THE PASSION GENERATION, by Grant Skeldon

This is a how-to and why-to book. A casual glance shows the reader whom the author is trying to reach. Throughout the entire book, the author includes subheadings, illustrations, and graphics. The author spreads all his content in two parts. Part One contains ten chapters. Part Two contains seven chapters. The last page includes Notes of sources used throughout the book. Grant Skeldon is the primary author. Skeldon runs the Initiative Network, which exists to disciple millennials in the ways of the Christian faith. He writes the book with Ryan Casey Waller, apparently a ghost writer. Waller is the senior pastor of Uptown Services at Incarnation. The book opens with many endorsements by senior pastors and Christian leaders who share a passion for reaching the generation in question.

This book is much what I expected and the author, Grant Skeldon, is a millennial himself. So he can speak from experience. I found this book to be an easy, fast read, interesting, and encouraging. I did expected a how-to book, addressed to older generations, about how to reach the generation in question. What I did not expect was that strong emphasis on discipleship. But I should have expected it. For discipleship, demanding all our time, energy, affections, talents, and all we are NOT, is a challenge. And millennials want a challenge; their problem is that we have not challenged them but have coddled them. Discipleship, the author contends, would meet their emotional and spiritual needs. The trouble is, many of us older adults have not been discipled either, which he acknowledges. One thing that does bother me is that the author states that he converted to Christ, all those whom he attended church services with were whites, his friends were white, and he found himself hanging out at new places. This proves the lack of diversity in the white evangelical Christian church. The author does not address this, unfortunately.

I recommend this book for pastors, other Christian leaders, and any Christian. Non-believers likely will be turned off by all the "God talk," but may be pleased with the author's understanding of not only his generation, but people in general.

I have received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review of this book. I was not required to give a favorable review of this book.

SIMPLE PURSUIT by Various Authors

This book, a devotional, is by, for, and about young people. They seek to reach those who fall into the age range of 18-25. This devotional provides material for one full year. Louie Giglio writes the Introduction to this volume. Matt Redman writes a "declaration" that sums up the purposes that his readership should have and focus on. He also includes a "statement" which gives his thoughts about pursuing God. These devotions are arranged by each of the 365 days, not by date. Each brief devotion begins with an applicable Bible verse. Then we get the devotional itself. A brief prayer ends each one. Following the last devotion, the names of the contributing writers are provided. All the Bible verses used in this devotional are given at the end of this volume. Each of these authors falls into the age range of those they seek to reach. Other than their names, we get little information about these authors.

These devotions aren't for the faint of heart! Let me disclose that I'm not a member of the target audience for this book. The book makes clear that the authors are millennials (ages 18 to 25). They intend their devotions for their peers. So I read these devotions in this context. Thus, I found lots of challenging and convicting material. It's clearly meant to challenge young adults to live their best lives for Christ and give all they have and are to Him. This isn't comfortable reading, or meant to curl up to with your favorite drink. Like the Bible, the authors demand commitment and action in every devotion. But it was the last two sections that I found hardest, emotionally, to read. In these sections, the authors focus on our Christian responsibility to deliver the Gospel to any and all people we rub shoulders with. I found myself sighing throughout this entire section, as a shy individual who doesn't relish initiating conversations, certainly not with people I don't even know. Yet I had to mentally concede, "Amen, amen," as Jesus clearly commands that we Christians make sharing our faith central in our lives. The authors talk about the grace of God, but seem to focus on our responsibilities and performance much more. These devotions read more like brief spiritual lectures. I think that's because of the target audience, often fresh out of school. Or in higher education.

This book is for young adults, ages 18 to 25. Obviously, I recommend this volume for those who fall in this age range. This book has little to offer older adults, who usually can't relate to "the student life" of commuting to college, dorms, or lecture halls. Teens may find these devotions useful and want to use them in their quiet time. I recommend this volume for youth leaders and leaders of millennial Bible study groups. Others may find these devotions useful as long as they read it in context of the targeted audience.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through BooklookBlogger,in exchange for my honest review of this book. I wasn't required to give this book a favorable review.