Has the soul of Christianity gotten lost? In many ways, the answer is yes. Mark Batterson’s Primal: A Quest for the Lost Soul of Christianity is a wake-up call that challenges the reader to discover the soul of Christianity in a poignant and provocative way.
I must confess, with the obscure title of the book, I was more than pleasantly surprised to find that the book is very practical and personal. It’s about being great at the Great Commandment. It is simply the best presentation I’ve ever encountered of Jesus’ call to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. As he writes, “The heart of Christianity is primal compassion. The soul of Christianity is primal wonder. The mind of Christianity is primal curiosity. And the strength of Christianity is primal energy. (p. 7)”
Through biblical explanations and compelling real-life stories, Batterson drives home the need and the way to live a life that’s full of the love of God. In the process, he covers a wide-range of questions and issues that we deal with everyday.
I found myself reading with my pen in hand to underline the creative points that he makes on nearly every page. His ability to engage the heart, soul, mind, and even strength of the reader through his writing seemed to make the book come alive. Primal is also clearly the result of research and homework so that the illustrations stimulate the imagination and inspire the heart. I would love to share some of these with you, but honestly, they are so abundant and rich, that you have to dive into them yourself.
I could relate to Batterson on a personal level in so many ways as he writes in a very authentic voice, and he has personally fleshed out these truths so they’re not merely theory. As a result, I was challenged to stretch myself outside of my comfort zone. I was inspired to actually put my love to the test in many tangible ways. It has challenged me to trust God for bigger things and to dream bigger dreams.
At its core, Primal is an invitation to “be a part of something that is bigger than you, more important than you, and longer lasting than you. (p. 171)” And to that invitation, I say, “Count me in!” If I could, I would get a copy of Primal for everyone I know. I do plan to give as many copies away as I can and I highly encourage you to spend a few days with this book. I believe it has the potential to be a catalyst for your walk with God, as it has been for me. I believe this one is a must-read and I look forward to diving into more books by Mark Batterson soon.
There are discussion questions for groups included at the back and there is an available video resource to enhance group discussions as well. There are even more resources available at theprimalmovement.com
In the interest of full disclosure, WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group sent me this book for free for this review.