I can't believe I missed this book when it was first published! Adventures in Churchland tells the story of rockabilly drummer Dan Kimball and his search for Jesus through the harrowing world of the evangelical church.
They were not prepared for him with his Doc Martens (and flashy yellow stitching) or his slicked back, 50s-pompadour style hair. He was even less prepared for evangelical worship songs that sound like Celine Dion and Christmas pageants where men wore bed sheets as costumes.
I found myself chuckling and nodding out loud - and wincing more than once - as I read his account of an "outsider" approaching the church with honest questions.
Dan has it right. It's not about what we think church "should" look like. It's about Jesus.
He finds his way in through an 83-year-old man in London who gives him a cup of Ovaltine and invites him to meet the real Jesus.
This is a book about Jesus and church and finding your way home. It is a book about the need to shed our preconceptions of what church is and what church-goers should look like. It is a book that speaks truth in a way that is easy to hear.
As someone who was raised in the church and loves the rockabilly scene, I adored this book. I want all my friends, believers or not, to read it. The foreword is written by rockabilly legend Wanda Jackson. There is a chapter about the faith story of Johnny Cash.
It challenges those of us inside, those dyed-in-the-wool churchgoers, to step outside of our comfort zone and make sure that not all of their friends are Christians. We are too isolated. We lack relevance. We need to be in the world, but not of it. Amen!
If you haven't read it, please do so.
Comments
I went to your blog to read your fabulous review of my husband's book (well done, and I agree!) and was immediately drawn to your own book. In fact it took me about 30 seconds to order it on Amazon. I love the approach and content. I too love all things old (have you read Let's Bring Back, by Leslie Blume?) and am absolutely on the look out for great heroes for our twin daughters to emulate. We're currently soldiering through a very dry Fanny Crosby's biography and although they haven't complained I'll be happy to drop it and read what you have to say about her instead. Thanks!
Becky Kimball