Today’s generation of young people is not thrilled with the church and is leaving it — and its faith — behind.
Because of that reality, this is not just another book about the family.
It’s so much more important to the core of our faith both now and in the future.
I am thrilled that we now have a hands-on book that brings together more than one hundred practical and tested ideas to build a lasting faith in kids.
While I grieve the young people who leave the faith, I take hope in this book’s message that there is a much greater chance kids will stay connected to God if faith is modeled and talked about in the home.
We know that preaching, lecturing, or ignoring faith issues in our families doesn’t work.
But developing faith-building rituals and conversations like the ones found in this book do work.
That is why I encourage you to get started using the practical tools in this book to develop those faith conversations with your children.
If you work in the church, let me remind you that a majority of parents are timid about having conversations about faith.
Your job is to offer valuable resources to them and to partner with them by handing them copies of this book.
Parents know in their hearts these conversations are important; they just don’t know how to have them.
When our own kids were younger, we started implementing “family nights” once a week.
We chose fun food, had some kind of experience that was enjoyable, and then shared a few moments of faith conversations.
I wish I could tell you every faith conversation was rewarding and life transforming.
They weren’t.
But we believe those conversations
along the road of life kept our kids grounded and our family focused on making our family what Kara calls “a hub of faith.”
We didn’t have a book like this one, and that made it more complicated.
But today, with great content like this, there really is no excuse not to try to create an environment at home in which your family’s faith is nurtured and can flourish.
In every generation, God uses leaders and movements to create transformation in the church and in the lives of believers.
I have said for years that Kara Powell is one of those leaders whom God has raised up for this generation.
Kara leads the Sticky Faith movement with integrity, faithfulness, personal conviction, and brilliance like few people I know.
Her academic credentials are impressive, but frankly, it’s her life and lifestyle that make me want to learn everything I can from her.
She lives out what she teaches.
Why and how God chooses a leader like Billy Graham or Mother Teresa to lead movements and create renewal is for someone much smarter than me to figure out.
But this I know: for centuries God has used individual leaders to spawn movements in which transformation happens.
Kara is one of those leaders.
— J
IM B
URNS, PhD
President, HomeWord Dana Point, California
