As a member of the “Viral Bloggers Community” I have had the chance to read several books on a variety of topics. These books have inspired and challenged, informed and entertained. Most have been about church leadership, the transitional nature of ministry and mission in our emerging culture, and other works of theological reflection.
The most recent offering is a book by fame evangelical social activist and preacher Tony Campolo. In his newest book, “Stories that Feed your Soul,” Tony has gathered a collection of stories that he has used over the years in his preaching, teaching, and lecturing. As a pastor, I know that many of these stories will make their way into my presentations.
The stories cover a wide range of topics: new life in Christ, hope, prayer, freedom from condemnation. As stand-alone stories this book might also be read in conjunction with one’s discipline of daily devotion. If you are like me, however, you won’t be able to stop with one story a day. I finished the book in a day.
A section of the book that might easily be over looked is the introduction. Here Tony offers a brief but thoughtful theological reflection on the need for stories in faith development. Anyone looking for a quick overview of the importance of “narrative” in preaching and teaching will find this section useful. While reading it I remembered that some of the sermons that I address to children in my congregations have had the greatest impact on ADULTS. The stories and object lessons preached to children were “overheard” by adults, feeding their souls.
This is a good book that will, as the title suggests, “feed your soul.” If you are a fan of Tony Campolo and his career as a powerful preacher and story-teller, then this book is a must read.
