Posts by Natasha Crain
The Idea That Faith is Caught and Not Taught is False…and It’s Hurting the Next Generation
As Christians, we have all kinds of pithy sayings that make their way through churches and establish themselves as generally accepted truths. Some end up on bumper stickers, some on wall decals, and some just get repeated so many times that people think they’re actually in the Bible. There’s a popular one among parents that I keep hearing lately, and each time I hear it I cringe. Not only is it false, but it’s particularly damaging to the discipleship of the next generation. It’s Read More…
Read More4 Ways Parents Bore Their Kids Out of Christianity
The highlight of my summer was a family RV vacation to Kings Canyon National Park. Behind our campground flowed a gorgeous river that I returned to multiple times over the course of our trip. Each time I went, I sat and pondered the “big questions” of life. There’s something about the majesty of creation that bubbles up a deep sense of awe about who God is, what he has done, who we are, and the meaning of life. But this sense of awe also led me to reflect on how so many kids Read More…
Read MoreWhat Christian Parents Should Learn from Marty Sampson Losing Faith
My blog has been quiet since earlier this year because I was finishing my next book (Talking with Your Kids about Jesus; March 2020). Now that I’ve turned it in to the publisher and my kids are heading back to school, it’s time to resume blogging! I debated what my first post should be as I start back up, but decided there were some especially important things to address with the headlines this week about Marty Sampson of Hillsong United saying he’s losing his faith. Hillsong is one Read More…
Read MoreIf Christianity is True, Why Do So Many Kids Have Doubts Today?
Christianity Today recently featured an article titled, “The Biggest Hindrance to Your Kids’ Faith Isn’t Doubt. It’s Silence.” The article summarized the findings of researchers Kara Powell and Steven Argue on the faith of youth group graduates. They found that: 70 percent of churchgoing high schoolers report having serious doubts about faith.Less than half of those with doubt shared their struggle with an adult or friend.Opportunities to express and explore doubts were correlated Read More…
Read MoreCatch My Focus on the Family Interview Today
I recently had the amazing opportunity to travel to the Focus on the Family headquarters in Colorado Springs to record an episode for their radio broadcast on “How to Raise Strong Believers.” It airs TODAY on hundreds of radio stations across the country. There are several ways you can hear it: If you’d like to catch it on live radio, there is a station finder here.If you’d like to listen online, you can do so here.If you have a podcast player, you can play the most recent episode of the Read More…
Read MoreHow Sunday Schools Are Raising the Next Generation of Secular Humanists
Last year, for various reasons, our family had the opportunity to attend a few different churches. Each time, we debriefed on what happened in Sunday school and what the kids learned. As they recounted their experiences, I was struck by how similar they were to the stories I’ve heard from so many parents in the last few years while speaking at churches and conferences. Parents who take the discipleship of their kids seriously are typically disappointed by the quality of their kids’ Sunday Read More…
Read More60 Christmas Gift Ideas for Christian Kids and Adults
I’ve recently had a lot of people asking for recommendations for Christmas gift ideas, for both kids and adults, so I’ve put together this detailed list of my top picks! They are almost all books, but there are a few other ideas as well. Gift ideas for kids come first (mostly for the under 12 crowd, since that’s where my own kids are), followed by gift ideas for adults. Enjoy! 30 Christmas Gift Ideas for Christian Kids Children’s Bibles and Bible Reading Tools For kids not ready Read More…
Read MoreAppearances on Digging for Truth TV Show and Update
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! I just wanted to write a quick personal note today and let you know that I haven’t been able to write much on the blog the last two months because I’ve been working on my next book, Talking with Your Kids about Jesus. If that title sounds familiar, it’s because it’s the next in the series after Talking with Your Kids about God! Yes, Jesus IS God, but Talking with Your Kids about God is focused on the “big picture” questions kids need to understand today about Read More…
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