Going Primal

Nineteen months ago I went to The White House for the National Day of Prayer and thoroughly enjoyed hearing President Bush speak (for the last time as president) on the importance of prayer. I invited a pastor friend to go with me and afterwards he suggested going to a coffeehouse near Union Station called Ebenezers. He told me about a creative pastor named Mark Batterson and hoped we would get a chance to meet him. I must admit, I had never heard of Mark but he sounded like someone I could appreciate. As it turned out, Mark Batterson was available and took time to talk with us. He was very gracious and answered all our questions. My friend asked me if I had read Mark's book, In a Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day, to which I said no. One week later I knew why he raved about it so much. After getting my own copy I devoured it within a few days. How could Mark ever hope to best In a Pit and his last publication, Wild Goose Chase . . . by going primal. Primal - A quest for the lost soul of Christianity just came out and all I can say is "unbelievable!" Mark Batterson was already a good writer, but Primal proves that he has matured into a great writer. In Primal, Mark takes us on a journey down the stairs in The Church of San Clemente in Rome, and backwards through the portals of time to a place where Christianity is raw and untamed. He invites the reader to rediscover the wonder of who God is, and helps us to understand how we can know the Creator of the universe in new and more meaningful ways. For me personally, I appreciate Mark's transparency about his own Christian walk and his honesty to admit what most pastors are afraid to - namely that there are times when God seems silent. There are times when pastors walk in the wilderness too. The important thing is not to stay there and Primal is a great book for helping Christians renew their love relationship for God and His Word. If you are looking for a great read this Christmas, I would highly recommend Mark Batterson's Primal. If it hasn't hit your local bookstore yet, you can find it by going to RandomHouse.com. Have a Merry Christmas.

CAP