“We’ve gotten away from the New Testament pattern.” “I’m tired of human traditions.” “My church just doesn’t feel right to me.” These are words that escape the lips of far too many people in American churches today. They find fault with the liturgies, teachings, and practices that are present, or are noticeably absent, from their churches. What they’re too often unwilling to consider, though, is that the problem isn’t fundamentally with the denomination, tradition, or the leadership as such. The fundamental problem is us. Churches have no soul because we have no soul. In Primal: the Quest for the Lost Soul of Christianity, Mark Batterson seeks to address that very thing.

The book is written as an extended exegesis of the Church, the culture, and the work of Jesus through the lens of the Great Commandment. Batterson writes to explore what it would mean for us to love God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength. The fundamental problem of our slack obedience and bitter squabbling and heated conflicts is not in our methodology, tradition, or leadership but in our own failure to love God for all that He is with all that He has made us. That is our individual and corporate sin, and our response should be thorough repentance and learning to love God.

Batterson writes in a personable, casual style that allows the reader to relate and “talk it through” with him. His own experiences of loving God are insightful, often humourous and always convicting as he challenges the reader to pursue the love of God. His challenge invites us back to knowing God, loving God, and serving God in ways that exceed the norm and resonate with the radical nature of our ancient faith. I would recommend Primal with no reservations whatsoever.