This book is a winsome, lighthearted account of what it was like growing up in the Church of Christ. Mike occupies an interesting place and time since he is the son of a well known minister. The book grew from scrapbook entries and reminiscences. It consists of numerous short vignettes of Mike's experiences. Also included are brief comments by others coming from this same heritage. It is a great format. Easy to read and covers a lot of territory in time and subject.
I liked the good-natured and humorous aspect of the book. Kinda reminds me of Donald Miller, author of Blue Like Jazz.
Like Mike, I am the son of a CofC minister and our dad's are close friends.
The Church of Christ is a branch of what is known as the Restoration Movement. This began in the early 1800's and some have said it was the first indigenous American movement. The DOC, Christian Church, CofC and Int. CofC are branches of the endeavor. The CofC has given the world Pat Boone, Max Lucado, Ken Star, Weird Al Yankovic, Michael Shermer and Pepperdine University.
The only other book I have on growing up in this fellowship is Hearing God's Voice: My Life with Scripture in the Churches of Christ by Thomas Olbricht. Tom is 20 years older than me and Mike is 16 years younger. Geographically we are similar too. Mike and I from Arkansas and Tom just across the border into Missouri. Being in the middle between them I see a lot of commonality and yet some changes too. When Tom and I were growing up there really was no evangelical counter culture and when Mike came along that was just beginning.
Mike closes the introductory Author's note with "By the time you make it to 'The End', I hope you'll have found a connection to some thought or story, and in that connection, I hope you will have been helped a little in your own journey." Many of us will be able to say yes we were helped. I was. Thanks Mike!
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