"Is it a Lost Cause?" asks Dawn, about raising genuinely Christians children in our culture, an individualistic, narcissistic culture that chooses many idolatries to assuage or repress that deep "sehnsucht" (inner yearning).
With thorough research, penetrating insight, and a deeply burdened heart for the children and youth, especially of our churches, she lays out the dangers and distractions facing them, and how the church and parents can counter-act. Quite intentionally the church must stand as an alternative community formed by God's Word, genuinely demonstrating His love, and seek to inform each other in the character of Christ. All the church, leaders, parents, other members alike, must learn to worship God in truth and support one another in raising godly children by the power of the Spirit to Jesus' model.
The questions at the end of each chapter will stimulate much thought and debate in a discussion group.
At the beginning I wondered if this were directed mostly at youth pastors, then saw that the author was laying a strong Biblical groundwork for her thesis that the Christian community must work together to train and save the next generation. Dawn articulates exactly how I've been feeling for years as a result of my ministry to church children. I want to study and mark up this book again so I can make the points my own agenda in my new role as Sunday School Superintendent.
At a recent committee meeting, I needed those dangers of media consumption on the tip of my tongue to refuse the idea of showing videos to our classes so our teachers can go to the lake in the summer months.
The chapters on worship, consumerism, violence, and nurturing children for sexuality character are each excellent, and together make this a worthy resource that ought to be in every church library.
(In fact, I'm ready to go look for her other books, and those she quotes and recommends as well).
Ruth Marlene Friesen
The Responsible One
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Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada