He took the job to find renewed purpose. What he found was social indifference, bigotry, power struggles, child abuse, unrequited love and sexual secrets. It's not what Peter expected to find as a youth minister in a Southern Baptist Church.
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From the Publisher
Peter Brossard leaves his home in southern California to become Youth Minister at a prestigious church in a prosperous suburb of Birmingham, Alabama.
Like any new job, the first weeks are spent acclimating to his new surroundings and meeting the people who encircle his new position, including the no-nonsense Senior Pastor who holds much different views of ministry, his beautiful neighbor who envisions more than ministry with him and his ever-efficient secretary who stirs long-repressed feelings in him. Then there’s the array of teenagers who comprise the youth group, with more problems than he expected, but with more potential than he could imagine. And he’ll learn the incredible bureaucracy imbedded in the church, and the amount of energy exerted to maintain a stable status quo, regardless of who is hurt in the process.
Peter also meets the director of an inner city mission actively involved in helping with the physical and economic needs of the predominately poor section of the city. Peter is so impressed that he volunteers to help out in his spare time. Working at the inner city mission causes him to question his own ministry and motivation. Peter determines there’s something missing in his own life-—what he comes to call "the Wind"—-a clear awareness of divine purpose in life and joy in fulfilling that purpose. The search for this absent element drives Peter throughout the story. And in the end, it's the force that gives him the courage to confront his past, face the grief and doubts of devastating tragedy and make the decisions required to transform his future.
"Sow the Wind, Reap the Whirlwind" involves the power and influence of the "Bible Belt" religious institutions—-good and bad. It’s not a "religious" novel, but a story about people dealing with life situations and struggles in a deeply religious culture. It is the first novel by Bill Prickett, who is a former Southern Baptist Pastor.
From the Author
The book covers a time span from April 1975 to 1979 in my hometown of Birmingham, Alabama. Many of the historical details are based on actual events gathered through personal remembrance. The racial stife and unrest of this time led to the election of Birmingham's first black Mayor.
The organizational structure, procedures and inherent philosophy of the church in the story come from my 15+ years of experience in the Southern Baptist ministry, both as a Youth Minister and as a Senior Pastor.
Unfortunately, the depiction of those so-called ex-gay (reparative) ministries that began to grow in this period is also true. What's presented in this book is an accurate relection of some of their tactics, techniques and the underlying thought-processes. (Again, in this area, I speak from experience, though not actual success, as these groups would define "success.")
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Strong Characters, Thought-Provoking Social Commentary,
By
This review is from: Sow the Wind, Reap the Whirlwind (Paperback)
Although set against the backdrop of the social changes of the 1970s, this novel and the issues it portrays are as contemporary as the evening news. The protagonist, Peter Broussard, is a youth minister and the plot revolves around the happenings at a Southern Baptist Church. However, you don't have to be Baptist -- or even particularly religious -- to appreciate the personal struggles of this idealistic young minister.
While painting robust and multi-dimensional characters and guiding us through a captivating plot, the author keeps us thinking about the "big questions" of religion without being bogged down in scriptural details. What is the role of the church? How do their acts jibe with the teachings of Jesus? Should churches practice exclusion or tolerance? Can one be both gay and Christian? Today, these debates continue to rage stronger than ever, both in religion and society. It's somewhat sad that we haven't progressed more over the past few decades -- female ministers are still controversial, gays still face hatred and discrimination, and the social values of helping the less fortunate have given way to conservative individualism. Setting the novel 1970s allowed the author to present these ideals without the cynicism that the last quarter century has imposed on them. Today more than ever, we should renew our commitment to these progressive ideals and renew our vigor for making the world a better -- not more hostile -- place. This makes "Sow The Wind, Inherit The Whirwind" a fascinating, topical and character-driven reading experience.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Truth in Fiction,
By
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Sow the Wind, Reap the Whirlwind (Paperback)
What a great read! I could relate to Peter and his friends and also give real names to some of the church members. I wondered if the author went to the same churches I have attended!
This book explores areas most churches are weak in and issues that need to be dealt with if they are to survive in the future. I can't wait for a sequel to see what lies ahead for Peter and how the church comes to grips with a world that is slowly refusing to be included in it's bigotry.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
None Of Us Is A Saint,
By Cherri Gann (Irving, TX USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Sow the Wind, Reap the Whirlwind (Paperback)
Growing up in the Baptist church, I had no idea anything like this might be going on "behind the scenes" while I attended the Sunday services. Reading this book really opened my eyes to how the church office really is an office like any other with its own culture, personality, idiosyncrasies and politics.
In my own naiveté, I always assumed those who spent their days inside the church walls were by association closer to the Lord and therefore somehow insulated from foibles of human nature. Peter Broussard, Pastor Simms and the other rich characters have enlightened me that even when your place of worship also doubles as your workplace, issues of humanity seep in--regardless of how hard some work to keep them out.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
|
|
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items. |
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
