Do you feel overwhelmed, confused, and perhaps frightened by our rapidly changing, ever-darkening culture? Jesus calls us to be salt and light in a dark culture. These two books are like road-maps for a challenging journey.
The Daniel Dilemma: How to Stand Firm and Love Well in a Culture of Compromise
In July 2016, I heard author and pastor Chris Hodges speak at the She Speaks conference. I was drawn in by his warmth, humor, and positive vibe. I tend to be a careful Christian, and his message breathed freedom and hope into my cautious world.
The publisher, Nelson Books, provided every conference attendee a free advance copy of Chris’ new book, The Daniel Dilemma. I didn’t realize how much I needed to hear Chris’ perspective on standing firm and loving well in our culture. God has challenged and instructed me through this book.
Fear and concern often grips me as I consider my children’s future world. This book is reorienting my fear-based position to one of quiet trust in God’s will. Since the prophet Daniel lived faithfully in the pagan Babylonian culture, I can have hope for my family.
This book outlines how a believer can stand strong as our culture becomes increasingly hostile toward Christianity. Chris gives many examples of how to ground your thoughts, actions, and preferences in God’s truth rather than in what feels good.
Most importantly, this book is helping me shed the cloistered mindset I often wear in self-protection. Chris provides many ideas for loving, respectful interactions with unbelievers. He humbly shares the ways he lived out his message, and he has given me a lot to consider as I move forward.
The Daniel Dilemma is changing my approach in my daily interactions with the world. I truly want to serve as salt and light in the world, but I wasn’t sure how to do that before I read this book. It calls me to think more often and pray more thoughtfully about how to carry salt and light into my everyday world. It empowers me to be confident in my faith and look forward to the future rather than fear it.
Christ-Centered Parenting – Bible Study Book: Gospel Conversations on Complex Cultural Issues
As a Lifeway Women Ambassador, I won a copy of this wonderful book. Again, I feel like God is using it to dispel my fears and equip me for cultural engagement, specifically as a parent.
This book has discussion questions if you want to hold a small group study with other parents, or you can use it as a stand-alone study. Its main focus is the essential role parents play in teaching the Christian faith to their children. The authors paint an accurate picture of the unique challenges parents face in the current culture. The cultural landscape is without precedent and has no limit for expansion, so we must engage differently than parents in previous generations.
Christ-Centered Parenting has a reassuring, empowering voice. We are called to be faithful in our teaching and examples, and we can teach our children to serve as salt and light in their circles of influence.
This book has teaching segments that are customized for the ages of your children. You can use the book with preschoolers all the way to young adults. This book provides thoughtful discussion guides on these important topics:
- Gospel Framework (the importance of a Bible-based worldview)
- Human Dignity
- Identity
- Sexuality
- Relationships
- Technology
I plan to read this entire book myself and go through it one-on-one with each of my children. Also, I will consider leading a small-group study with other parents.
I cannot say enough about the great value and timely message of this study. If you are a Christian parent, I highly recommend Christ-Centered Parenting.
Questions for you:
- Does the current culture cause you concern? Why?
- How do you serve as salt and light in your world?
- How are you teaching the children in your life to follow Jesus?
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