Cold-Case Christianity for Kids by J. Warner Wallace and Susie Wallace

About the Book:

Cold-Case Christianity for Kids (David C. Cook, October 2016)

Between the ages of 8 and 12, kids often start to wonder if Christianity is true.

In Cold-Case Christianity for Kids, detective J. Warner Wallace draws readers into the thrill of high-stakes investigation by showing them how to think rather than telling them what to think. In this children’s companion to the bestselling Cold-Case Christianity, detective Wallace gets kids excited about testing witnesses, examining the evidence, and investigating the case for Christianity. Includes author illustrations and links to a website where kids can download activities, fill in case notes, and earn a certificate of merit.

Learn more and purchase a copy.

 

 About the Authors:

J. Warner and Susie Wallace have been training young people in the church setting for over a decade. J. Warner is a cold-case homicide detective who has been featured on Dateline, FOX News, Court TV and other crime-related television shows. A former atheist, he is the author of Cold-Case Christianity: God’s Crime Scene and Forensic Faith. He has a master’s degree in theology and is the founder of ColdCaseChristianity.com. Susie has a master’s degree in speech pathology and co-writes (and edits) all the kids books in this series. J. Warner and Susie have four children and live in southern California.

Margie’s Comments:  

Cold-Case Christianity for Kids is an interesting approach by the authors to teach older school-age children how to investigate and think through difficult questions about Christianity, the Bible, Jesus, and God. Each chapter takes the reader into more investigation techniques and to the interactive website, ColdCaseChristianityforKids.com, for more activities and a certificate of merit when they complete the “training.” The book is full of illustrations and graphics and includes extra investigations in sidebars to encourage the readers to search out answers to their questions for themselves.

My children are grown, and my grandchildren are still very young, but I will share this copy of Cold-Case Christianity for Kids with my son, a church camp director, and others on our church staff who work with children. If you have children or grandchildren who would benefit from this book, I highly recommend it. We need young people to learn to think through these questions of faith so that when they are faced with opposition (and they will be!) they are equipped to “give an answer of the hope” that lies within them.

I was given a copy of the book from the publishers in exchange for an honest review.

J. Warner Wallace and Susie Wallace’s ‘Cold-Case Christianity for Kids’ Blog Tour and Giveaway

At the crucial age between 8 and 12, many kids begin to wonder if Christianity and the Bible are true. Help your kids become truth-seeking detectives with the help of J. Warner and Susie Wallace's Cold-Case Christianity for Kids. Detective Wallace gets kids excited about testing witnesses, examining the evidence, and investigating the case for Christianity. The book includes author illustrations and links to a website where kids can download activities, fill in case notes, and earn a certificate of merit.




Encourage your kids to investigate the case for Christianity by entering to win a faith examination kit and a copy of J. Warner and Susie's new book.







 

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A copy of Cold-Case Christianity for Kids


• A Kindle Fire so your kids can visit the Cold-Case Christianity for Kids website and explore its many activities


• A shock-proof, kid-friendly, convertible Kindle Fire case (your kids' choice of color)

Enter today by clicking the icon below, but hurry! The giveaway ends on November 4. The winner will be announced November 7 on the Litfuse blog.




Union with Christ by Rankin Wilbourne

About the Book:

Union with Christ: The Way to Know and Enjoy God (David C. Cook, July 2016)

Nothing is more basic or central to knowing and enjoying God than Union with Christ.

Have you ever had difficulty connecting what you know to be true about God with how you feel or how you live each day? Have you ever longed to change but just felt stuck?

The Bible makes a stunning claim: God has provided a way for your life to be united to Christ’s. What does that mean? Is it really possible for me, now? What would it look like?

In Union with Christ, Rankin Wilbourne makes union with Christ accessible and beautiful, for you. Union with Christ is not an abstract idea. It is a powerful reality. And recovering a sense of your union with Christ can change everything for you, like finally putting on a pair of desperately needed glasses.

Discover how coming to see your life through the lens of union with Christ can help bridge that gap between your head and your heart, between your belief and your experience. Union with Christ is what we most need in order to know and enjoy God.

Learn more and purchase a copy.

About the Author:

 

 Rankin Wilbourne grew up in Louisiana and was educated at the University of Mississippi and Princeton Theological Seminary. He is now the senior pastor of Pacific Crossroads Church in Los Angeles. As a former commercial banker, Rankin understands the "gap" between the gospel preached on Sunday and the world people face on Monday. Leading a thriving church in a city driven by stories, he's concerned with drawing connections between what we believe and how we live. Rankin and his wife, Morgen, reside in Los Angeles with their three children.

Margie’s Comments:

The simple title of this book, Union with Christ, reflects the simplicity of the truth that Jesus Christ came to earth “to seek and to save that which was lost.” But salvation in Jesus Christ alone involves our active participation. And the author, Rankin Wilbourne, does a masterful job of explaining and encouraging his readers to dig deeper into God’s Word to find the answers to the “gap” that exists as believers attempt to reconcile what they hear in church on Sunday and the pressures of the world the rest of the week (or as soon as they walk out the door of their churches into the “real” world).

