Is It a Lost Cause?: Having the Heart of God for the Church's Children

Rating:
Summary: thought and spirit-provoking
Review: I enjoyed the hymns at the beginning of each chapter and the discussion questions at the end of each chapter. This would be a great book for a group to read together in that sense. Marva Dawn comments on a whole range of subjects, from worship to the media and the meaning of work. It doesn't have much of the "fluffy" stuff that I find in a lot of so-called "popular Christian books," and I find it bracing and refreshing, good tonic for the spirit and mind. Wish I could get some people in my church to read and discuss and act together on the ideas brought out in the book.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: This book is excellent for Christian educators and youth ministers who are feeling burntout and discouraged over the state of children in the church. Dawn goes beyond the recommendations of pre-packaged youth minstry programs and addresses the need to CHALLENGE youth in order to make them disciples. Dawn offers several examples of her own experiences in which children and teens embraced difficult teachings and sophisticated music in favor of things that supposedly cater to kids. This books is also a wake-up call to Christian parents who are too quick to embrace popular culture in their own homes and who may mistakenly believe that youth ministry is doing its job correctly.

Rating:
Summary: She's right on
Review: This is a great book for parents, pastors, worship leaders, as well as lay persons. She explains worship, educates on why the church does what it does how it does, and challenges churches of all denominations and leanings (traditional to contemporary) to re-examine the way they approach youth involvement in church.