Mad Church Disease: Overcoming the Burnout Epidemic
Author: Anne Jackson
Publisher: Zondervan, 2009
Reviewer: David Kinnaman, President, Barna Group

Are you suffering from Mad Church Disease? It is the illness facing church leaders who – despite their best efforts to serve God and his people – are killing themselves spiritually, physically, emotionally or relationally.

In the book, Mad Church Disease , popular author and blogger, Anne Jackson, digs into the causes, symptoms and solutions of a wide variety of challenges stemming from church work. Anne should know: she’s a pastor’s kid and has been employed in churches. I doubt there is anything quite like the dynamics of working in a church when it comes to the pressure it puts on leaders. And Anne captures the experiences and causes of burnout effectively.

The book is deep, but not stuffy. It is funny, but not cynical. It is easy to read, without being simplistic. Anne’s writing is poignant and personal, without being tacky. It takes a long, hard look at the difficulties of church work, while asking readers to face their problems.

Ultimately, Mad Church Disease is not just about solutions, it is a solution. It is a tool that can be used by a church staff or by individuals. It contains helpful interviews with church leaders who have lived through Mad Church Disease. And it offers worksheets to start private or group discussions about the issues of personal and spiritual health. Use this great new tool to find and restore healthy margins in your life.

D.K.

Book Review:  Mentoring Leaders

By Carson Pue

Published by Baker Books

249 pages

A lot of individuals and organizations pass themselves off as expert leader developers. But, as Jesus teaches us, you will know people by the fruit they produce. Carson Pue, a former pastor and parachurch executive, has been leading the Arrow Leadership program, which develops young leaders, for more than a decade. The proof of his wisdom as a mentor of young leaders is discernible in the lives of those whom he has guided.

The Arrow process that Carson employs is based on the notion that every leader must refine several dimensions: his or her character, leadership skills, evangelistic passion and the desire to pursue God’s kingdom through their leadership efforts. To empower an individual to lead more effectively, the process entails assessment of the individual, the creation of a developmental plan, teaching and interaction that bring clarity and growth, personal mentoring by experienced leaders, relationships with a cluster of peers, and shaping experiences.

This book describes how those procedures work in practice. The process is organized around five critical functions. The first of those is developing self-awareness, which includes understanding of one’s perceptions of and relationship with God, as well. The ultimate objective of such soul searching is to achieve inner peace, which Dr. Pue describes as a sign of personal maturity. That peace emerges from the development of integrity, wisdom and reflection. The book delves into those that are common to leaders, such as involvement in sensuality, spiritual excess, pride, spiritual lust, fatigue, laziness, and compromise.

The second critical function is identifying and overcoming the personal barriers to spiritual maturity. Every leader treads a different path, so his or her barriers will differ. However, they tend to relate to the commission of particular sins; inappropriate or limiting vows that have been made; addictions that control the individual; distortions derived from power; and issues arising from relationships.

The third critical function is discovering vision. Carson is clear that grasping vision starts with God, must be consistent with the Bible, and that there are several different types of vision. He also differentiates between vision and mission, and notes that unless the leader is passionate about pursuing the vision little of value is likely to happen.

The fourth critical function is the implementation of the vision. The related chapters discuss elements such as communicating the vision; organizing around the vision; developing a team to pursue the vision; planning, budgeting and evaluation; and prayer.

The final function is that of sustaining leadership. Given that a leader must finish well, this portion of the training process explores aspects such as reorganizing one’s team for continued growth; understanding the developmental stages of an organization, and how to maximize each stage; having the foresight and courage to introduce necessary change; and expanding the leader’s capacity to bring people further down the road. This latter component includes the ability to persevere; making good decisions; achieving balance and a healthy family experience; having supportive friends and mentors who assist with accountability and evaluation; and releasing continual spiritual growth.

If you are involved in the process of helping young people to develop into better leaders you are likely to find this book helpful because of its practical nature. These are lessons from a man who walks this road daily.

gb

Book: Evangelism without Additives

Author: Jim Henderson

Publisher: Water Brook Press

Details: trade paperback, 152 pages

This is a book about evangelism. Wait, wait, wait. Don’t run the other way. This is not your typical book about evangelism. Let me explain.

Our research shows that most Christians would rather forget about evangelism. In fact, most of them do. During a typical year, only half of all born again adults even bother to engage in some form of evangelism. Most of the Christians who do share their faith in Jesus believe they do a poor job of representing Christ in the process. In spite of the Great Commission, spreading the gospel is one of the areas in which Christians have the lowest self-esteem – and, tellingly, the least interest in self-improvement.

