Brian Simmons addresses a vital topic for church leaders and parents: why are emerging adults leaving the church? Wandering In The Wilderness is chock full of timely research and observations that are vital for us to see a healthy future for the church.
Brian is a real boots-on-the-ground author. He works in a college setting and is very involved in the life of his students outside of the classroom. In fact, the prompting to write this book was a conversation with a former student who shared that she felt she was lost and wandering.
Wandering In The Wilderness has a very conversational tone, but it is by no means simply a collection of anecdotal observations from one college professor. On the contrary, the volume of research that is presented in this book is quite impressive. This level of research gives an authoritative tone to the conversation.
As a church leader, I was particularly drawn to the attitudes that emerging adults have about the church and organized religion. I found myself jotting down plenty of notes in the margin. I also have three children of my own who will soon be entering the emerging adult phase of their life, and I found ample information to help me guide them through this important transitional stage in their lives.
Recently I read and reviewed Tim Elmore’s outstanding book Generation iY. That book was a brilliant insight into the thought processes of emerging adults. I would recommend Wandering In The Wilderness as a companion piece, especially for church leaders who want to make sure this generation is well prepared to transition into leadership positions in healthy, growing, vibrant churches.
I am an ACU Press book reviewer.
Craig T. Owens 