah!
Q & A from Penny Preaches press kit. Used with permission.
Links of Interest:
- Read more from the authors at: https://www.ivpress.com/pages/content/god-gives-good-gifts-to-everyone
- Print an book-related activity sheet: https://www.ivpress.com/Media/Default/Kids/A0858-activity.pdf
- Watch a behind-the-scenes video as Penny Preaches illustrator Jennifer Davison shows her process for creating the art for the book: https://www.instagram.com/p/C9u-FIyoqo9
Title: Lethal Standoff 