No wonder Christian publishers typically regard books on evangelism with the same enthusiasm that Americans possess for cricket. You can’t take people where they don’t want to go, and most people have lived the evangelism guilt trip long enough that they would rather avoid the topic altogether.

Jim Henderson, a former pastor and currently a well-regarded conference speaker and ministry leader, is one of the people who love God but hate traditional witnessing approaches. Yet, because of his love for Jesus and his desire to be faithful to God, he has spent most of his adult life trying to figure out how to use his life to honor God and nudge others toward the grace that God wants to give them. This book is the result of his journey. Jim has good news about spreading the Good News.

The essence of his perspective is that we have made evangelism a program rather than a natural point of connection with people. Jim’s solution is for us to engage in “ordinary attempts” or OAs. An OA is simply what it sounds like: something simple and not necessarily complete, but which puts another plank in the bridge between the “lost” person and Christ. (FYI: Our research shows that one of the most offensive things Christians do is call non-Christians “lost.” They prefer being called explorers or any of a half-dozen other terms. “Lost” strikes them as very judgmental.)

Ordinary Attempts acknowledge that evangelism is a process, and that any one of us may play a small part in the process through a countless variety of creative and natural points of connection. And because God calls on us to be obedient rather than successful, our responsibility is to be Christ with others through the questions, encouragement, spiritual conversations, service, attention, covert prayers, overt prayers, listening, or other simple approaches we offer to them.

Evangelistic purists will snicker and complain that Jim’s ordinary attempts amount to something less than authentic evangelism. I pray they will read the book and discover that in most situations even Jesus didn’t engage in what we have turned evangelism into. I especially appreciated the sections in the book where Jim describes WJDD – “What Jesus Didn’t Do.”

Let’s be clear about this: this book is not Evangelism Escapism 101. It recognizes that enabling someone to embrace Christ as their savior is the most significant decision the person will ever make. But the book also releases us from the debilitating pressures and restrictions that our programs and procedures have placed us under. This is an affirming, refreshing and motivating book.

In our country, we love to keep score. In evangelism, the only score we keep is “who gets the kill.” We tend to disregard the Lord’s teaching that some plant, some nurture and some harvest. We are a nation of harvester zealots. But Jim reminds us that God uses all of our efforts to achieve His ends. And, like Jesus, we are effective when our efforts are built on love for God and others, a desire to bless people, a willingness to go to them, and the importance of establishing a meaningful connection with them.

Evangelism without Additives is easy to read and enjoyable. It contains some wonderful humor and a few great stories. The appendix even provides five values that inform the ordinary attempt mind set. If you struggle with evangelism, feel guilty about your E score, need to be re-energized in your enthusiasm for outreach, or care about fellow believers who are downcast over their evangelistic impotence, give this book a chance. I bet you’ll emerge feeling motivated to fulfill the role that you can reasonably and joyfully play in advancing God’s kingdom.

GB

NOTE: This book was formerly titled a/k/a/Lost: Discovering Ways to Connect with the People Jesus Misses Most

Book Review

Book: Parenting by The Book: Biblical Wisdom for Raising Children

Author: John Rosemond

Publisher: Howard Books

Hardback; 266 pages; 2007.

Having written books about parenting and family development, I am all too aware of the glut of books in the market on these topics. It’s difficult to find works that either say something new or offer practical and viable insights. John Rosemond’s book, Parenting by The Book: Biblical Wisdom for Raising Children, accomplishes both of these feats.

Before we go any further, let me warn you: Rosemond believes that spanking a child is appropriate, when done properly. If that turns you off, don’t buy the book. Interestingly, as I write this, there have been 47 customer reviews of the book on amazon. Of those, every single customer rating has been at the extremes: 28 people gave it a “1” (the lowest rating) and 19 gave it a “5” (the highest rating). Every one of the negative reviews pontificated about the horrors of spanking children, how Mr. Rosemond is advocating “child abuse,” how relying on “antiquated” ideas in the Bible has been “proven” to be ineffective, and how his book is perpetrating “violence against children” that will do them “irreparable harm.” So be forewarned. If you consider spanking inappropriate, avoid the book. If you think spanking may have a place as one tactic in a larger pool of parenting strategies, then consider this resource.

