When Natasha Crain, the author of the popular blog, ChristianMomThoughts.com, first told me about her idea for a book, I knew I had to do whatever I could to help her make it a reality. Why? Because Natasha understood what was at stake: the next generation of believers. As a Christian blogger, she had been engaging skeptics and aggressive atheists for some time, and as a Christian parent of three young children, she had been readying her kids for the skepticism she experienced online. Natasha took this mission seriously. She devoured every apologetics book she could get her hands on, and now, she’s written one of her own. If you’re a Christian parent, you need to read this book, whether you’re interested in Christian “apologetics” or not.
Keeping Your Kids On God’s Side is a book whose time has definitely come. Most of us, as parents, have a growing sense of urgency as we watch our culture slip from its Christian foundation. We know we should do something, but we’re not quite sure how to begin. Natasha’s new book will get you started. Based on her experience interacting with skeptics online, Natasha has developed and outlined forty “faith conversations” every family needs to have now. Her book will introduce you to the important apologetics issues all of us must master as parents, and it will help you answer the questions your kids will inevitably ask.
The book is organized in five sections (with eight conversations each):
Conversations About God
Conversations About Truth and Worldview
Conversations About Jesus
Conversations About the Bible
Conversations About Science
Natasha provides more than enough material to equip you with the information you’ll need to have these important conversations, and she also offers insightful tips to help you have more meaningful interaction with your kids. When I saw the outline for Natasha’s book, and then had the chance to see the accessible way she introduces her readers to these important topics, I immediately offered to write the foreword. This is likely to be the most important Christian parenting book you will read this year. I simply cannot recommend it more highly. As I said in the foreword:
“I love what Natasha Crain has done in her first book. As a parent, she gets it. Youth pastors simply can’t do what each of us, as parents, must. The spiritual growth of our kids is our responsibility; we can’t assign it to someone else. If you want to keep your kids in the truth, you’re going to have to teach them why Christianity is true, and you’re not going to be able to teach them unless you are willing to learn. Most of us, if pressed to defend what we believe as Christians, find ourselves woefully ill-equipped. How are we ever going to prepare our kids if we aren’t first prepared?
If you’re a Christian parent but you haven’t yet mastered the rich case for God’s existence and the truth of the Christian worldview, this book is an excellent place to start. In fact, I consider Keeping Your Kids On God’s Side to be an important, eye-opening, ‘gateway’ book. Natasha has done a wonderful job of quickly introducing the important issues and evidences from the perspective of a parent. She’s engaging, thoughtful, and she knows how to throw the ball so you can catch it. Take the time to read this book and absorb the evidence Natasha presents; then visit Natasha’s website to see her recommendations for additional reading. Let Keeping Your Kids On God’s Side serve as an introduction to the most important work you will ever do as a parent. Learn the case so you can give your kids reasons to believe.”
If you’re a parent, you need to get Natasha’s book. If you don’t have kids, give a copy to parents you know who aren’t yet interested in Christian apologetics. Do it now, before it’s too late. Keeping Your Kids On God’s Side will help them understand what’s at stake and equip them to meet the most important challenge they face as parents.
For more information about strategies to help you teach Christian worldview to the next generation, please read So the Next Generation Will Know: Training Young Christians in a Challenging World. This book teaches parents, youth pastors and Christian educators practical, accessible strategies and principles they can employ to teach the youngest Christians the truth of Christianity. The book is accompanied by an eight-session So the Next Generation Will Know DVD Set (and Participant’s Guide) to help individuals or small groups examine the evidence and make the case.
J. Warner Wallace is a Dateline featured Cold-Case Detective, Senior Fellow at the Colson Center for Christian Worldview, Adj. Professor of Christian Apologetics at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University, author of Cold-Case Christianity, God’s Crime Scene, and Forensic Faith, and creator of the Case Makers Academy for kids.
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