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

Marva J. Dawn (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1997

In this insightful book, Marva Dawn examines some of the forces in our culture that harm our childrens spiritual development and suggests biblically centered parenting habits that can produce godly and faith-full children today.

Product Details

• Paperback: 264 pages
• Publisher: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company (September 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802843735
• ISBN-13: 978-0802843739
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #566,845 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Marva J. Dawn serves the global Church as a theologian, author, musician, and educator under Christians Equipped for Ministry and as Teaching Fellow in Spiritual Theology at Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia. A scholar with four master's degrees and a Ph.D. in Christian Ethics and the Scriptures from the University of Notre Dame, Dr. Dawn has taught for clergy and worship conferences and at seminaries throughout the world. She is also well-known and highly appreciated as a preacher and speaker for all ages and sometimes contributes to worship by means of her musical gifts. She is the author of more than fifteen books and is happy married to Myron Sandberg; they reside in Washington State.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Viable alternative to raising kids in an amoral society, February 19, 1999

By 

Chad Fernald "Pastor Chad" (Dover, New Hampshire) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Is It a Lost Cause?: Having the Heart of God for the Church's Children (Paperback)

Written from a Christian perspective, this book has something to say to both Christians and non-Christians who are seriously concerned at the way our children are being raised (or more aptly destroyed) by modern "post-Christian" culture. Marva Dawn correctly assesses the threats to the well being of our children and offers the best way to counteract such influences. Mrs. Dawn rightly focuses on the Biblically rooted, Christ centered Christian community of faith as the key to saving our children from the influences of a dying culture. This book is a must read for the pastor, parent and educator (Christian or not) seeking alternatives to the way modern society has tried and failed to "raise" our kids. This work is insightful and at times heart wrenching in the statistics offered as examples. Be prepared to "dog-ear" pages and highlight passages at will! The information and insight in this book is worth coming back to again and again. (Chapters I believe Christian leaders should take special note of are 3-6 and 10)

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars thought and spirit-provoking, August 1, 2003

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Is It a Lost Cause?: Having the Heart of God for the Church's Children (Paperback)

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.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Building a Heart for Children in the Church, November 23, 2008

By 

Jonathan A. Shields (Las Cruces, NM) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Is It a Lost Cause?: Having the Heart of God for the Church's Children (Paperback)

I just finished Is It a Lost Cause? by Marva Dawn and would heartily recommend it to any who desire a greater biblical understanding of children and how they fit in God's kingdom. This book does a great job of parsing out the obstacles and worldliness that confront children and those seeking to raise them in the Lord, i.e. technology, consumerism, sexual immorality, and violence. It has as one of its main themes - Being the Church - by which Dawn means creating an alternative parallel society as compared to the world ruled by the "principalities and powers" in various idolatries. In that vein, it is a great book to read if you are a parent, youth minister, mentor, or someone else who works with youth or has a heart to do so. Dawn writes in a way that winsomely self-revealing and challenging to some typically untouched notions such as the presence of a T.V. in the home. Whether you agree or not with some of her notions, you will be challenged to think more deeply about why you do what you do. Enjoy!