By the way, despite the singular focus of the criticisms, the book is not about spanking. It’s about parents taking control of the child-rearing process and intelligently applying biblical principals to raising children.

Although Mr. Rosemond is a psychologist, he does not spout the party line when it comes to raising children. In fact, one portion of this book is devoted to questioning the foundations of his field and dismissing the widely-adopted views of psychologists and psychiatrists, including esteemed names like Freud, Skinner, Gordon and Briggs. A former devotee of such giants of the field, his experience in counseling and raising children (and grandchildren) has dramatically altered his perspective.

He notes that psychology does not address the reality of free will, and explains why children struggle with lying, self-centeredness, defiance. He dismantles the practice of punitive parenting – a common version of behavior modification that typically leaves parents bewildered and frustrated. He reveals the myth of self-esteem, which has been a foundation of child-rearing for decades.

As noted, perhaps the most controversial aspect of this book has to do with the rejection of behavior modification strategies because, in his words, although behavior mod works well with some animals, “humans are not animals. Possessing free will, humans can successfully resist the manipulations of behavior modification.” His argument against the use of punishments and rewards as the means to getting children to adopt viable behavior is worth considering.

In place of progressive egghead theories he returns to what he calls “Grandma’s wisdom” – that is, insights drawn from our elders, who raised children with a sensible and effective mixture of biblical wisdom and common sense. Somehow, such practices got lost in the psych-babble shuffle of the past half-century.

One of the wonderful things about Rosemond’s work, including the advice he dispenses in his nationally syndicated column on parenting, is the practical nature of his recommendations. He also has a compelling way of juxtaposing competing activities and outcomes: self-respect vs. self-esteem, character vs. achievement, flexibility vs. rigidity, assignments vs. follow through, emotional release vs. stoicism, and so forth. And his arguments are based on scriptural passages that are not taken out of context nor stretched beyond recognition.

Each chapter takes on an important component of child-rearing, provides some useful anecdotes to illustrate his points, and ends with a set of questions that can help focus a discussion or even personal reflection.

So many of Mr. Rosemond’s suggestions parallel what was revealed through my research among effective parents, as described in Revolutionary Parenting. Perhaps that simply shows the consistency that emerges when people are seeking to implement biblical guidance into their parenting efforts.

Book Review

Living Together

By Mike and Harriet McManus

Publisher: Howard Books

Hardback; 202 pages; $20 retail

Marriage is in trouble in the United States. You can see it in the declining number of people who get married. It is evident in the fact that the U.S. has the highest divorce rate among developed nations. You can sense its deterioration based on the effort to legitimize gay marriage. Even public opinion about the importance of marriage is slipping.

This new book by Mike and Harriet McManus addresses a critical aspect of that problem: cohabitation. Based on the McManus’s extensive experience with seeking to strengthen traditional marriages, this volume is a welcome addition to the practical literature on the subject, offering viable strategies for enhancing marriage as well as recent information about the state of marriage and cohabitation.

Early in the book you will read why cohabitation is something we should be paying attention to if we care about saving marriages. A useful tool is the list of myths about cohabitation. The book notes that people cohabit for a variety of reasons, but the result is generally the same, regardless of the motivation: a failed relationship, whether marriage ensued or not. Among the reasons cited for the break-up of cohabiters are the mistrust of marriage, the lack of positive experience with marriage in their family of origin, the absence of male commitment, increasing cultural acceptance of both cohabitation and divorce, and financial benefits.

Surprisingly few people seem to be aware of the risks inherent in cohabitation. Chief among those is the potential for experiencing violence. A different but no less significant risk is that of bearing children without a committed family bond. Economic hardship, rampant infidelity, legal entanglements and more are detailed with depressing clarity by the authors.

Depending on your faith perspective, of course, there are all kinds of arguments that can be made in relation to the cohabitation experience. It is biblically forbidden. It is historically ineffective. It pales in comparison to legitimate marriage as a satisfying or lasting relationship.

But cohabitation has become an accepted way of life in America, despite its flaws and failings. What can be done? The authors use the second half of the book to describe a variety of means that churches can implement to blunt the harsh effects of unmarried people living together. Drawing on their successful endeavors related to the Marriage Savers ministry, they offer a practical approach to counteracting cohabitation. Included among their detailed recommendations for churches are implementation of a premarital inventory; training and assignment of mentor couples; providing the skills to resolve conflict; establishing and supporting a church policy regarding cohabitation; and a process for educating couples about cohabitation and marriage.

