"YOU GOTTA GET THIS BOOK!"

“The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and wither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.” (John 3:8)

Several months ago, my friend Ed Duddy from Texas sent me a paperback book entitled, "WILD GOOSE CHASE" by Mark Batterson. I know pastors are supposed to be avid readers. Many claim to read 50 or even 100 books a year. I enjoy both Christian and secular journals and magazines, and I START a number of books, reading a chapter or two but seldom finish them. I may complete 3 or 4 books a year. Books just don't tend to hold my interest. SO, at first I let this one sit and begin collecting dust for a few months.

I am so glad I took "WILD GOOSE CHASE" with me on my month of Sabbatical rest back in late April and early May. I COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN! I read the book through twice, and I'm now planning to read it for the third time! (I also loaned the book to a Christian brother who read it and also loved it.)

The subtitle of "WILD GOOSE CHASE" is "Reclaim the Adventure of Pursuing God". It's a 176 page book and it's a very easy read, but a very "meaty" read. Mark Batterson, the author, is a very unconventional Assemblies of God pastor. The church he leads is "National Community Church" in Washington, DC. It's a multi-site church which predominantly draws 18 to 35-year-olds and meets in rental space at movie theaters. The church also runs Ebenezer Coffee House which is considered one of the better coffee houses in the DC area. Batterson is a bright and radical guy around 40. In his photo on the back cover of the book, he actually looks more like 30, and based on his dress and grooming, looks like he'd either be a judge on American Idol or a CONTESTANT on American Idol! Batterson tells of enjoying movies and '80s pop music. No, he's not your stereotypical Assemblies of God minister, and that's a good thing. This radical, creative Christian man's words are very entertaining, interesting, and VERY challenging!

I don't get through a lot of Christian books because they're either too boring, too predictable, or too preachy. This book is anything but boring! Batterson discusses the "Six Cages" that keep Christians stuck in safe, dead-end, boring, and essentially ungodly liives. The six cages are: responsibility, routine, assumptions, guilt, failure, and fear. Throughout the book, Batterson explores how and why Christians get stuck in one or more of these cages and how to get OUT of them! Batterson lists a bunch of axioms toward the end of the book, including, "Don't try to be who you're not. Be yourself." Thank you, Mark, for validating that philosophy of mine which I feel is so often NOT validated!

Sadly, society, including most of American Christendom is constantly trying to get us mired in responsibility, routine, assumptions, guilt, failure, and fear. I experience the assault of these 6 every single day. That's why I know I need to read "WILD GOOSE CHASE" again!

"WILD GOOSE CHASE" is anything BUT a crazy self-help book or a sappy motivational book. The book is very Scriptural. You can't possibly read this book and put it's admonitions into practice without drawing closer to the Lord!

Whether you buy it on-line, or pick it up in a bookstore, I exhort you, PLEASE get "WILD GOOSE CHASE" and please read it. If you are already a committed Christian, this book will be a great help to you. If you are NOT a committed Christian and not at all a religious person, I challenge YOU to read this book also! I think you'll be surprised by it and I think you'll greatly enjoy it.

In any case, I'd love to hear from you if you read "WILD GOOSE CHASE" !

I also encourage you to tell your friends about "WILD GOOSE CHASE"!