Endorsement of Desperately Seeking Spirituality: A Guide Guide to Practice (Liturgical Press, May 2016)

As a father of three, husband, son and full time minster my calendar can fill up quickly; everything from lunches to meetings, practices and social events, spirituality can easily be pushed to bottom of the to-do list. The struggle to find time or even know how to operate in a spiritual context can be difficult if not impossible for many faithful followers of Jesus the Christ.

Meredith Gould in her book Desperately Seeking Spirituality tries to smooth out the rough places of spirituality and it’s practices while allowing the reader to find a balance in her/his life. She approaches this through the idea of being a “seeker” of God, a title that will remain with us forever because perfection is never truly attained. She guides the reader through the pitfalls and struggles of faith and spirituality while offering tangible resources, exercises and thoughts to encourage the reader to not give up on finding the spiritual practices and holy moments that will deeply impact our lives.

Gould’s wit and simplicity of style opens this text up to all who are in desperate need of some spirituality or who need a refresh on what it means to seek after God in our everyday life.

—Rev. Evan M. Dolive, Associate Minister, First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Longview, Texas; author of Seeking Imperfection: Body Image, Marketing and God.

Endorsement of Leaving A-Holiness Behind: From Pious Jerk to Not-So-Pious Jerk
(CrowdScribed, LLC, June 2016)

Christian Piatt tackles the question that every follower of Christ should ask themselves: ‘have I become the Christian I can’t stand?’ This book reminds us all that Christianity is more than correct sayings and memorization, it’s relational, dynamic and changing. Piatt’s analysis of the heart of Christianity opens the door for questioning, discerning and growing into a person of faith without strings attached, something needed in the Church today.

–Rev. Evan M. Dolive

Review of Reaching Millennials: Proven Methods For Engaging A Younger Generation by David Stark (Bethany House, 2016).

Originally published in Youth Worker Journal Fall 2016

It’s no secret that the American church is on the decline. While no one particular group is the cause of this issue, the “millennials” those born between 1978-1998 have been the target group for many communities of family. Their absence speaks volumes to their understanding of God, Christ and the activates of the church. David Stark in his book Reaching Millennials take on the task of finding constructive ways to find in this segment of the population. Through surveys, interviews and many years in ministry, Stark examines the root cause of the millennial absence as well as tangible resources for church leaders to try to reach out those who are not currently attending.

Review of 52 Ways to Connect with Your Smartphone Obsessed Kid: How to Engage with Kids Who Can’t Seem to Pry Their Eyes from Their Devices! by Jonathan McKee

Originally published in Youth Worker Journal Fall 2016

Technology is becoming more integrated into our lives, the smartphone is becoming a point of contention with teens and parents. As parents and youth workers brave this new frontier, the question arises: can you be obsessed with your phone? If the answer is “yes” then what can parents to do loosen the grip of technology and restore family connections? Jonathan McKee tackles this notion in 52 Ways to Connect with Your Smartphone Obsessed Kid. McKee offers insights and stories with practical thought-provoking questions for parents to consider. While not every suggestion will fit each family, McKee stresses that importance of trying and disconnecting from the technological age we find ourselves in.

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