Designing Wonder: Unleashing the power of place, purpose, and imagination in children's ministry

What if your church could feel like a story kids can step into?Designing Wonder reveals how to transform ordinary ministry spaces into extraordinary, story-driven environments that disciple children through imagination, beauty, and purpose.Author Justyn Smith, in collaboration with PlainJoe Studios, takes readers behind the creation of Adventure Port—a groundbreaking children’s ministry experience where faith meets design and every detail speaks.Inside, you’ll learn how to:Use storytelling and themed environments to shape faith and identity.Build a ministry culture where volunteers become storytellers.Design immersive spaces that communicate belonging, joy, and Gospel truth.Bring spatial storytelling and theology of wonder to life in any context or budget.Whether you lead a large church or a small team, this book equips you to dream big, think like an Imagineer, and craft spaces that invite kids to encounter Jesus in unforgettable ways.Because the Gospel is the greatest story ever told—and it deserves environments that tell it well. Read more