75% of the teenagers and young adults who have dropped out of church say they have never heard Jesus speak to them in a personal way. Are your children doomed to die without Christ? Is Christianity no longer relevant to this generation? Is it not cool enough? Has it finally become too opposed to the cultural norms? Or is it simply just unbelievable? No, we misjudged what this generation wants out of Church...and out of God. Not entertainment, therapy, relevance, or even (God forgive me) eternal security. All they want - and all they need...is to hear Him speak. They want a relationship. And like going on a blind date, the hard part isn't asking this generation to connect with a God they have not seen, but rather asking them to love a God they have not met. Because you can't say "Hallelujah," until you say "Hello." In this engaging and refreshingly simple book, JJ Vasquez explains how church leaders, parents, and pastors can move past just "telling" the next generation about Christ, and start "introducing" them to Him. As a denominational Youth Leader, University Professor of Youth and Family Ministry, Youth Pastor of a 400+ student ministry, and a parent of two, JJ pulls from a rich variety of experience. Hello God will help you: Develop an authentic connection between the next generation and Jesus. No FORCED religion - REAL relationships. Shape environments where genuine life-changing encounters can take place. (Think Moses and the burning bush, Paul on the road to Damascus, and Elijah on Mt. Sinai) Share the Gospel in an easy-to-understand way that not only informs but also INVOLVES the hearer. Reignite your own desire for being close to God This is NOT just a book for youth ministry, NOT just a book for parents, and NOT just a book for pastors. This is a book for anyone who believes you have to LOVE God, before you can SERVE God. We can't afford to wait any longer. He's lived in stories long enough. It's time they met Him. It's time to say "Hello.""
Wow, I don't read a lot of Spiritual self-help books. I typically read Sci-Fi. However I have a young son and this subtitle caught my attention. I could not be more happy that I did. It clearly lays out the problem with bringing the new/current generation to G** in a passionate way. It concisely gives concrete direction for creating an environment for your kids or youth group to meet G**. This being the primary premise of the book and the primary reason kids loose faith when they leave their parents nest of faith. They need to actually meet G** on a personal level, not just be told stories about G** and our personal experiences with him.
I have only two requirements for a 5-star rating: If a book is so engaging that I can read it all in one sitting, or if it is so engaging that I read it in its entirety twice. Mind you, being only 126 pages makes for an easy read in one evening, but Vasquez does an excellent job articulating many aspects of our need for encounter with God, something that probably many think but don't put into words.
Love this book! Once you pick it up you won't be able to put down! Will leave you renew and refreshed ready to build not only the youth but the people for God's kingdom.