Thrive: Digging Deeper,
Reaching Out (Zondervan, 2014) is the latest book by Youth Pastor and Casting
Crowns singer Mark Hall. I liked this
book – it was an easy read, suitable for daily devotions, great for
conversation starters for a youth group, a valuable resource for a youth pastor
and especially for a youth leader who doesn't have the benefit of Bible school
or theological studies. Mark brings a lot to the table from his knowledge of
scripture, his life experience, his years as a youth pastor, and a few
references to the band.
Jesus came to bring life and to bring it abundantly, with
all that implies, yet so many people seem to think that life is something to be
survived on a daily basis. Mark says that instead of just getting by, we should
live life to the fullest; we should thrive in our existence as a member of the
family of God.
But it takes a little bit of effort. There’s more than
saying a simple prayer and having everything be golden. We’re called to dig
deeper into the word, to reach out to others (believers for fellowship and encouragement,
and non-believers to share the Gospel.
I didn't glean any new deep theological insights, but that’s
OK. This is not meant to be a scholarly treatise or a textbook for postgraduate
studies. There is a lot of common sense stuff, things that we might have
learned before, have probably forgotten, and need to hear again and again. (By the way, the chapter titled “Mighty Men”,
on page 91, is one of those ‘gotcha’ moments, that reminds us of how we’re
supposed to be reaching out!)
My teenage son gets to read the book next, and then it
probably goes to his Youth Leader. On a
scale of 1 to 5, this is ‘almost a five’.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest
review. I was not required to write a positive review.
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