Families and Faith


Book Description

Winner of the Distinguished Book Award from American Sociology Association Sociology of Religion Section Winner of the Richard Kalish Best Publication Award from the Gerontological Society of America Few things are more likely to cause heartache to devout parents than seeing their child leave the faith. And it seems, from media portrayals, that this is happening more and more frequently. But is religious change between generations common? How does religion get passed down from one generation to the next? How do some families succeed in passing on their faith while others do not? Families and Faith: How Religion is Passed Down across Generations seeks to answer these questions and many more. For almost four decades, Vern Bengtson and his colleagues have been conducting the largest-ever study of religion and family across generations. Through war and social upheaval, depression and technological revolution, they have followed more than 350 families composed of more than 3,500 individuals whose lives span more than a century--the oldest was born in 1881, the youngest in 1988--to find out how religion is, or is not, passed down from one generation to the next. What they found may come as a surprise: despite enormous changes in American society, a child is actually more likely to remain within the fold than leave it, and even the nonreligious are more likely to follow their parents' example than to rebel. And while outside forces do play a role, the crucial factor in whether a child keeps the faith is the presence of a strong fatherly bond. Mixing unprecedented data with gripping interviews and sharp analysis, Families and Faith offers a fascinating exploration of what allows a family to pass on its most deeply-held tradition--its faith.




Abraham's Family


Book Description

Tells the awesome story of how Abraham became the ancestors of Christianity.




Faith and Finley


Book Description

Join Faith and Finley as they tour their home state of Missouri. Friends and facts are discovered by the traveling duo! Do you love history and the outdoors? What do you love about your own home state? May the adventures of Faith and Finley grow your curiosity for your local past and the wonderful places in your own backyard!




Chasing Superwoman


Book Description

The Christian community tends to operate under the assumption that the only women attending church are traditional stay-at-home moms. But in truth, more than 75% of mothers with school-age children work outside the home. Chasing Superwoman gives these working mothers what they’ve been craving—a funny, intelligent, relevant exploration of what it means to live out a vibrant faith amidst the many demands placed on their time and energy. Chasing Superwoman provides a much needed dialogue (not a formula) about the complex spiritual struggle of the working mother, plus a lot of laughter and encouragement for working women to embrace their busy life and trust God’s grace for getting it all done.




God, My Rock


Book Description

Through her poems, letters and journal excerpts, author Carol Nordman tells the true story of living abroad as she steps into God's calling and gives up "the good life" to become a missionary. In God, My Rock, she illustrates God's promises, goodness, and faithfulness and tells how she; her husband, Vance; and eventually their children encounter and overcome the secret police, political instability, economic collapse, events of the last days of the Cold War, illness, and giving birth in a foreign hospital among other challenges. Nordman provides glimpses of her day-to-day life raising and traveling with three children on the mission field in Turkey, Egypt, the Philippines, Russia, Europe, and Japan. This memoir chronicles the family's surprising cultural adjustments, both abroad and upon returning to the United States. The stories span Nordman's life from finding God in her teenage years, being a UCLA student and serving as a single missionary for five years before marrying at the age of twenty-six. She shares the great adventure of following God's call and watching him work powerfully to bring people into his kingdom by personally knowing his son, Jesus.




Noah's Invisible Adventures


Book Description

Meet Noah, the world's most exciting kid! Noah's blindness doesn't stop him from turning every "ordinary" day into an incredible adventure! Join Noah as he learns new ways to look at the world through the eyes of his imagination and his faith. Most importantly, follow Noah as he learns what it means to live by faith, and spend evey moment in the presence of Jesus ... the greatest adventure of all! -- Publisher's description.




Big Book of Ideas for Children's Faith Formation


Book Description

If you can round up some construction paper, a few old magazines, a box of Q-Tips, a spool of ribbon, and some glue, this book will show you how to make hours of fun for young children. These are all faith-centered, classroom-tested activities, and it's the only book of its kind made especially for Catholic children.




Faith Begins at Home


Book Description

In the past, faith was a central part of the family's home life, yet the reality for many families today is that faith is no more than one - hour, drop off Christianity. To become the strong, healthy, joy - filled families God intended begins with parents establishing their homes as the primary place where faith is nurtured. Faith Begins at Home combines inspirational stories and practical ideas with biblical truth to help families rediscover how to bring the basics of faith back into their home.




