Clare Heath-Whyte, Everyone a Child Should Know
(Leyland: 10 Publishing, 2017), 116 pp.
Reviewed by Matthew Cain
Missionaries and musicians, authors and monarchs, preachers and scientists – these and more are included in this fun way to introduce your children to some heroes of the Christian faith. Gladys Aylward, J.S. Bach, Anne Bradstreet, Fanny Crosby, Jim & Elisabeth Elliot – these are some of the 52 individuals featured, intended to provide readers with one character from Christian history per week. In our home, we have used it as part of our (almost) daily reading routine. At breakfast, we read to our children from the Scriptures; after supper, we read a page from Everyone a Child Should Know. Books like this are valuable tools to inspire your children to great aspirations for God.
For each hero or heroine, there is an accompanying attractive, kids-style drawing with a Scripture verse underneath that fits the individual’s life. Each write-up takes approximately two minutes to read (depending on how long the interruptions from the children last!) yet give ample material for gospel conversation with your family. They start with a couple of questions that draw your young listeners in, then proceed to summarize the person’s contribution to the faith around the concept of being “Jesus’ friend” (the phrase occurs in every character portrait). How did they become Jesus’ friend? What did they do for Jesus’ friends? How did they help others become Jesus’ friends? This is a highly recommended resource to read with children ages 3-10.
John Lennox, Have No Fear: Being Salt And Light Even When It’s Costly
(Leyland: 10 Publishing, 2018), 72 pp.
Reviewed by David Williamson (Belfast, NI)
I have always thought that the single biggest hindrance to personal evangelism is fear. We all want to reach out with the gospel but fear keeps us back. It just seems so culturally unacceptable to evangelize. John Lennox has felt this same fear. Introducing this book with an anecdote from his experience as a student in England, he acknowledges that it is “hard to swim against the flow.”
Have No Fear is a good, though brief, introduction to personal evangelism. Lennox is gifted in this sphere of Christian service as is evident by his personal anecdotes and public debates. His winsome approach to evangelism is, I believe, most important to emulate. He always comes across as a gentleman. Guidance is given for getting started and a balanced view of apologetics is presented. Lennox then offers practical advice for one-to-one Bible study with unbelievers, and stresses the importance of living in a manner that commends the gospel. Finally, he suggests methods to differentiate between world religions and Christianity, and how to present the gospel. Personal anecdotes are plentiful but never come across as self-serving.
One concern for this reviewer is that he suggests a model “sinner’s prayer.” I avoid this because of the propensity of people to place faith in the prayer rather than in the Savior. Have No Fear can be read in one sitting. However, I would encourage a thoughtful consideration of each chapter.
