If women need love, men need respect. All too often, women don’t feel loved, and men don’t feel appreciated. Roesner says that while all marriages are not created to be the same, making small adjustments in how we express ourselves can make a world of difference in the quality of our marriages. The Respect Dare is a series of 40 dares, or challenges designed for women who want greater intimacy in their marriage. Instead of suffering from the dismal death of your dreams, Roesner encourages readers to take the challenge by finding ways to encourage your husband and build him up rather than tear him down (Cincinnati, Ohio).

An astonishing 1 in 4 high schoolers now identify as gay according to a report by the CDC. This is up 15 percent from less than ten years ago. Meanwhile, thousands of children in the United States now openly identify as a gender different from their birth. Hormone therapy is surging, and surgical centers proliferate. As young people embrace behaviors, lifestyles, and surgeries that are destructive, pride parades, drag queen story hours, and retailers push for more. According to Greg Seaver, young people are being led into a vicious lifestyle that brings death and destruction. He knows because he was in the gay lifestyle for decades before he found freedom through Christ. While gays and lesbians celebrate with their rainbow flag, what they won’t tell you is that rates of depression, suicide, STDs, domestic abuse, and substance abuse are decidedly higher among homosexuals. Seaver shares his own story, how a broken relationship with his father opened wounds that he tried to fix with self-destructive choices that nearly cost him his life (Jeffersonville, Indiana).

Fog machines. Strobe lights. Big screens. Well-rehearsed bands with the latest sound systems. This is what worship has become in many churches across the U.S. A well-choreographed production. Churches compete with the latest technology, striving to keep the attention and interest of churchgoers. Though he was in a band and understands the value of music, Rios believes we are missing the forest for the trees. “If we want people to experience the reality of his [God’s] presence, our message must be about Jesus alone.” Sadly, he observes, “Most churches look pretty much the same.” The focus of music or anything else for that matter, should be to bring us into a place of recognizing God, loving God, expressing gratitude to Him, and recognizing our deep need for His presence (Beverely, Massachusetts).

Church scandals. Pastors falling into sexual sin or greed. While these are not new occurrences, these failures hurt the Church and create disillusionment. But what happens when a church, or denomination, is in doctrinal error? A pastor in the Worldwide Church of God, Valekis had bought into the doctrinal error for decades. When the entire denomination repented and began moving toward evangelicalism, abandoning doctrinal error and legalism, Valekis moved with the reconfigured denomination. “I wanted to live in Christ more fully and show others how to do the same. I was transitioning from a cult to Evangelicalism.” He shares about his own journey, his love for God, and how the scales eventually fell from his eyes like the Apostle Paul on the road to Damacus (Tipp City, Ohio).

American culture has gone off the rails” says Ingraham. “It’s seeking to tear down norms and healthy ways of living.” He says that authentic hope is not found in discovering and living “your truth.” Instead, there is one truth and it comes from God alone. The founder of the Love and Truth Network, a ministry that trains and equips pastors and Christian leaders to develop environments of safety and transformation. Garry and his wife, Melissa, both came out of identity confusion to discover Christ’s transforming freedom (Phoenix, Arizona).

The crime was unthinkable. The grief and pain left in its wake were unfathomable. In 2011, Wally Long’s world was turned upside down when he received a desperate phone call. His 12-year-old nephew shot his mother in the head, his father in the back, and both of his younger siblings. The two children would miraculously survive; the parents would not. Long tells his story but spends most of the time offering encouragement and answers to life’s most puzzling and desperate questions. For those struggling with their own suffering, Long offers solace. “I know firsthand the despair you may feel while going through your storms. You feel weak, helpless, and totally inadequate to cope. It hurts. It’s hard. Do not lose faith in our loving God” (Mt. Vernon, Missouri).

The decades-long attempt to redefine marriage has been an abysmal failure according to Welch. “The dilution of marriage caused by redefinition erodes its quality. When the definition is broadened, we erode its value in the process.”  Dr. Welch has a track record of helping couples understand one another and stay together. “Intimacy only exists in an environment filled with trust and loyalty,” he observes. Couples tend to react emotionally, and this leads to further misunderstanding. No studies show any form of alternative family as better than what has been traditionally defined for millennia. “Our gender,” says Welch, “is an expression of God and honors Him when we are male, and we are female” (San Diego, California).

“We need to discuss politics and religion,” says radio host and author, Angeline Marie. Our tendency as Christians is to avoid important discussions for fear of offending someone but that’s exactly what we should not do. “When we self-censor, we become less free with each passing day.” The fear of being shunned, labeled, fired, or otherwise cancelled has many Bible-believing Christians on edge and unwilling to engage. Underlying what’s happening in our country is a spiritual war – one that must be fought. “Many Christians do not know the power they have through the Spirit of God against this fear-filled, always on the alert reality created by fearmongers and media.” She encourages Christians to speak up, share their faith, and not to feel intimated or silenced by those who detest people of faith (Naples, Florida).

