Books in Review: Stand Up, Stand Strong

When I heard about this book, I was excited. Although I hadn’t read a book by Sara yet, I had read some endorsements from other authors I respect and appreciated her work to help teens live passionately for Christ. So I jumped at the opportunity to join the launch team for this book. In the end, I was not disappointed. This book is a great apologetics resource for teens as well as anyone who works with them. I love Sara's courage to stand for the truth but also the compassion she clearly has for those who have struggled or suffered because of the fallen world we live in. I look forward to utilizing this resource for youth ministry and looking into more resources by Sara in the future. If you work with teens, I recommend you do the same ~ Bethel

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When it comes to peer pressure, teens in today’s culture deal with more than any generation before them. The culture around them tries to force them to accept the most mainstream views of hot-button topics with the goal of convincing them to believe their version of the story. They are taught that truth is subjective to each person and that they can believe or do whatever they want with absolutely no consequences for themselves or those around them. Christian teens have a more difficult time than ever before trying to figure out how to live in a way that honors the Lord in a culture that tries to convince them that they should honor themselves. It makes us ask the question: is there a way to learn how to stand strong for Christ in today’s culture?

​In her book Stand Up, Stand Strong, author Sara Barratt walks Christian teens through how to rethink popular issues in our culture today through a Christian worldview in hopes that they will learn how to stand strong in their convictions. After explaining the concept of a worldview and the consequences of living in a “post-truth” world, Barratt breaks down many areas where the post-truth mentality has taken hold, and explains how the mainstream perspectives hold up against a biblical worldview. With a voice of strength and courage, teens that read this book will be inspired to not only understand why they believe what they believe, but also how to defend it with grace-filled truth. Barratt speaks with both conviction and compassion on many important issues in our culture today, from sexual identity and orientation to injustice and abortion. With discussion questions and recommended readings for each topic addressed, this book is a great resource for high school students who want to build a biblical worldview or adults who want to help youth do the same. Get your copy today!

* I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review

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Teen Friendly Rating. This book is an excellent resource for teens on apologetics and developing a biblical worldview. But there are some sensitive issues discussed, including specific types of sexual sin, abortion, suicide, and assisted suicide. Based on the sensitivity of these topics and some of the abstract concepts related to understanding worldviews, I would recommend this book for teens 15 or older. If your child is younger, I strongly recommend you review the book to make sure your child is mature enough to handle the content.

Male Friendly Rating. Although written by a young woman, this book is well balanced and would an excellent read for both teen boys and teen girls.

Personal Rating. I wish I had a book like this one when I was a teenager. I look forward to using this book as a resource in the future.

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To read my review of Dannah Gresh's True Girl Bible Study, Miriam, click here

To learn more about my book, Redeeming the Beast, click here