When Ryan reached out to me about writing this foreword, I didn’t know him yet. He had read some of my writings on how the Tabernacle points to Jesus. But as I read this book, I feel that I have come to know Ryan and his heart for helping guide families closer to Christ.

Ryan writes with honesty and humility. He is transparent with his real-life struggles, challenges, and weaknesses. The many personal stories he shares bring me into his living room, where I met Ryan, Carrie, and Hermione, but more importantly, saw how the Lord has been growing them as they reflect on His Word together.

As a father of four, I have learned that parenting is not about a formula. It is about depending on the Holy Spirit. It is about Christ changing the heart from the inside out. As a parent, I often get caught in the trap of the rules of Christianity, wanting my kids to “do the right thing” and “obey the Bible.”

Therefore, this book resonated deeply with me. It reminded me again of the need to rely on the Holy Spirit and point my children to Christ. It challenged me. It encouraged me. It motivated me.

Throughout ‘A Practical Guide to Lead Your Children to Christ’, Ryan emphasizes a fallen condition focus. That reminds us that following Christ is not about performance, but about grace. Most importantly, Ryan stresses the fundamental truth that the whole Bible is about Jesus.

Every book, every chapter, points us to Him. The discussion questions suggested bring that truth to life through personal interaction. One of the best compliments I can give is that this book is not a lecture.

It is a guide to experience the Lord through His Word and prayer together as a family. It is a powerful reminder to parents that our goal should not be for our kids to follow us, but for them to follow Jesus. He is the perfect model and we are not.

Books have so much content that my brain often finds it overwhelming to remember, much less apply what I read. That’s why my favorite way to read a book is little by little. For the most helpful books, I keep them beside my bed and pull them out frequently, reading a short section each time. Then I ask the Lord to help me and seek to apply it that day. Besides the Bible, only two books earned that place on my shelf. This is the third. I will keep it by my bed and come to it again and again.

Thank you, Tam family, for this amazing encouragement! It has already impacted my family and will continue to.

One day, our children will stand before God. Some may hold up their diplomas. Others may tell of their large houses and shiny cars. But the real question is, will they have a relationship with Jesus? Will they hear “Well done, good and faithful servant” or “Depart from me?”

That is the question that matters. I truly believe this book will help you prepare your children for that moment. As you read it with an open heart, be ready for God to not only change your children, but to change you.

Jason Dexter

 Elder, Guangzhou International Christian Fellowship Founder, 

Study and Obey Ministries

Ryan Tam, the author, kindly invited me to write a foreword for his work, A Practical Guide to Lead Your Children to Christ. Since I had the privilege of providing premarital counselling to Ryan and his wife, Carrie, before their wedding, and he later took one of my courses during his theological studies, we developed a strong connection. This is why I gladly accepted his invitation.

Ryan’s work describes how, by God’s grace, he and his wife led their beloved daughter, Hermione, to Christ through family devotions. I deeply believe that using family devotions as a means of leading children to Christ is one of the key concerns facing overseas Chinese churches today. Until now, I have not found any dedicated research and published works on this topic in Chinese. This book is a labour of love, a journey walked step by step –painstaking and prayerful– resulting in priceless fruit that is truly worth celebrating.

Ryan shared in his invitation email: “The church has invested heavily in Sunday School ministry to teach children about Jesus. But compared to that, far fewer resources are dedicated to equipping parents to have spiritual conversations with their children at home. Yet it is parents who spend the most time with their children and who most directly influence their spiritual growth. I’ve come to feel more and more deeply that this is a vital area – one that is often overlooked.”

It was this burden that God placed on Ryan’s heart, leading him to reflect and explore this area for many years. Four years ago, he began organizing his insights and putting them into practice within his own family. Through countless trials and adjustments, he experienced the powerful work of God in his household. Deeply moved by this, he decided to compile his experiences into a book – resulting in this precious work, A Practical Guide to Lead Your Children to Christ.

It would be more accurate to say that this is not just Ryan’s personal work, but the collective fruit of his joint efforts with Carrie and Hermione.

I sincerely recommend this book to you as it is a vivid testimony of faith being passed down in a family. It combines biblical principles with practical examples, thoughtfully organized into a highly usable guide. As the subtitle describes: “exploring the WHY, the WHAT, and the HOW through 8 Christ-centred reflection questions” This guide will be especially helpful for parents with young children who are committed to building Christ-centred homes. In addition, each chapter ends with a prayer and discussion questions, making it well-suited for parent-child small groups. The final section offers 14 days of devotional practice, rich in content and application which is easy to follow. 

May the Lord, the Creator of marriage and family, greatly bless and use this book to help more families pass on the precious faith of Christ. May the glory of “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15) shine ever more brightly in Chinese Christian households to the glory of our Heavenly Father!

Rev. Dennis Law
Principal Emeritus, Chinese Theological College Australia
Consulting Minister, 

GracePoint Chinese Presbyterian Church, Sydney
8th August, 2025

God instructed His people through Noses in “Deuteronomy 6:6-7 NIV 

- These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” 

To lead one’s children to Christ is easier said than done. I know of a lot of church members whose children are non-believers. Even a lot church pastors and leaders face the same situation of having non-believing second generation. 

This handbook by Ryan brings out a lot of theological foundations and at the same time practical ways to live out those foundational truths. On the theological level, he suggests that when we read each passage in the Bible, we shall read it through the lens of FCF (Fallen condition focus), so that we can learn the main teachings and applications. Ryan also shows us the four basic idols of man, then presents how we can overcome each idol by understanding fully the different attributes of God. He also gave us a lot of real life experiences and examples on his family’s spiritual journey so we can see how to apply the theory into practice. I can say that this handbook is not only useful for parents but also for anyone seeking to know God better and live out his/her faith. 

Thanks for the chance of being part of your journey. 

Edwin Kwok

Former Lead Chinese pastor

GracePoint Chinese Presbyterian Church

Sydney, Australia