Talking with Your Kids about God

Natasha Crain

Description

Christian parenting is hard work--and it's getting harder. Parents have a deep desire to pass on their faith, but fear that today's increasingly skeptical and hostile world will eventually lead their kids to reject the truth of Christianity. That leaves many parents feeling overwhelmed--uncertain of what they can do to help their children, given the difficulty and extent of the faith challenges they will face.This practical and timely resource gives parents the confidence of knowing what to discuss with their children and how to discuss it in order to facilitate impactful conversations that will form the basis of a lifelong faith. In a friendly, parent-to-parent voice, Natasha Crain identifies 30 specific conversations about God that parents must have with their children, organizing them under the categories of- the existence of God- science and God- the nature of God- believing in God- the difference God makesChapters are sequenced in a curriculum-oriented way to provide a cumulative learning experience, making this book a flexible resource for use in multiple settings: homes, church classes, youth groups, small groups, private Christian schools, and homeschools. Every chapter has a step-by-step conversation guide with discussion questions and tips, and content is readily adaptable for use with kids of any age (elementary through high school).Endorsements:"My prayer is that God will use this book to both motivate and equip you to help your kids develop convictions about their faith."--From the foreword by Sean McDowell, PhD, Biola University professor, speaker, and author of more than eighteen books, including A New Kind of Apologist"I can't think of a more relevant or more needed book for parents raising kids in today's culture. This book on apologetics will lead parents in critical conversations that will help grow and guide kids to be lifelong followers of Christ."--Kristen Welch, author of Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World"Hey parents: Do you want to reduce the chances that your child will follow the crowd to the point of rejecting Christ and the values and truths you hold so dearly? Then you need to have the conversations that Natasha Crain so brilliantly describes in this book. Prevent heartbreak later by reading and heeding this book now!"--Frank Turek, PhD, president of CrossExamined Ministries and author of I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist and Stealing from God"May this book lead to thousands more Moms and Dads engaging with their kids through an intelligent faith. And may there be tens of thousands more kids who feel loved because the adults in their lives take their questions seriously."--Jeff Myers, PhD, president, Summit Ministries

Informations

• Publié par: Baker Publishing Group
• Date de parution: 17 octobre 2017
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781493412303
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 3 Mo

