A Primal Adventure...

I was recently given a copy of a new book by Mark Batterson that has just come out and I really enjoyed reading it and wanted to share my thoughts. On the cover, the phrase, "A quest for the lost soul of Christianity" is used and I think that captures the heart and the essence of what Batterson is trying to get at. While it seems to be easy to find books that are constantly trying to promote new ideas and truths related to the gospel, it's refreshing to read a book that focuses on pointing us back towards the core truths of the gospel that have never changed and never will change.

If you're unfamiliar with Mark Batterson, I'd encourage you to check out his website and his church's website. He is the pastor of National Community Church in Washington D.C., which is considered to be one of the most innovative and influential churches in the nation. They are reaching thousands of people in our nation's capital and their ideas and methods are being used by other churches around the world. They even have their own coffee house! Mark is also the author of the well known "In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day" and "Wild Goose Chase."

I won't reveal a great deal about what the book has to say because I encourage you to read it for yourself, but I will say that this book brought a subject to life for me in a way that I'd never seen it before. I'm not interested in Science. I hated it in elementary school, middle school, high school, and DEFINITELY in college. For some reason, I've just never been interested in biology or chemistry or anatomy and I've never had any desire to learn about it. Yet, as I was reading through Primal, he kept bringing up different aspects of science and physics and illustrated the beauty of God's incredible creativity and intelligence in all types of science. I usually have no interest in reading about formulas of physics and different types of cell structure, but I loved the way Batterson was able to explain these details and relate it to the incredible power of God and his heart for us to explore his creation. It reminded me a lot of the "Indescribable" series by Louie Giglio, which focuses on astronomy and God's creation and how we are loved and made by a God who's created millions of galaxies that are still expanding and declaring his greatness.

Honestly, I could go on and on about this book and the stories I took from it, but I just wanted to give a brief mention of it and encourage you to check it out on your own. If you're looking for some great books to read as we head into 2010, I'd recommend putting Primal at the top of the list. It's challenging and it's convicting, but it's definitely part of a life of adventure.