Book Preview: Critical Conversations: A Christian Parents' Guide to Discussing Homosexuality with Teens By Tom Gilson
Tom Gilson is the Senior Editor and Ministry Coordinator specializing in Christian apologetics and inspiration for the daily online news and insight website The Stream (stream.org). Previously he had served with the Ratio Christi Campus Apologetics Alliance. He is the monthly Worldview and You columnist at BreakPoint Online, and has written articles for Discipleship Journal, Touchstone Magazine, and Salvo. He blogs at Thinking Christian (thinkingchristian.net). When not studying or writing he enjoys canoeing, sailing, and long walks in the woods. He lives with wife Sara and their two college-aged children in Lebanon, Ohio.
About the Book
Nothing these days challenges teens’ faith as much as homosexuality. It’s the single most important topic a parent can prepare a teen to respond to. It probably seems like the single hardest thing to talk about with your teens.
It doesn’t have to be that hard! (Honest.)
Critical Conversations explains in parent-friendly, practical ways how to have the conversation and how to answer the questions. It even prepares you for your biggest “win” ever with your teen: when you don’t know the answers!
Parent-Friendly and Practical
You need to know how to talk with your teen. This book answers. It gives you the background you need: where the homosexual culture came from, and why homosexuality is wrong, in both common-sense and biblical terms. It covers your teen’s crucial relationships, with friends, teachers, and school administrators.
Best of all, it gives you short, (mostly) simple answers to twenty-seven of the most common challenges raised against Christianity: “If you’re against homosexuality you’re a bigot!” “You’re intolerant!” “You’re homophobic!” “How can you be against marriage equality?” Most of these questions can be answered simply. All it takes is a little understanding. You can gain that understanding. It’s within your reach.
And you can help your teen be confident in his or her Christian faith, even in today’s increasingly pro-gay. anti-Christian culture.
A Pro-Christianity Book In An Anti-Christianity Culture
Balanced Views: Issues and People. Homosexual practices are wrong, and so is gay marriage. The book explains why. Still that’s nowhere near enough help for teens navigating a world of gay, lesbian, and gender-questioning classmates — not to mention everyone who thinks your teen should support gay causes just as they do. Teens need to know how to relate with these classmates and friends in authentic Christian friendship and love, within wise boundaries. You need to know how to coach your teen. Critical Conversations will help you do exactly that.
This is a pro-Christianity book. Gay activists have made Christianity their enemy. They’ve even made it seem like Christianity is to blame for all kinds of hate, aggression, intolerance, judgmentalism, and injustice. None of that is true (not for true biblical Christianity, anyway). But they’ve manipulated the rhetoric to make it seem that way. They’ve done it so well your teen may wonder how someone who opposes homosexuality could be Christian. Your teen needs answers to that question. This book explains how to be pro-Christian in an anti-Christian, pro-homosexuality culture.
In fact, this might be exactly what your teen needs to remain firmly fixed on a foundation of truth — to be preserved against false anti-Christian rhetoric. and to keep on confidently following Jesus Christ.
Your teen’s spiritual future is at stake. You’re the parent. No one else can do what you can do. Are you ready for the critical conversations that will help your teen stand strong?
Sean McDowell interviews Gilson here.
You can get your copy of the book here.
Courage and Godspeed,
Chad
Comments