Jim Warner Wallace. Cold-Case Christianity for Kids. Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook, October 1st 2016. 127 pp.
4 out of 5
Purchase: Amazon
This is an apologetics’ book geared towards kids. The publisher labeled the book as Juvenile Nonfiction. Technically it’s actually a book that lets the readers enter a fictional story of being a cadet in a “Cadet Academy” analogous to the Police Explore program (where kids have the opportunity to understand how the police work) but with a twist: the detective teaching the class also present reasons why Christianity is a faith that is true. The author is Jim Warner Wallace who in real life has worked for decades as a police officer and cold-case detective. As a detective he became a Christian when he started to look into Christianity. With his background he applied his detective skills in evaluating and later defending the Christian worldview. There’s definitely a lot of good illustrations, examples and analogy that detective Wallace draws upon to make his point throughout the book. I read this aloud to my daughters and they enjoyed this book more than I expected (my oldest is eight and youngest is four).
The book is narrated in a way that involves the reader’s participation as a kid in the Cadet Academy. When some kids discovered a mysterious skateboard in the school shed the detective who teaches the class used the situation to teach about police investigative methods and also how it relates to the truthfulness of Christianity.
The book consists of eight chapters. Chapter one begins with a warning of not being presumptuous which here is termed as being a “Know-it-all.” The first chapter and various other chapters teaches readers how to think and I appreciate that rather than it just telling readers what’s the evidences for Christianity is without an awareness and consciousness that methodology matters. Also as I mentioned earlier I enjoyed the author’s ability to draw examples from the world of investigation to apply it to apologetics especially in the area of historical apologetics. These two reasons makes Jim Wallace one of my favorite evidential apologist.
Readers will enjoy the author’s own illustrations, something the author often do in his own work as a detective to show visually what’s the evidence and case for something. There’s also helpful sidebars throughout each chapter such as “CSI Assignment” that encourages readers to look at biblical passages and fill in the blank as an assignment. Also there is the “Detective definitions” sidebar that my daughters find helpful since sometimes they wanted to know or need a further discussion and time to understand a term being used. This is very helpful. I also like how the chapters also deal with objections of the skeptical kind and how the fictional detective in the book refutes it by pointing out we are inconsistent not to argue in that same skeptical way in real life and in other investigative situation. The book also encourages readers to use further resources from the book’s website and also ends with “A Challenge from J. Warner Wallace” that encourages kids to be a witness to others. There is also some sample Fill-in Sheets after that and a certificate of promotion in the very end.
Overall I found it interesting and creative. I do wish there were more worldview level discussions since I think one’s worldview shapes how we interpret evidences. Yet Wallace’s book for kids shows more consciousness of how we know what we know than even some basic apologetics books written for adults. From my own family experience having read this aloud to my kids I enjoyed further discussions the chapters provoke about Christianity, the Bible, history, worldview, epistemology and yes also police and detective work. There are things one can learn from this book and not just only for kids but parents as well.
This looks good. Thanks for the informative review!
You’re welcome! Have a good morning!
Thank you!
The author sounds like someone I would like to grab lunch and simply hear him speak
Same here. It takes real understanding to take apologetics and express it in a way kids can understand. I love talking to people who are smart but don’t feel the need to show it by speaking in a way that sounds like a foreign language to the average person.
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This looks like something Kayliegh would love, thank you brother!
I am going to order this. for sure.
Good to hear from you, how are things your neck of the wood?
Things have settled down .After Mother and Daddy’s extended illnes,Daddys passing and my BnL passing: a new baby for son #3 ,the Thanksgiving celebration /memorial with a water leak at old farm house….we are all ready for a” dull “end of year.Keep looking up…I am.
Wow! How original to apply cold case detective work to Christianity.
Yeah I really thought it was quite original and different with the author’s background of cold case detective work and his ilustrations from that field to the area of historical apologetics. Jim Warner Wallace has been on NBC dateline for various interviews of cases, have you heard of him before? Thanks for all the comments too by the way!
The name seems familiar, but I’m not sure I remember him fully. My wife probably does since she watches NBC dateline more than I do.
Thanks for posting this we need to know what good books are out there that will help pull them out of the world and turn their attention back to Christ.
Do you know of any other books with that premise?
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Was he one of the authors who appeared in God’s Not Dead 2?
Wow yeah! How did you figure that out? There were two witnesses called to the stand if I remember, one was Lee Strobel who wrote “the Case for Christ,” etc,, and the other was Jim Wallace. How did you realize he’s connected to God’s Not Dead, do you have a photographic memory of his name?
I remembered that the other author (the one who WASN’T Lee Strobel) was a former cold case detective who applied his profession to the Gospels. Couldn’t remember his name, but after reading your review of this book, I thought it sounded similar. It was more of a wild guess than anything.
Hi, i read your what you wrote here and this review is very much appreciated.
Thanks for your post.
This is very cool. I recently wrote a review of the adult version, actually. I love that Wallace is able to write for so many different audiences.
Have you written a review of the adult version on your blog?
Yup! If you’re interested, you can check it out at
https://onmybookshelf370343577.wordpress.com/2019/11/02/true-crime-true-jesus/
I was just looking for a gift for my little niece!