[I wrote this book review as a guest post for my good friend, apologist Alisa Childers. For inspiring articles that will bolster your faith with the latest science, philosophy, history, and more, be sure to subscribe to Alisa's blog.]
I like to start a non-fiction book by identifying the promise it makes. In other words, what does it pledge I’ll walk away with by the time I turn the last page? I do this for a couple of reasons: first, it helps me decide whether it belongs on my dresser stack (books I’ll get to sometime this year) or my coffee table stack (books I want to read now); and second, to see if the author (s) actually make good on that promise.
I’m pleased to report… So the Next Generation Will Know: Preparing Young Christians for a Challenging World (David C. Cook, May 2019) by authors Sean McDowell and J. Warner Wallace made it to the coffee table (very top of the stack) and passed the fulfilled-promise test with flying colors.
The book is written with the following audience in mind: parents, youth workers, Christian educators, and people who love young people. Since I’ve been all four (at times simultaneously), I paid close attention to the book’s promise: To show readers how (with practical advice) to teach the truth of Christianity to the next generation, given the special challenges they face and their unique identity.
I read the book in two days. It’s that good. And even though feelings are subjective and not always the best litmus test for a book’s reliability…I have to say I felt SO encouraged when I turned the last page. This is HUGE because it would have been easy for a book of this nature—claiming to prepare me for something so daunting—to leave me feeling ignorant for what I don’t know or shamed for what I’m not doing.
A quick glance through the table of contents should put all readers at ease. Every chapter starts with the word love. In fact, the entire book springboards off Jesus’ words in John 15:13. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
We are reminded from the book’s start that the next generation needs our sacrificial love, which means they need us to do whatever it takes to make sure they know and embrace the truth. So many of us are ready to rise to the occasion, but don’t know where to start. And that’s where this book comes to the rescue. (to finish the review, click here for Alisa Childers blog.)