The Yearling (A Book Review)

Like many people my age, I have been familiar with The Yearling for most of my life; however, I had never taken the time to read it.  A few months ago, I heard Andrew Peterson make mention of the novel in several of the songs on his new album, so I decided to give it a try.

Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings’ classic work is often thought of as a children’s book or even adolescent literature.  While it is something that will appeal to a child or young adult, the overarching themes of the book are certainly most appreciated by adults.  There are some exciting hunts and humorous scenes that will be enjoyed by all ages, but these are mere brush strokes of the artist, painting a larger portrait.  The portrait is complete at the end of the novel when we listen in on a man-to-man talk between the father, Penny Baxter, and the son, Jody.  We hear explicit statements about the hard life that Rawlings has illustrated so well throughout the novel.

We further see the struggle of parenthood—of knowing how much to shelter a child and how much to push him toward adulthood.  Jody Baxter has been sheltered by his father, and perhaps, this has made the passage so difficult.

Rawlings presents in a very subtle way, a parallel to the return of the prodigal son parable.  She gives us the emotions and thoughts of a young man struggling with his place and his role in life.  She gives us the most simple, yet profound, sentence in the novel:  “He was wanted.”  This sweet realization stands equal with the ring, the robe and the fatted calf of the biblical story.

I sense that many of my generation are wrestling with the disappointing truth that the vast majority of us have been raised as consumers, without much training in productivity or self-sufficiency.  Getting a glimpse into the world of the Baxters makes me aware of how easy our everyday lives are compared to that of our ancestors. Theirs was a simpler life, but more difficult than we can imagine.  It was a life that demanded wisdom, prudence, strength, and trust—a life from which we can learn much.       

The Onion's Dark Core

I recently read The Onion's Dark Core: A Little Book of Poetry Talk. This is a book of essays and interviews by one of my favorites: Georgia poet David Bottoms. Reading the essays and interviews was much akin to getting a behind-the-scenes tour.

For many years, I have regarded Bottoms as a contemporary master of metaphor and imagery.  His poems are what I consider the epitome of strong poetry.  Bottoms says, "poetry is the art of metaphor, which is the art of making connections, the art of discovering bridges" (p. 61). You only have to read his poem "Sign For My Father Who Stressed the Bunt" to get an idea of how well he handles the metaphor. You can view a video of him reading the poem here.  

Another highlight of The Onion's Dark Core was Bottoms' discussion of the creative process mentioned in Seamus Heaney's essay "Feeling into Words."  It talks of the first stage of inspiration, and the second stage of the craft of writing.  While writers know the work that goes into the craft of revision, Bottoms seems to focus more on the first stage.  He notes, "the first stage...is the real creative act, [and] is slightly more mysterious. There really doesn't seem to be very much you can teach anyone about that.  Either it happens or it doesn't" (p. 110).  He goes on elsewhere to express that this mysterious first stage is not anything for which the poet can claim credit. It is a gift.

So, also, is the poetry of David Bottoms a gift.       

Turning the Ship (a book review)

Dustin Guidry has written a book that I could not put down. Turning the Ship tells the story of a journey that Ridgewood Church has faithfully embarked upon. Simply put, the journey has them moving from a man-made model of ministry to clinging to the supremacy of scripture for every directional and operational decision.

Dustin does a good job of sharing a brief background to the battle today’s church is facing. Prime among the embedded enemies of the church is the subtle workings of pragmatism. This is a powerful section of the book, as he lays bare the loss of distinction between the operations of the church and the rest of the world.

From there, the book is a back and forth between the significance of holding the Bible as the final word on matters of the church and the remarkable story of how God lead the staff and church to become broken-hearted over the program-driven church that they were and how God has brought about remarkable changes.

The most significant of the changes was the move from an age-segregated Sunday School to an age-integrated ministry. “But how do you do that?” I’m glad you asked! Read the book. Dustin has an entire chapter dedicated to the buts that most people present at the thought of moving toward age-integration.

Turning the Ship was a quick read. It has humor injected throughout. Most importantly, though, Dustin shares his heart in a way that both challenges and encourages the reader. Thank you, Dustin, for sharing your story!

Shannon O'Dell's Transforming Church in Rural America (Book Review)

Yesterday, I finished reading Transforming Church in Rural America by Shannon O'Dell. I must admit that before I started the book, I was skeptical. I had seen Shannon in a promo video for the church where he pastors (Brand New Church), and something about his intensity (and his hair) kinda freaked me out. I suppose I'm guilty of being superficial.

Anyway, the doubts are gone. This book may be one of the most encouraging reads for anyone who is passionate about being a part of a growing church in the sticks. Wait a minute! Is that possible? Yes, it is.

Shannon shares his story of being called from a large, suburban church with 70 staff to a rural church of 31 members. It's a fascinating ride as he shares dreams, struggles and adjustments that he had to make.

The biggest lesson I learned from his journey was the importance of calling and vision.

Grab a copy of this book and prepared to be encouraged and challenged!

http://www.amazon.com/Transforming-Church-Rural-America-Shannon/dp/0892216948

Prepare for Bloody Toes!

A couple of days ago, I finished reading Jerry Bridges' latest book. Respectable Sins was a fairly slow read. One can only break so many toes at once. Bridges' voice and tone are much like having a casual coffee with a good friend. He acknowledges his own sin and presents the various topics with much grace. Nonetheless, he pulls back the logs of our everyday lives to expose the wormy underworld of the sins we so often tolerate in ourselves and those close to us.

The two big ideas for me in this book are as follows: First, a solid reminder that the gospel is not for lost people, but for sinners. Second, the primary sin that we put up with that holds the door for so many others is what Bridges refers to as ungodliness. Simply put, he means the sin of living our everyday lives as if God does not truly exist. From there, all manner of subtle wickedness takes hold in even the most churched among us.

If you're looking for a challenge, pick up a copy of this book and read slowly. Then, get ready for a dose of conviction.