Perhaps the most important step in this approach that is widely overlooked is the role of married mentors. While identifying and preparing married couples to be effective mentors is a challenging task, the impact of those mentors can be staggering. This shouldn’t be news to us; coaching is critical in every aspect of development, from leadership training, the athletics to child development. Good coaches or mentors change people’s lives! Why shouldn’t we expect that to be the case in marriage, as well? This book not only describes how to equip couples to be influential mentors, but provides the statistical back-up as to the difference such coaching makes in relationships.

The book concludes with a chapter about the Community Marriage Policy, the cornerstone of the Marriage Savers strategy enacted through churches. The brief explanation of the policy and its impact to date is compelling. In an age where marriage is under attack, churches are overwhelmed by the challenges related to marriage, and there is limited united and productive action undertaken across church lines, the Community Marriage Policy is something that every pastor should consider adopting.

This book doesn’t take long to read. But if you take the information and recommendations to heart, its impact will be long-lasting.

GB

Book Review
A Tale of Three Kings

Author: Gene Edwards

Publisher: Tyndale House

Paperback; 98 pages

If you’re looking for the autobiography of King David, A Tale of Three Kings isn’t it. But if you’re serious about being a godly leader, developing appropriate character, or maturing into the follower of Christ that you were created to be, then this is your book.

Author Gene Edwards has penned a true classic: short, easy to read, interesting and profound. Describing the interaction of David, his predecessor Saul, and David’s son Absalom, this narrative delves into how to handle challenges related to spiritual authority, service, humility, surrender, submission, attitude and intense faith. We live in an age of selfishness and performance. It is not uncommon for our leaders – and, perhaps, for us as leaders – to push and shove to gain the spotlight, or to wheel and deal to maintain the platform. This story questions our motivations.

Edwards is a great storyteller. In Three Kings he takes well-worn Bible stories and breathes new life into them, providing a deeper glimpse at the drama, the pain and grace that we sometimes overlook as we race through the pages of scripture.

Take your time reading this book. The truths presented are worth your reflection. If you’re a leader, it provides serious challenges to how you serve God and His people. If you’re not a leader, the book delivers insights into your character and relationships that need to be considered. If you claim to love Christ, you must always be learning more about yourself and how you serve the God you love. If you give it a chance, this book will help you grow.

Arminian Theology: Myths and Realities

Author: Roger Olson

Publisher: InterVarsity Press, 2006

Hard cover; 240 pages of text

Reviewed by George Barna, October 2007

In my experience, relatively few books about theology are readable, interesting and balanced. Roger Olson’s Arminian Theology is such a book. It addresses theological issues that many of us wrestle with, avoiding angels-on-the-head-of-a-pin debates in favor of grappling with more practical matters that will help us draw closer to God. To his credit, Olson gives fair treatment to both sides of the Calvinist-Arminian divide in the hope of leading us to God’s truth, rather than choosing one side or the other in this centuries-old, man-made theological debate.

Let’s admit it, although many Americans hold a variety of Arminian views – usually without knowing it – Arminianism is the ugly cousin of Calvinism in modern America. Olson admits to being Arminian upfront, and states his goal of clearing up confusion about classical Arminian theology, without disparaging the Reformed perspective. He does a wonderful job of maintaining balance and respect for the two approaches.

Early in the book, Olson provides a brief history of the Arminian position. (Note: Arminianism is not the same as semi-Pelagianism, which is a heretical perspective.) He respectfully contrasts the Arminian perspective, popularized by Jacob Arminius, John Wesley and others, from the Reformed tradition, articulated by John Calvin, Ulrich Zwingli, and others. Having read a number of books about the differences, these discussions can be murky, but Olson keeps the pace moving and the tone civil, while expertly reflecting the important theological differences and similarities and retaining a high degree of readability.

The primary device Olson uses to inject sanity into the dialogue is an evaluation of ten “myths” about Arminianism. Those myths include the following notions:

• Arminian theology is the opposite of Calvinist (or Reformed) theology
• a hybrid version of the two perspectives is possible
• Arminianism is not a viable biblical position for evangelicals
• the foundation of the Arminian view is free will
• Arminians deny the sovereignty of God
• Arminianism is a human-centered theology
• Arminians reject grace
• Arminians do not believe in predestination
• they reject justification by grace alone, through faith alone
• all Arminians believe in the government theory of atonement

Without getting sucked into mind-numbing abstract arguments, or pulled off-track by alluring tangents, Olson convincingly concludes that Arminianism is “a legitimate evangelical theological option” that can be “just as biblically and theologically conservative” as the Reformed approach (pg. 242). He shows how so many of the criticisms of Arminianism and Calvinism are caricatures of each other. Keep in mind that no system of theology is perfect; these are human efforts to understand a complex God. By definition, they will fall short in comprehension and clarity.

