Wild Goose Chase Blog Tour

Recently I was given the opportunity to review the new book by Mark Batterson, "Wild Goose Chase." The book releases today, and I can't urge you enough to get get your copy!

Mark is not only an author, but he serves as the pastor of National Community Church, in Washington, DC. In observing his approach to ministry both in person (at events I have heard him speak at), and on his weekly podcast, he relates so naturally to the listener because you get the feeling that he's "on the journey" just like you are. That said, his writing style takes on a similar feel. To date, I have read both of his books, and his passionate approach to living the adventure and fulfilling the dreams God has given us is birthed out of a heart that pursues God.

In his latest release, "Wild Goose Chase," Mark likens the modern pursuit of God to that of a chase of a "wild goose."

The back cover boasts, "Most of us have no idea of where we're going most of the time. Perfect. Celtic Christians had a name for the Holy Spirit - An Geadh -Glas, or "the Wild Goose." The name hints at mystery. Much like a wild goose, the spirit of God cannot be tracked or tamed. An element of danger, an air of unpredictability surround Him. And while the name may sound a little sacreligious, I cannot think of a better description of what it's like to follow the Spirit through life. Most of us have no idea where we are going most of the time. And I know that is unsettling. But circumstantial uncertainty goes by another name: ADVENTURE."

It's that adventure that drew me through the pages of this book. Recently my wife and I made the announcement that we will be planting a church in the Millvale section of Pittsburgh (more on that later), and the process leading up to that announcement, as well as the uncertainty of the days that lie ahead were such fertile ground for the words of this book to get buried in my own spirit.

In the second chapter mark states, "There are moments in our life when our passions and the purposes of God converge in what I call supernatural synchronicities. These are the moments when we come alive. These are the moments when the sovereignty of God overshadows our incompetencies. And these are the moments when our success can be attributed to only one thing: the favor of God. God does something for us that we would never do for ourselves."

Not only was it hard not to see the current events of my own life right now as one of those "spiritual synchronicities, but it seems as if the introduction of this book in my life is one of them, as well! I reccomend this book for anyone wanting to awaken their personal pursuit of God, but even more, I reccomend it for those anticipating taking a leap of faith for God. This book will energize your journey!

If you're interested in checking out the book and even downloading a sample chapter, check out http://www.chasethegoose.com/, as well as http://www.markbatterson.com/ to read Mark's personal blog.



Information from the publisher:

Summary:
Most of us have no idea where we’re going most of the time. Perfect. “Celtic Christians had a name for the Holy Spirit–An Geadh-Glas, or ‘the Wild Goose.’ The name hints at mystery. Much like a wild goose, the Spirit of God cannot be tracked or tamed. An element of danger, an air of unpredictability surround Him. And while the name may sound a little sacrilegious, I cannot think of a better description of what it’s like to follow the Spirit through life. I think the Celtic Christians were on to something….Most of us will have no idea where we are going most of the time. And I know that is unsettling. But circumstantial uncertainty also goes by another name: Adventure.” --from the introduction.

Author Bio:
Mark Batterson is the lead pastor of Washington, DC’s National Community Church, widely recognized as one of America’s most innovative churches. NCC meets in movie theaters at metro stops throughout the city, as well as in a church-owned coffee house near Union Station. More than seventy percent of NCC’ers are single twentysomethings who live or work on Capitol Hill. Mark is the author of the best-selling In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day and a widely read blogger (www.markbatterson.com). He lives on Capitol Hill with his wife, Lora, and their three children.