Anchoring Your Child to God's Truth in a Gender-Confused Culture

by Gary Yagel

Today's world is constantly sending our children unbiblical messages about gender identities, gender roles, same-sex attraction, and sexual fulfillment. Gender fluidity, which is at the core of many of these views, denies the sovereignty of God and the creation of man and woman as His image-bearers. The inherent uniqueness and value of each gender is not clearly understood by our culture because of historical stereotypes and abuses. We, therefore, must help our children put a biblical lens over whatever message comes to them from the culture. That biblical lens is called complementarianism. "God created them male and female" to complement, i.e., complete each other. This mini-book is designed to equip Christian adults to understand the culture shaping their children's views of sexuality, so they can help their children respond to the deconstruction of male/female gender identities and roles taking place in our culture with gospel grace towards the sexually broken and with a whole-hearted celebration of the biblical teaching of complementarianism. Gary Yagel (MDiv., DMin.) serves as Executive Director of Forging Bonds of Brotherhood, and as the Men's Ministry Consultant for the Presbyterian Church in America. He is a trained presenter of Man in the Mirror's No Man Left Behind Seminar, and has taught as a visiting professor at Reformed Theological Seminary.

105 pages, Perfect Paperback

Published January 1, 2018

Reviews

[Michael Philliber · Rating 4 out of 5]

This simple 105-page paperback addresses the gender-confusion of our age at two significant levels. The first has to do with same-sex attractions, etc. The second has to do with how we work out our sex as males, and as females. The author, Gary Yagel, founder and director of Family Builders, addresses both issues from a biblical perspective and a complementarian frame of reference. The whole aim of the work is to aid parents and grandparents in communicating this biblical, complementarian framework to our teenagers, who are being hit hard by the current social rush toward casting off all boundaries regarding our sex and sexuality.

Yagel makes several helpful observations that speak graciously to our moment, and especially to our children and grandchildren. The author is careful to encourage a healthy approach in communication, as well to motivate readers in being perceptive and listen well to the younger people in their lives. I appreciated the author's awareness of the Gnostic trends in much of our time, where "the gender-fractured worldview values the physical body too little, rather than too much" (21). I was also grateful for a connection Yagel made between the gender-fracturedness of our day, and how it is impacting young men and young women to the point they have no idea how to be a man or woman (92).

The version of the book I have was published by the D. James Kennedy Ministries, and was sent out (I assume) to all the churches in my denomination. I received it in our church mailbox two weeks ago, unsolicited, and decoded to read it. I'm glad I did, and think parents and pastors should grab up a copy and read it, then obtain more copies to hand out. I happily recommend the book.

[Bethany Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am unsure of all the biblical beliefs of Dr. Gary Yagel, so I can only speak for this book. I found it to be very helpful and even convicting. I feel convicted about my own love and compassion (or lack of) for people living in this sin.

I would recommend this book to any adult Christian working with youth. It was eye opening and gave me a better understanding how to reach young people (even adults) living this kind of lifestyle or even just supporting this kind of lifestyle.

The book has lots of scripture all throughout the different chapters. My only complaint is the verses are not KJV. Still great references to look up in my own bible.

I will end this review with a quote from the book that stood out to me.

“They are sinners, just as we are, but they don’t realize that the deepest craving of their hearts is for the unconditional love that they can never fully find through sexuality, but only in Christ. The gender-fractured view of sexuality speaks of the brokenness of our races fall into sin. The only way anyones sexuality can be restored to Gods intended design is by bringing their brokenness to Jesus.”

[Taylor Rollo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a helpful book. It helpfully and simply explains our culture's gender fractured worldview, and then it shows a biblical worldview that offers hope and satisfaction in God's design. It also gives a helpful sketch of God's calling to men and women, but it does this without bringing in gender stereotypes or trying to say that masculinity or femininity has to look exactly like some particular model and culture. Then finally it gives a helpful set of questions to encourage our children as they grow up in their masculinity or femininity, so that they can see who they are and take joy in that.

[Sean McGowan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty basic introduction. I would probably go further in some of my emphases and not say some things the same way, but overall a helpful book on the subject.

[Brian Eisentraut · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gives grace and truth to a challenging issue