Customer Reviews

The Spirit of This Covenant

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Excellent. Delightful. Humorous. Revealing. This book, written by a Southern Baptist pastor, exposes many of the outdated traditions to which this denomination doggedly clings. Many Southern Baptists confuse their traditions with dogma. They believe traditions ARE dogma. Lamar Wadsworth, in a delightfully humorous manner, debunks numerous traditions which many Southern Baptists believe to be dogma.

Through the character of Mike Westover, a fledgling young pastor fresh out of seminary, Lamar weaves a story about two congregations who are almost polar opposites in personality. The story debunks traditions held by many Southern Baptists. These long-held traditions include: a) the refusal to ordain women to the office of pastor and deacon, b) disallowing women to serve as deacons and pastors, c) denying ordination to divorced persons, d) that God intends for male deacons to "run" the church, and e) that male deacons have authority over the pastor. While debunking outdated traditions is the framework around which the story is built, other issues such as racial bigotry, church conflict, arrogance among pastors and church leaders enter the story.

The book will probably have opposite effects upon two groups of Southern Baptists. Those who believe that traditions equal dogma will be offended and will not smile in appropriate places where the traditions are debunked. Those who recognize that traditions do not equal dogma will laugh themselves to the point of tears. Non-Southern Baptists will enjoy the book as well because the personalities presented in the book are universal. Universal in the sense that some Christians believe their traditions should be treated as dogma while others are able to discern the difference. Lamar Wadsworth has written a good book. It is worthy of reading for both entertainment value and learning value.

This is the stuff they don't teach at seminary, but the real life issues talked about between classes. Churches are full of people who are far from perfect, and that's why we need the church in the first place. I learned some things about when to speak out and when to hold your tongue. The author clearly has a wealth of experience in and a passion for rural churches and people. He makes his points well through the dialogues and circumstances of his characters. This is a worthy read for anyone interested in small churches or other tightly knit bodies of people. A lot is said about the ways they cling to their percieved power and influence and the way they respond to or resist change.

Overall, this is a wonderful fiction told story of the plight of women in southern christian churches.

The author is knowledgable and sympathetic.

I recommend this reading to all the women interested in doing our Lord's calling to the ministry.

This subject of this novel is obviously very close to the heart of its author. In the book, Mike Westover leaves his small yet progressive part-time pastorate and assumes the position at a more traditional Southern Baptist church. The book is full of colorful - and familiar - characters: the bossy church secretary, the nosey church member, the loyal deacon, and the domineering deacon. Particularly enjoyable are 2 of the book's elderly church leaders - Wallace Coggins, a former railroad worker and long-time deacon and "Miss Addie", the teacher of everyone in Harrington who must again rise up in a campaign against her nemesis. These warm characters lead their congregations through a combination of what is best about traditional, Southern-Baptist, cultural values...along with a willingness to change with the times and interpret Christ's Gospel for each individual person, whether they be male or female or black or white. The book deals with many complex societal and church issues in a way that doesn't demean smaller, Baptist churches..but also doesn't let them off of the hook. The author skillfully paints a portrait of two congregations across several generations and how they've dealt differently with racial and gender issues. Also enlightening is the book's point of view; the story is told from the eyes of the young but wise-beyond-his-years pastor, Mike Westover. Besides its interesting story, this book can serve as a lesson for those of us involved at various levels of ministry in how we deal with change and people's opinions and emotions along that wide spectrum.