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Instilling faith into your children

David Wiebe

Parents – Passing On the Torch of Faith
John Drescher. Herald Press, Scottdale, Pa., 1997.
104 pp. $11.40.

What can you say to encourage parents of pre-adolescents in less than 100 pages? A lot, if you’re John Drescher. This experienced writer and speaker has assembled a nifty book of ideas for parents hoping to instill faith and Christian values into their children.

Passing the Torch has five sections filled with anecdotes and illustrations typical of Drescher’s style. First, he addresses the emotional and teaching climate of the home. Second, how to make family life spiritual in teachable moments and fun time. Third, he focusses on prayer and worship. Fourth, he challenges us to foster the interpersonal environment by limiting media influences. Fifth, he addresses readers’ guilt.

I felt mixed emotions. The illustrations kept me reading and gave lots of ideas. I felt pushed to raise the standard in my own home. At the same time, it seemed his objective is to recreate the family environment of times past. For example, he suggests we limit or eliminate media from our homes. Even of “Christian”-based TV or games he says, “the act of using electronic media is as much the problem as the content.” To be effective in passing the faith, you may not fit into society at all. I’m not sure many are up to this challenge.

Still, I liked this book. His principles of deepening interaction, prayers, thankfulness, introducing God into conversations, and many others ring true. It’s worth having in your home library.

David Wiebe is director of Christian Education for the Canadian MB Conference.

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Last modified September 28, 1999.

© 1999 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
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