Customer Reviews

Spiritual Junk Food

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book is very important for all Sunday school teachers. I'm buying several copies of it to give away. It talks about the "dumbing down" of Sunday school curriculum, specifically the inclusion of sub-Christian and anti-Christian messages. For example, "The Gospel According to St. Bernard" promises to be "one of the most comprehensive theological and practical Christian courses available to churches" but in reality is video-based curriculum about a dog angel that grumbles, speaks at irreverently about God, and casually disobeys the rules of the home where God has sent him. One popular publisher suggested teachers set up a tent and have children imagine they have run away--hardly something to romanticize in Sunday school! Some of the curriculum they critique is used heavily in the Christian publishing world; I have seen some of it, and it is indeed as bad as they say. The authors are specifically talking about youth groups, but a large percentage of the book deals with curriculum for younger Sunday school classes, and of course it has ramifications for the whole church. It's not a "review of Sunday school curriculum" specifically; it is written as chapters, with one exploring "tolerance," one looking at self-worship, one looking at "tweaking Scripture," and so forth, with quite a few examples. It also looks at a biblical model for youth ministry: the older people of the church teaching the younger. The one problem I saw is that it is not very well edited. (I'm an editor, so I notice these things.) In places it repeats unnecessarily, and in other places the authors' passion comes through as shrillness. But overall, what it says urgently needs to be heard by anyone who cares about Christian education.

A fantastic book, full of quotes and scripture verses that reveal the truth about what is being fed into the minds of children and adults alike. The authors do an excellent job of going to the heart of the material by exposing what the originators of unbiblical teaching practices really believed. Have a pen or highlighter handy when you read this book!

The authors have confirmed that Secular Humanistic material exists in the church. I noticed things myself when teaching Sunday school to 7th & 8th graders several years ago and could not believe my eyes. I admire and envy the authors' passion and how they are on fire for the Lord's work, until He comes again. This book is a must for Christian parents and Sunday school teachers.

This book raises some very serious questions regarding what "Christian" publishers are marketing to the church. "Christian" publishers appear to be laying a foundation not based on the word of God, but the philosophies and ideas of humanist educator, John Dewey. After reading this book, it sounds like the liberal teachers union has taken over the writing of material for Christian youth.

This book is a collection of data on what is available in current sunday school programs. The authors tell it like it is. They expose the "dumbing down" of curricula to be used in Sunday schools to meet common educationist standards. They tell how the producers of Sunday school literature have bought into the edu-psycho-babel and by so doing have produced material which is politically correct, but sorely lacking in the Word of God. I highly recommend this book.

I agree with Cathy that youth material is being dumbed down. I would recommend Mark Driscoll's "Vintage Jesus" as a good resource that puts sound theology in concepts that youth can grasp. The youth we have love it.

This book offers a wake up call for every youth and sunday school teacher to be careful of the humanistic and secular teachings that have crept into the Christian community. It is a good reminder to "test everything" (1 Thess. 5:21) and to only choose materials that teach godly principles. However, the authors tend to be a little nit picky and a bit extreme (Ecc. 7:18) in their paranoia! Also, the book does not offer any solutions or suggestions of what materials to use, which I would have liked to see. Good read.

I have had the privilege of reading this book and believe that it will be one of the most significant religious books published this decade. The authors see a parallel between the humanistic practices of the public schools and the invasion of unbiblical teachings in the church, particularly in church youth groups. Writing out of deep concern and Christian charity, the authors warn Christians of the danger of using unscriptural teachings and techniques to convey Biblical concepts. The book warns in strong terms that the Church is being inundated with ungodly, false teachings, including godless psychology and sensitivity training. The result is that a whole generation of young people is being spiritually dumbed down and neutralized in their ability to stand up for TRUTH. The authors also include practical steps on how to detect such teachings as well as what to do to return to the truth of Scripture. This book should serve as a wake-up call to parents to make sure they know what their children are being taught in Church. I wholeheartedly endorse this book and highly recommend it. It is must reading for all concerned Christians, especially Sunday school teachers, Pastors, youth leaders, and parents.

While the authors justifiably attack the use of psychobabble and group dynamics that are marketed to youth groups these days, they also cast too wide a net and attack everything that just doesn't meet their taste.

A good example is their quick brush off of a wilderness expedition ministry in a few paragraphs without really justifying their position, right before they rightly take on a group dynamic exercise.

The worst chapter is their review of an Audio Adrenaline concert. They report that it was called The Zombie tour and leave the impression it might be occult oriented without even an honest discussion of the illustration from the lead singer's own missionary background. Comments made during the concert are also presented out of context-- though it's possible that irony is lost on the willfully ignorant. This whole chapter in a book on how feelings are taking over for good teaching is about how these women FELT about the concert.

An editor probably should have told them not to use so many exclamation points, also.

This shrilly written and poorly edited book needs to be round filed and fast. Lack of facts coupled with quotes taken out of context. Sunday School teachers: run away fast from this book written (?) by paranoid Eagle Forum fanatics.