This topic of learning to abide in Christ (John 15) or union with Christ has been one that I’ve pondered for most of my adult life. In reading this book for review (but also for my own study and growth), I realized how thankful I am for the church we have been a part of sixteen out of the last twenty years. If it hadn’t been for the teaching of the pastors and other staff members on justification and progressive sanctification, I probably wouldn’t have as good a grasp on this topic as I do. Oh, I’m far from perfect, but it has long been my prayer to realize the truth of Paul’s desire stated in Philippians 3:8–14. Even before we moved to Colorado twenty years ago, the Lord brought me through various circumstances, and yes, trials, in order to see how this union with Christ could be accomplished. And for those experiences I am grateful.

The author establishes the historical position of the church on this topic of union with Christ before showing us the need of individual believers to have a balance between God’s amazing grace (that doesn’t give license to do whatever we please) and obedience to God’s commands in His Word in order to achieve the joy and peace that is ours when we are in true union with Christ. This is a full-length book that (at least for me) takes time to read it thoroughly in order to understand and comprehend and apply the truths of Scripture, but it is well worth every minute spent in doing so. I highly recommend Union with Christ: The Way to Know and Enjoy God by Rankin Wilbourne.

Experiencing God through His Names by Sheryl Giesbrecht

About the Book

Experiencing God Through His Names (Bold Vision Books, June 2016)

What’s in a name?

Names are more than groups of letters that represent a person or identify objects. Names are powerful. A person’s character and destiny can be influenced by his or her name. God’s attributes and personality support His unique and distinct names. If we comprehend the meanings of His titles, we can know God more intimately. In Experiencing God Through His Names, Sheryl Giesbrecht walks with you on an exciting journey to discover and absorb the truth about God’s character. In the next 31 days, God wants you to get to know Him. Are you ready?

Learn more and purchase a copy.

 About the Author

Sheryl Giesbrecht has written three books, hundreds of articles, blogs, and columns. A nationally syndicated radio host, Sheryl is a sought after inspirational speaker who facilitates leadership training for thousands internationally.

Margie’s Comments:

It has been over 20 years ago now when my mom challenged me to begin a study on the names of God. I didn’t know then it would become a lifelong study, but I’m always grateful for another book that brings another layer to that study. Sheryl Geisbrecht’s book Experiencing God through His Names is a good one to add to my list. I’ve enjoyed reading this small devotional book. Sheryl takes thirty-one names for God and writes a short devotional for each one. Including her own personal experiences helps to add verisimilitude to each name and gives the reader a modern context for each ancient yet eternal name. If you’ve never done a study on the names of God, this would be a good place to start.

Jesus and the Beanstalk by Lori Stanley Roeleveld

About the Book:
 
Jesus and the Beanstalk: Overcoming Your Giants and Living a Fruitful Life (Abingdon Press, September 2016)

What if a fairy tale and ten Bible verses could free you to live an effective, fruitful life in Christ?
We live in unsettling, challenging times. Everywhere we look, we see giant problems: giant obstacles to sharing faith, giant barriers to peaceful lives, giant strongholds of fear. But what if you knew eight small secrets to unlocking a strength big enough to overcome whatever obstacle life may bring?

Using allegory and a bit of humor, Jesus and the Beanstalk explores a passage in 2 Peter 1 to uncover eight truths that will help you unleash a larger-than-life faith:

—Faith
—Goodness
—Knowledge
—Self-control
—Perseverance
—Godliness
—Affection for others
—Love

In this creative, refreshing perspective on spiritual growth, you will discover an unyielding strength when you tap the power of a God who is stronger than any beanstalk and bigger than your biggest giants.

Learn more and purchase a copy.





 
About the Author:

Lori Stanley Roeleveld is the author of "Running from a Crazy Man (and other adventures traveling with Jesus)" and "Red Pen Redemption." Her blog, LoriRoeleveld.com, was voted Top 100 Christian Blogs by RedeemingGod.com and has enjoyed over 1.5 million views. Lori lives in Hope Valley, RI.






 

Margie’s Comments: 
When I was first contacted about doing a review for Jesus and the Beanstalk, I was a little skeptical. But as soon as I started reading the book, I was once again reminded that Jesus spoke in parables much of the time, causing much the same skeptical (at least) reaction from the religious leaders of His day. So, rebuked and challenged, I changed my attitude and as I continued to read I appreciated the fresh approach to a well-loved passage in 2 Peter 1.

We all face giants who are against our desires to know Christ better and to live as Christ would have us live and to walk out Christlikeness before and increasingly unbelieving world. Lori Roeleveld has divided this Bible study into three parts: the first part makes the correlation between Christlike living and “Jack and the Beanstalk”; the second part explores how to make a difference in our increasing spiritually dark culture; and the final part takes us into an in-depth six-day study on each of the eight virtues Peter encourages us to actively pursue and incorporate into our daily lives.

As I read the book, I was challenged over and over to actively pursue Christlikeness in every area of life. I not only highly recommend Jesus and the Beanstalk to all my readers, I am praying about using this book as a small-group Bible study with the women at my church. In fact, I’m already using portions of it in my current study on the promises of God. Many thanks to the author for the courage to write the book and to Abingdon Press for publishing it and sending me a copy of the book in exchange for review.