Men of Honor, Women of Virtue

Do we raise our kids to become adults? Dr. Stecker describes the problems of the American church, but he also offers some very good solutions. He shows how American culture as a whole makes adulthood an unreachable goal for kids. When do you become an adult? At 12 years old you could be tried as an adult for a crime and sent to federal prison, but otherwise you would be seen as a child. At 14 or 15 you can legally be left alone at home. At 16 you can start driving or divorce your parents. At 18 you can enter the military. At 21 you can drink alcohol. But you may not really be seen as an adult or think of yourself that way. This situation is weird and confusing! In other societies there is a much clearer dividing line between being a child and being an adult, and the responsibilities and privileges are conferred over a finite period of time. Stecker shows how the process of conferring adulthood impacts the self-esteem, confidence, and virtue of young adults through examples and an explanation of theory. He compares the historical record with our modern standard of "normal" and offers timeless wisdom.

This is not just a book talking about what is wrong with our teens or kids, but a wonderful, encouraging, helpful book to help parents raise children to know God and to keep that faith relevant and genuine. This is a great tool. I think that parents, youth workers, and pastors would benefit from this. T. Suzanne Eller, founder of Real Teen Faith