Book Review: Primal (by: Mark Batterson)

When I heard that Mark was putting out a new book I got excited. So far, every book that he’s written has inspired and challenged me to go deeper in my faith and pursue God with a new reckless abandon. His new book, Primal, was no different.

From the onset of the book Mark peals back the layers of Christianity and cuts through the theological disputes that have gripped us in later days and puts our focus back where it needs to be. And, by the end of the first chapter he had gripped my heart with his biblical truth. The message of this book was very timely, getting back to my first love, the things that made my heart burn that had been forgotten in the ‘business’ of Christianity and ministry through the years. This book takes us to the heart of the matter, the ‘primal’ nature of Christianity and explains it in simple, experiential ways that are easy to understand and apply to your life. I also loved the way Mark challenges you throughout the book. I stopped several times to evaluate my heart and respond to what God was speaking to my heart.

I would definitely recommend picking up this book soon and allowing God to speak to you, challenge you, and take you deeper in your relationship with Him. Mark definitely has a grace for that that we can all receive from.

You can purchase the book here…

Below you can read the publishers summary of the book as well as a bio of Mark Batterson.

Be Astonished Again

We have a tendency to complicate Christianity. Jesus simplified it: Love God with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength. If we are to live out the essence of Christianity, we must commit to being great at this Great Commandment.

In Primal, Mark Batterson explores the four elements of Great Commandment Christianity: compassion, wonder, curiosity, and power. Along the way, he calls you to be a part of God’s reformation, starting in your own life.

As Mark writes, “Is there a place in your past where you met God and God met you? A place where your heart broke for the things that break the heart of God? Maybe it was a sermon that became more than a sermon. Maybe it was a mission trip or retreat. Maybe it was a vow you made at an altar. In that moment, God birthed something supernatural in your spirit. You knew you’d never be the same again. My prayer is that this book would take you back to that burning bush—and reignite a primal faith.”

Primal will help you live in light of what matters most and discover what it means to love God. It will help you become great at the Great Commandment.

Author Bio:

The author of Wild Goose Chase and In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day, Mark Batterson serves as lead pastor of National Community Church in Washington, D.C. One church with nine services in five locations, NCC is focused on reaching emerging generations and meets in movie theaters at metro stops throughout the D.C. area. Mark has two Masters degrees from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Chicago. He and his wife, Lora, live on Capitol Hill with their three children. www.markbatterson.com

disclaimer: This was book was provided for review by WaterBrook Multnomah.

Small Groups and White People

I’m copying an interesting article below (or you can read it here) with some of my own questions following. Would love to hear your thoughts as well…

“Are Small Groups Just For White People?

Why don’t more ethnic churches have a small groups ministry?

by Sam O’Neal

I came across an interesting interview in the recent issue of Leadership Journal. The subjects of the interview were from River City Community Church—a multi-ethnic ministry located in the Humboldt Park neighborhood of Chicago. Leadership talked with Daniel Hill, who founded the ministry, along with several key leaders of the church.

Here’s a brief excerpt of their conversation:

What kind of person is attracted to River City?
Hill: Most of our new people are white. But there’s a revolving door with the white community here. They have a romantic notion of being part of a multi-ethnic church, so many of them get frustrated and leave when they realize how difficult it is to erase their assumptions about the way church is supposed to be.

What assumptions do white people carry into the church?
Arloa Sutter (pastor of community life): When I came I said, “Let’s just start small groups! Everyone wants to be in a group, right?” The fact is small groups aren’t as important to other ethnicities as they are to white people.

Small groups are a white church thing?
Hill: White people rely on small groups to connect. Other ethnicities form community more organically, more relationally. Immigrant communities find fellowship within extended families. In the city a lot of community happens on the front porch or sidewalk. So non-whites aren’t as eager to set up structures and systems like small groups.

Carlos Ruiz (coordinator of community groups): I think whites really value efficiency.

Antoine Taylor (director of Sunday morning ministries): And releasing that value is really hard for a lot of them. They perceive other ways of operating as inefficient or disorganized.

Jennifer Idoma-Motzko (elder): They say it’s not the right way to do church. And I respond bluntly by saying, “You mean it’s not the white way to do church.”

Obviously, there are some pretty strong statements there, and they raise several important questions:

1. Are small groups primarily a “white” way to do church?

2. If we assume that non-white ethnicities connect more easily and organically than whites, does that mean small groups have no use in those communities? Or can they be a supplement to those organic connections?

3. Are small groups really about efficiency? Is that the appeal they bring to churches, whether white or otherwise?

I’ve got some thoughts on these questions, but I would really like to hear what all of you think before I let loose.

You can read the full interview with the leaders of River City Community Church in Aug/Sep issue of our digizine, Catalyst Leadership.”

So, I have a few questions as well…

1. I definitely agree that other ethnicities often develop community more naturally than white people do. Is this a fault of white people/communities? Why or why not? And, if so, how do we change?

2. Pertaining to ‘small groups’ that form naturally in other ethnicities and are Christian: Are these naturally occurring groups Christ centered, as in, are they hanging out for the sake of hanging out, or is there a bigger purpose behind them? Are they discussing how to grow closer to God and how to reach people around them or are they primarily just for community/hanging out?

I’ll hold off on any more questions for a bit. Your thoughts???