Many people probably wonder why they should read a book about theology instead of devoting that time and energy to reading the Bible. Of course, there is no book that is a substitute or replacement for the Bible. However, books like Arminian Theology can help us to better understand the meaning of God’s Word for our lives. Theology is simply a tool to help biblical content come alive so that we can believe and integrate more fully. I found this book to be one of the best theological treatises in furthering my understanding of God and His scriptures.

The Christian body in America also struggles from a significant lack of unity. One of the major divisions is along theological lines. Although God has called us to unity, we have created points of separation, such as the Arminian and Reformed perspectives. Is facilitating such a division something you want to answer for to God? Can’t we see these perspectives as human constructs designed to help us draw closer to Him, and to be enable us to be more like Him? If so, then it is important to recognize our personal limitations and imperfections while striving to love others, rather than seeking superiority over them. We may possess different interpretations of scripture, and we must be discerning in our beliefs and dialogue, but our job is not to judge others and their genuine efforts to move toward greater holiness.

Many true followers of Christ are Arminian; many are Calvinist. God loves them all. This book helped me to better understand the differences in perspective, and to appreciate the people and arguments on both sides of the debate.

Book: Bleachers

Author: John Grisham

Publisher: Dell Fiction

Details: mass paperback, 229 pages

When we initiated the book reviews webpage last month, I stated that our reviews would be different than the normal fare. As a down payment on that promise, let me recommend the most appealing leadership book I’ve read in the past several years: Bleachers, by John Grisham.

Okay, I know it’s a fictional novel by a big-time author that is not specifically about leadership. And it may be difficult for some people to move through this book since it revolves around football. But if you can handle it, I can recall few books that do a better job of communicating the “ugly” side of leadership – the fact that great leaders are often disliked by even their closest associates.

Bleachers is a quick read. The characters are easy to visualize. The dialogue is realistic and interesting, there are a few suspenseful segments, and the ending was gripping.

The story’s focal point is a crusty high school football coach who moves to a one-horse town and turns a backwater team into a state powerhouse. His teams won 13 state titles in his 34-year career, setting the national record for consecutive wins along the way. The tale spans a four-day period during which many of the players whom he coached return for the coach’s funeral. Their reminiscing and self-reflection comprise the guts of the narrative.

What makes this a leadership book? The first 200 pages detail memories of past games, personal exploits, relationships – and not-so-fond memories of their intense, hard-hearted coach. The final 20 pages are the eulogies, spoken by three former players, to a packed stadium of fans. Their recollections paint a vivid portrait of how this driven, focused leader took group after group of talentless high schoolers and turned them into champions. Despite his quirky methods and irascible personality, the coach is described as diligent, hardworking, foresighted, intense, passionate, insightful, discerning, intelligent, courageous, just and compassionate. He fostered love-hate relationships with his core audiences: the players, their parents, and the townsfolk.

In the end, though, hundreds of his former players journeyed back to pay their respects because they understood that the lessons he drilled into his players – self-respect, hard work, perseverance, excellence, purposeful living, execution and teamwork – had changed their lives. The coach made some huge mistakes and some of his methods were antithetical to Christian principles. His legacy, however, was successfully leading many of his players to perform at a higher level. As one of the eulogizers put it, he allowed ordinary people to taste greatness. That’s one mark of a great leader.

As a leader, this book encouraged me. Because I take a lot of cheap shots from pastors, journalists and others due to my reports on the church – yes, I know, the arrows come with the territory – Grisham’s fictional yarn reminded me of Jesus’ warning to His disciples: “a prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his own family.” (Matthew 13:57, NLT) The book underscored a critical leadership truth: if you want to be popular, then do not become a leader. If you want to facilitate life transformation, and you’re willing to pay the price, leadership is a challenging but satisfying means to that end. The privilege of participating in people’s transformation, rather than applause, perks and awards, is the reward for our service. And how much sweeter it is to devote yourself to people’s transformation for something more glorious than a sports championship.