Extrait

Cover
Title Page
Copyright Page
© 2017 by Natasha Crain
Published by Baker Books
a division of Baker Publishing Group
PO Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
www.bakerbooks. com
Ebook edition created 2017
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
ISBN 978-1-4934-1230-3
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com
Scripture quotations labeled ESV are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2011
Published in association with the literary agency of Mark Sweeney & Associates, Naples, Florida.
Endorsements
My prayer is that God will use this book to both motivate and equip you to help your kids develop convictions about their faith.
From the foreword by Sean McDowell, PhD, Biola University professor, speaker, and author of more than eighteen books, including A New Kind of Apologist
I can’t think of a more relevant or more needed book for parents raising kids in today’s culture. This book on apologetics will lead parents in critical conversations that will help grow and guide kids to be lifelong followers of Christ.
Kristen Welch, author of Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World
Hey parents: Do you want to reduce the chances that your child will follow the crowd to the point of rejecting Christ and the values and truths you hold so dearly? Then you need to have the conversations that Natasha Crain so brilliantly describes in this book. Prevent heartbreak later by reading and heeding this book now!
Frank Turek, PhD, president of CrossExamined.org and author of I Don’ t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist and Stealing from God
Here’s my suggestion for this smart, funny, honest, and practical book: read each chapter carefully. Then read it again (they’re short). Then pray that your kids ask questions about God. If within five minutes they do not, ask them the questions listed at the end of each chapter. May this book lead to thousands more moms and dads engaging with their kids through an intelligent faith. And may there be tens of thousands more kids who feel loved because the adults in their lives take their questions seriously.
Jeff Myers, PhD, president, Summit Ministries
I am a veteran of dinner-table and long-car-ride conversations with my kids about key issues in theology, philosophy, and apologetics. I’m a huge fan of doing this. I’ve seen how it can cause anti-Christian arguments from skeptics to roll off my kids because they have already heard some of the best arguments for Christianity. It is a lost art, but not lost on Natasha Crain. She is my go-to person on how to train parents and engage kids on these topics of eternal importance. Buy a case of her books and pass them around to other parents and grandparents you know. Then, put it all into practice and watch what God does. It might be the most important thing you can do with your kids in a wildly skeptical age. It turns out that Christianity is true, and our arguments are solid. We and our kids need to be equipped. Thank you, Natasha, for giving us such a wonderful resource to help us all to do the job.
Craig Hazen, PhD, founder and director of the apologetics program at Biola University, author of Five Sacred Crossings
Talking with Your Kids about God is the most important Christian parenting book you will buy this year. Natasha Crain has masterfully crafted a practical, engaging resource that will give you the confidence and knowledge you need to have meaningful conversations with your kids. Have you ever felt like you aren’t ready to navigate difficult questions about God with your kids? This book will change that. Natasha has written a smart, accessible, and winsome guide for parents who are eager to lead their kids to the truth. Get it now , and don’t miss the next books in this important series.
J. Warner Wallace, cold-case detective, senior fellow at the Colson Center for Christian Worldview, and author of Cold- Case Christianity , God’ s Crime Scene , Forensic Faith , and the accompanying children’s books
As an evangelist who spends much of my time talking with those who have doubts and questions about God—and as the father of two young children—I highly recommend Talking with Your Kids about God . Not least because the questions kids ask are often some of the deepest and most honest, but also because if we don’t answer their questions, they’re going to conclude there are no answers and walk away at the first opportunity. Natasha has written a fantastic tool to equip parents to talk honestly with their kids, to listen properly, to ask good questions, and to help them see that there’s only one good reason to be a Christian—not because mum or dad believe it, but because it’s true.
Andy Bannister, PhD, adjunct speaker, Ravi Zacharias International Ministries
Talking with Your Kids about God is an outstanding resource for equipping parents with the techniques and knowledge they need to have effective conversations with their children about the truths of Christianity. Natasha Crain has done an extraordinary job of distilling a large body of material into readable and interesting chapters that can be tackled by topic. As a scholar in the field of science and religion, I was particularly impressed with her treatment of the scientific issues that intersect with the Christian faith. I’ll be recommending her book to every parent I know.
Melissa Cain Travis, MA, author of the Young Defenders storybook series and assistant professor of apologetics, Houston Baptist University
If you want your kids to develop a well-reasoned, evidence-based faith that can withstand the onslaught of cultural attacks, buy this book today! Natasha Crain makes complex scientific and theological issues accessible for concerned parents like you and me. Each chapter is clear, concise, and Christ-centered, empowering parents to engage in conversations that can change the course of their children’s lives. Your entire family will benefit from this important resource!
Jerusha Clark, author of twelve books, including Your Teenager Is Not Crazy and Every Piece of Me
All across the country and around the world, I get asked the same questions over and over again: How do I talk to my kids about the tough questions they will have about God? Are there any books out there that can help me? I can now answer both questions with one answer: this book. Easy to read and easy to use, this book will help you to have the important, insightful, and intelligent conversations you need to have with your kids about God.
Michael C. Sherrard, pastor, cocreator of Ratio Christi College Prep, and author of Relational Apologetics
In a world that’s increasingly skeptical about Christianity, our kids need to understand what they believe and why. Talking with Your Kids about God is a fantastic tool to make those conversations easy and natural. As a children’s pastor, I can tell you this book is one of the best investments you’ll ever make in your child’s faith. Every parent and children’s or student pastor needs to unpack these chapters with their kids.
Jason Byerly, children’s pastor and author of God’ s Big Adventure family devotional
As a homeschooling mother, it is imperative to me that my children know what they believe and why. Rather than waiting for them to encounter the world’s arguments by surprise, Natasha empowers parents to guide their children in asking crucial questions, reasoning through the answers, and taking ownership of their own faith. The curriculum-style format makes this a fantastic resource for homeschoolers, Sunday school classes, or small groups, equipping the next generation with the greatest gift we can give them: a deeply rooted faith that can withstand the storms of doubt, skepticism, and an increasingly hostile culture.
Rachel Bjorklund, homeschooling mother of four, Classical Conversations tutor
Dedication
To my mom and grandma Elsie— two ladies who always exemplified what it means to love the Lord.
Contents
Cover 1
Title Page 3
Copyright Page 4
Endorsements 5
Dedication 9
Foreword by Sean McDowell 15
Acknowledgments 17
Introduction 19
Part 1: The Existence of God 27
Overview 29
1. What Can We Learn about God from Nature? 33
2. Where Did the Universe Come From? 41
3. Where Did Life Come From? 49
4. Where Did Our Moral Understanding Come From? 58
5. What Is the Difference between God and a Flying Spaghetti Monster? 66
6. How Much Evidence Do We Need to Be Confident God Exists? 73
Part 2: Science and God 81
Overview 83
7. Can Science Prove or Disprove God’s Existence? 87
8. Do Science and Religion Contradict Each Other? 95
9. Do Science and Religion Complement Each Other? 103
10. Is God Just an Explanation for What Science Doesn’t Yet Know? 110
11. Can Science Explain Why People Believe in God? 118
12. What Do Scientists Believe about God? 125
Part 3: The Nature of God 133
Overview 135
13. What Can We Learn about God from the Bible? 139
14. What Does It Mean That God Is Love? 147
15. What Does It Mean That God Is Just? 154
16. Why Does God Seem So Harsh in Parts of the Old Testament? 161
17. How Can God Be Three Persons in One? 169
18. Why Didn’t God Reveal More of Himself in the Bible? 177
Part 4: Believing in God 183
Overview 185
19. Why Do People Believe So Many Different Things about God? 189
20. Do A