Great Camp Giveaway
Buy this book in bulk and give it away at camps or youth groups, to encourage a culture of reading in teenagers.
The chapters are short, we like that. The challenge is punchy, we also like that, and the readers are challenged to be genuine, we really like that!
Keith Mac
Genuine - A great book!
I really, really enjoyed this book! I am a teenager and I have struggled recently an area that this book targets particularly well, not conforming to the world but living for God. I have found it very helpful in my walk with Christ :)
It gives really good examples of teenagers in the bible, even though I had read these stories many times over I found that CB Martin made them particularly applicable to teenage life and how God wants us to live. Martin also uses other modern life examples such as Lord Alan Sugar, Prince William and Kate’s wedding and characters from films such as Cady from ‘Mean Girls’. These examples were great and made it more suited to teenagers and living life for Christ.
I have rarely read much recently and I have started many books but don’t finish them. However, I couldn’t put this book down and I really liked the size of the chapters and how it was divided into small sections within that, making it easy to read a little bit between activities and pick it up again later.
The one thing I’d suggest to be improved in this book is where he tells you a passage to read in the bible because the majority of times that I was reading this I didn’t have access to a bible to look these passages up and it would be easier and more suitable if they were printed in the book, if I wanted to pass this book onto a non-Christian friend they are even less likely to have access to the bible passages.
I highly recommend this book to any teenagers. I think that other adults, parents and youth leaders would also enjoy this book even though it is more aimed at teenagers, it's also a great book to read in small groups with other teenagers. The small section at the end of each chapter entitled 'make it real' helps to reflect on what you've read and would be great discussion starters for a group. Overall, it’s been really helpful and very beneficial for my walk with Christ!
Annie Newton
Buy it for any teens and youth workers you know!
'Genuine'
Through my teenage years I read many books aimed at Christian teens. They were all very similar and most of them very useful. As I approached 'Genuine' I was expecting another book much like the others. I was mistaken. This book took is extremely practical and very relevant for today's teenagers.
Before the youth revolution of the late 20th century, teenage years were a time where children would under go a transformation from immaturity to maturity. Sadly this has changed. CB Martin tells us, 'Being a teenager is no longer about preparing for adulthood but playing at being
an adult; being part of a culture isolated from the real world. The message is all fun with no responsibility, and spending plenty of money along the way.' Looking at the world around us now I have to agree with him.
The chapters are short and well presented which helps those who are not accustom with length extensive discourse. This style helps the reader to tackle each section without feeling bogged down. Another benefit of the short sections is that it delivers challenges and practical points simply and powerfully. As a teenager I was put off my long and boring books, almost every teenager should be able to get through this.
A Biblical Model for Teenagers
The content of this book is excellent. Through the book Martin shows the reader how the Bible promotes youth as a time for growth and responsibility. He does this by taking us into the Scriptures and showing us 'genuine' teenagers who developed in to 'genuine' adults. He uses the examples of Joseph, David, Mary, Jesus and several others. Martin draws out different applications from each, for Joseph we must learn how to be disciplined and how to grow, for David we learn how to serve people in the small things before greater responsibility is given to us, for Daniel we can learn how not to conform to the world and for Jesus we can learn how to love the Scriptures and how to love the Father and many other things.
In this book Martin does not hold any punches. He sees a problem and deals with it. He does not beat around the bush. Right from the first chapter he is addressing relevant issues such as drinking, clubbing, excessive spending, sex and pornography. These things especially drinking, sex and pornography are great dangers for the young Christian. They need to be stopped early. Martin gives practical application for how to go about dealing with this. While talking about purity he gives advice on what can be done to avoid temptation. For pornography he suggests getting accountability software or if their mobile phone is giving them access to unhelpful sights to, 'buy a package without internet.' Teenagers, and adults too, need to be told what is wrong and how to sort it out because the human heart will often ignore pleasurable sins until it is confronted with it through the conviction of the Holy Spirit.
'Make it Real'
As with all good books it challenges us causes us to examine ourselves. At the end of every chapter there is a section called, 'Make it real'. These are direct, personal questions which, when taken seriously, should cause one to look into their hearts and to route out issues that need to be addressed.
'Relevant'
The examples used in this book are very up to date and in some cases too up to date to for me. I am 23 and I had to look up some things (I'm obviously not very 'with it'). Martin uses examples from many areas of life and popular culture e.g. High School Musical, Prince William and Kate's wedding. Martin has put a lot of work in so that the book is meeting the teenagers where they're at. It is clear that he has put a lot of effort into it.
Great potential for a study series
As I was reading the book it occurred to me that this book could be used as a study series in a youth group, a small group or even in a one to one get together. Each week you could look at a different person and discuss the 'Make it Real' questions. The publisher, 10Ofthose.com, is brilliant for this as it is possible to buy these books in bulk for a discount price.
Conclusion (tl:dr):
I would highly recommend this book to teenagers as it addresses real issues head on and it gives a clear biblical view of what the teenage years are for and provide realistic practical advice. It is not a long read, at around 85 pages it should not take long for anyone to read.
I would also recommend this book for anyone who works with teenagers. There really are some excellent bits of biblical advice in this books and it will certainly equip anyone who is meeting with students regularly.
It is my prayer that the Lord will use this book to create 'Genuine' teenagers and for them to turn into 'Genuine' adults.
Stephen Neal
Genuine!
The notion of teenage years is of course a modern invention. We usually lay the blame at the feet of those clever marketing people who want to make money out of young people. Who invented teenage years is not important. What really matters is the business of living through this time of turmoil, disorientation, change and, too often, conflict. It sounds gruesome, but it does not have to be that way. There is a better way, the way of the Genuine teenager growing up with Christ.
A Genuine teenager can make the most of their teenage years, using them wisely to prepare for adulthood (p.2-3); They know that God has a plan for them that begins with his work in them (p. 15). The Genuine teenager has a sense of purpose, and they are faithful in small things because they know God has bigger things for them in the future (p. 21). They know that God must work in them before he works through them (p. 76). He does not waste opportunities to make transformers out of conformers.
This inspiring vision takes shape because God is at work, as demonstrated in the lives of six teenagers: Joseph, David, Daniel, Mary and Timothy show us how to live as genuine teenagers, and then the story of Jesus himself explains how God makes that possible at all. The stories zip along, the chapters are divided into clear and manageable chunks, and each ends with some practical steps to get going with.
This book would be great for teenagers at school, college and university; adults pretending to check them out for their children or godchildren would also benefit. The real change will happen when you put the book down and pick up the challenge to be Genuine.
Ed Moll