Adventures in Saying Yes


Book Description

Adventures Await When You Overcome Fear This is the story of a normal family of five living a very unusual life. The Medearis family has faced Middle Eastern prisons, death threats, being kicked out of a country two times, and war. It hasn't always been easy, but in the midst of it all, the invitation of Jesus to follow and not be afraid has won the day. But this is more than just their story. It's also a guide to help you step out in bold faith. Whether the call of Jesus for you means international intrigue, giving up all you have for the poor, or simply being the suburban neighbor you were always meant to be, it's time to begin your own adventure! To live a life where fear takes a backseat and God takes the wheel. In the end, of course, there are no promises of an easy life or a path free of troubles. But enormous blessings await those who walk in faith. It's time to go where Jesus is calling and do what God is doing. Don't put off the adventure he's been saving just for you. "Reading Adventures in Saying Yes is so much fun you don't realize at first how profound it is. . . . In an era when people, races, religions, and countries are being torn apart by fear, this call to move past fear and follow Jesus into caring connections is essential reading."--Lynne Hybels, Advocate for Global Engagement, Willow Creek Community Church "You'll cry. You'll laugh. You'll shake your head in disbelief. But most of all, you'll never be the same after this book. It will inspire and ignite you to go beyond planning and start saying yes to Jesus' nonstop invitations to join him in what he's already up to in the world."--Leonard Sweet, bestselling author, professor (Drew University, George Fox University, Tabor College), and chief contributor to sermons.com "We are all looking for ways to be inspired and challenged in our life with Jesus. Carl's stories don't just entertain you. They call you to live courageously in the face of your fears."--Jay Pathak, Senior Pastor, Mile High Vineyard Church, and coauthor of The Art of Neighboring "Carl Medearis gives us a rare look into the utterly vulnerable, harrowing, uplifting, and often witty adventures of one who has dared to say yes in the face of fear for the sake of the good news. What's most amazing about this book is that it all actually happened. . . . Brilliant. Simply brilliant."--Ted Dekker, New York Times bestselling author "The gospel of Jesus is not about security and segregation. . . . Adventures in Saying Yes is a compelling call to embody the risky faith and radical hospitality of Jesus!"--Brian Zahnd, Pastor of Word, Life Church (St. Joseph, MO), and author of A Farewell to Mars "This book will press you toward a closer walk, a deeper love, and an undaunted life of following Jesus. Carl disarms the reader with his warm and engaging style, yet delivers deep biblical truth about what it means to be a fearless disciple. As a Lebanese immigrant to the States, I can promise you that Carl clearly understands the culture and made me yearn for home. I was deeply moved by what God will do through us when we simply say yes."--Lina AbuJamra, MD, pediatric ER doctor and author of Stripped "Even if you don't like biographical books by missionaries, you are going to love this one. It's so much more than the story of a family learning how to live gracefully among Muslims. This is a text on overcoming fear, learning how to trust strangers, and allowing God to guide all you do."--Tony Campolo, PhD, Eastern University "Written with real-life integrity and humor, this story explodes with invitations--to risk, to trust, to imagine, to open, to more . . ."--Wm. Paul Young, author of The Shack




The Sticky Faith Guide for Your Family


Book Description

If you are eager for an authentic action plan you can use every day to point your kids toward lasting, lifelong faith, this is it. Building on the bestselling go-to guidebook Sticky Faith, The Sticky Faith Guide for Your Family shows parents how to actively encourage their children's spiritual growth so that it will stick with them into adulthood and empower them to develop a living, lasting faith. This accessible guide presents more than 100 practical, easy-to-implement ideas to set your family on a trajectory of lifelong faith, including how to . . . Handle mistakes and show forgiveness Connect and relate to your teenager Talk faith with your kids Build faith during downtime or on vacation Make your house a hub of faith Be a family of service And more! Perfect for busy parents who don't have time and inclination to read--yet grounded in sophisticated, academically verified data by the Fuller Youth Institute--this guidebook is a welcome resource you can turn to time and time again for fresh ideas and inspiration.