The divide between Americans is growing. We sense it. We see it play out daily in the news, on the streets, and in the classrooms. Civil discourse is the victim of identity politics, feelings, and worldviews. Polarization is generating depression, anger, contempt, and disillusionment – pitting us against one another. “In today’s cancel culture, it’s easy to focus on the stalemate and miss the simple rituals that bind us together” say the authors. “If we want to influence others, we must live our lives with authenticity and be willing to engage them [unbelievers] in genuine conversation.” Our faith demands engagement, but how? They believe most people are hungry for civil engagement, even with those who see the world differently. While they don’t dismiss that progressive thinkers can be intolerant of conservative Christian views, they offer a roadmap toward engagement (La Mirada, California).

Muslims are coming to faith in Jesus in some unusual ways. In recent years, many devout Muslims have been having dreams and visions of Jesus. Haddock was born in Casablanca, Morocco and grew up practicing the Pillars of Islam. “I grew up believing I had the capacity to earn my salvation through strict adherence to works. “I was twenty when I was convinced God hated me.” One night she had a dream. “I looked up and saw a man in a white robe, descending from the clouds. He approached me, and I realized it was Jesus, not Muhammad, coming back at the end times.” Her book sheds light on the destructive, Muslim-based mindset she left. “Islam is one of the devil’s tools to keep people in bondage,” says Haddock. She explains how they distort God’s nature and character and keep adherents scrambling to try and appease Allah – who is both distant and non-relational (East Conway, South Carolina).

Churches and denominations face increasing pressure to embrace “gay Christianity” or confirm gay clergy. Bible-believing Christians are forced to make tough decisions within churches, at schools, and even in their own homes as more embrace behaviors that were once clearly considered sinful. Students face indoctrination, others struggle to decide whether to attend gay weddings, and some parents must navigate the moral landmines when children want to adopt a gay lifestyle. Hough says we need to reject the idea that showing love is tantamount to accepting behavior that is self-destructive or sinful.  “Continuing to associate with and affirm those who were blatantly living a lifestyle contrary to God’s ways while still claiming to be Christian would undermine one of the key roles that God had ordained the church to play in the world.” [Any] attempt to normalize and solemnize same-sex relations in the Christian community cannot be sustained or supported by Scripture (Houston, Texas).

A growing body of scientific research supports the idea that humans are, in fact, one group, not many. The Bible doesn’t categorize or assign value to humans based on culture or physical features. Instead, it provides a framework for understanding where we came from, what it means to be human, and how we should treat one another. We must live in a way that demonstrates our belief in the inherent dignity and worth of every human being. The problem is, so-called microaggressions may have nothing to do with racism at all. The reality that all humans are created in the image of God forms the foundation for the Christian response against racism. The authors (Duson is black and Bontrager is white) answer tough questions about racism (Redlands, California).

Studies show a huge percentage of Christians who go off to college eventually leave their faith (between 50 and 80 percent). Anti-Christian bias, poor grounding in their faith and sexualization in university settings are given as the answers. Dr. Pasour served as a college professor and understands the pressures young people face going off to university. She says it is possible not just to survive but to thrive in college and beyond. She offers practical tips for students and parents alike about how to prepare for the onslaught of temptations, pressures, decision-making, and planning that can be overwhelming. She calls tenacity and stubbornness toward goals vital in overcoming obstacles and challenges along the way (Reidsville, North Carolina).

“One way God helps us focus on the truth about His nature is by revealing His various names in Scripture” says Grace Fox. “One thing is certain,” she says, “God wants us to know that His intent has always been to have a relationship with us.” Fox says the name Yahweh appears more than 6,000 times in the Old Testament, roughly translated “my Lord.” The offshoots to this name, Jehovah and Adonai. “God revealed His name Yahweh to show that He wants us to know Him and experience His involvement in our lives moment by moment,” says Fox (Abbotsford, British Columbia)

“America is experiencing a near total eclipse,” says Dr. Lutzer. “We see the increase in violence, treachery, the abuse of the law, depravity, racial conflict, sexual perversity, drug use, and suicide. Darkness is being protected and normalized while light is being vilified and criminalized.” He explains that we are first and foremost in a spiritual battle. “This is a battle that reason, science, and biology cannot win,” he says. “Irrationality has gripped our nation.” Lutzer identifies three key objectives: 1. To better understand the intellectual roots of this present darkness, 2. To rejoice that God is sovereign and stands ready to give us the blessing of His presence, 3. To remind us that only a repentant/submissive church can shine the light of the gospel (Chicago, Illinois).

“Digital distance makes ghosting an ever-present option” says Dr. Jantz. Increasingly, people who thought they had close friends or good relationships suddenly find themselves wondering what happened when calls, texts, emails are not returned. Jantz goes into the reasons for this new trend, explains the damage it does, and describes how social media has contributed to the anonymity behind the practice. He goes on to explain how we can recover (and protect ourselves) from toxic relationships (Seattle, WA).

American evangelism is deeply divided. Denominations are splitting, many churches are dying, and being known as a Christian is now a social negative. The number of self-identifying Christians is declining, church attendance is declining, and more young people are leaving the church and their faith. But it is not time to panic. According to Erisman and Pope, living in a polarizing culture is nothing new. They point to numerous examples in the Bible, explain how godly men and women navigated tough situations, and encourage us to do the same. The authors identify five responses in our increasingly post-Christian culture. These include resignation and assimilation, withdrawal and retrenchment, fear, seeking power, and anger (Seattle, Washington).