I'm Saved! Now What?

A motivating, accessible guide for young Christians about developing a strong relationship with God.

In their debut, using sincere, conversational language, Cooley and Wilson describe the average teen’s struggle for faith in the modern world of Facebook and texting. The book naturally divides into four chapters: Friends, Bible, Prayer and Church. Each unit addresses the particular difficulties of finding and holding onto a religious belief system and includes the writers’ personal anecdotes about their own experiences within the Christian faith. At the end of each section, the authors present deceptively simple questions—“What three things do you see in Jesus’ life that are not present in yours?”—followed by a “fuel stop,” which is a list of suggestions for putting faith into practice, such as “find a local church that you look forward to attending and that challenges you to grow in spiritual matters.” The final component of each chapter lists relevant quotes from Scripture for further meditation. The authors discuss how various translations of the Bible use different language choices to make Scripture accessible, and they urge readers to find a version that feels right for them. Cooley and Wilson never treat their young readers condescendingly, and their inviting, straightforward tone might soften even the most jaded readers. Furthermore, the book’s authentic message doesn’t openly advocate trying to change people; instead, it supports a much-needed tolerant attitude toward religion, although there’s a hint of proselytizing. It does, however, recommend standing up for one’s beliefs (a difficult task for any young person) and seeking out those who are like-minded, perhaps steering them along a similar Christian path.

A genuine effort to help Christian teenagers, or anyone, maintain or grow a meaningful relationship with God and fellow Christians.