GB

Resource:  Emerging Worship

Author:  Dan Kimball

Publisher:  Zondervan

Reviewer:  Cameron Hubiak

I can hear some of you thinking, please, not another book on what worship music should or shouldn’t be!  But the Emerging Worship is not focused on music at all.   It is a refreshingly honest and transparent journey of one man (former youth pastor turned senior pastor) asking such questions as, why do we as believers in modern America gather?  Why do we structure our modern worship services the way we do?   And why are so many teens and twentysomethings absent from church? 

The author, Dan Kimball, immediately draws the key distinction between a modern “worship service” where most come and fulfill the role of a spectator, to an “emerging worship gathering” (more biblical in nature) where people come to participate by serving; prepared to give something to God and their fellow believers.  From here the book is divided into two sections. 

The first section describes elements that distinguish emerging worship gatherings across the country and practical methods towards creating emerging worship gatherings.  The use of art, and visual media, a closer connection with ancient Christian customs, are a few of the many elements dissected.   Dan also shares several experiments at crafting emerging worship gatherings at his home church that have succeeded and others that, well, have not.

The second section of the book puts theory into action and looks at practical examples of several well known churches in America that have tried to change the format of their gatherings (or incorporate another gathering) in an attempt not to lose emerging generations.   Dan throws a welcomed curveball by including those that opt out of the traditional church route in lue of house churches.  The burgeoning house movement in England is explored as a possible precursor of what we will see here in America in the coming years.

Who is this book for?  Pastors that want to craft worship gatherings for emerging generations; worshipers that want to understand more about emerging worship gatherings and the importance of cultural relevance; youth or college pastors anxious to make some changes to their worship gatherings, but not entirely sure where to start. 

The style moderates between storytelling, personal reflection on lessons learned, and some analysis of various churches that are studied.   But as it has over 200 pages, replete with helpful websites, personal experience, and biblical truth, it’s not a book to read in one sitting.  If you’re anything like me, you’ll probably refer to it several times even after you’ve finished it.  Or you may want to make some comments on Dan’s blog, where you can do that as well as read additional chapters not included in the book.

Book: Epic – The Story God Is Telling and the Role That Is Yours to Play

Author: John Eldredge

Publisher: Thomas Nelson Publishers

Details: hardcover, 5×7 format, 104 pages

Reviewer: David Kinnaman

Maybe the re-circulated air at 30,000 feet (which is where I read John Eldredge’s newest book, Epic) makes mere words on a page more appealing. Maybe that explains why I liked Epic so much. But the altitude certainly doesn’t help the taste of food – or much else, for that matter – so I doubt that’s it. 

Epic is one of the best books I have read this year. Actually, the diminutive, 104-page book is one of the best descriptions of the message of Christianity – or the Story, as John describes it – that I have yet encountered. It makes the Gospel clear. Imaginative. Compelling. 

It recasts the Story’s four main Acts (Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Restoration) by showing how those themes are captured in our culture’s favorite movies and literature. With frequent references to such films as Lord of the Rings, Apollo 13, Star Wars, Gladiator, Titanic, and the Matrix – as well as timely quotes from great writers like G.K. Chesterton, John Milton, C.S. Lewis, and William Shakespeare – Epic helped me to envision the Great Story of Christianity from a fresh perspective. 

Importantly, the book also contains a lot of Scripture. The descriptions of Heaven and Hell as well as Satan and Angels gave biblical fuel to the book’s content. This is not a book about theology, but John touches on often misunderstood parts of the Christian story – such as the problem of evil, free will, and eternal punishment – by describing them in their proper context, as understandable elements of the story.

Although the cover art seems out of sync with a youthful audience, the frequent references to films and the simple, short format will appeal to young adults and many teenagers. In fact, the book will be of significantly less value to people who are not familiar with popular films since much of the book’s imaginative power comes from these references. The language is accessible and appropriate for believers and for seekers. And I can imagine lots of ways the compact hardback could be put to use: in small groups and house churches, as gifts for friends and family members, and as the basis for a sermon series.

Maybe the highest praise I can give the book is the feeling I had after turning the last page. I wished I could give a copy to every person on the plane, believing that the content – just a few hours of reading – could fire each person’s imagination for the God of Heaven, writing His Epic for every soul to find their place. At least the flight attendant got my copy. And if you knew my passion for collecting books, giving away a volume that I love leads me to suspect the effects of oxygen deprivation at 30,000 feet. Though I doubt that’s it.