Wild Goose Chase: Rediscover the Adventure of Pursuing God

Go Chase!

I won this book in a giveaway. I read that the author is a pastor of National Community Church in Washington, DC--a happening church. Since I was raised in DC, I entered the giveaway. Boy, am I glad that I won!<BR/><BR/>Chock full of wisdom, this small book is filled with sermon-type discussions on the things of God. The author surprises with chapter 2 "Goose Bumps," when he tells the reader to stop praying. He challenges with chapter 4 "Eight-foot Ceilings," with the background story of the Wright Brothers. And he encourages with chapter 6 "Sometimes It Takes a Shipwreck" when he tells of a disappointment in his life.<BR/><BR/>This is a good devotional book for an individual, an excellent source for a Bible study group to use chapter by chapter, and an all-around worthy read.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

In elaborating his title metaphor, drawn from Celtic Christian o

In elaborating his title metaphor, drawn from Celtic Christian origins, Batterson is quick to point out the subtle yet crucial difference between a Wild Goose chase (a pointless endeavor) and the act of chasing the Wild Goose, by which he means seeking to know the Holy Spirit. Chasing the Goose, he says, allows God to work His plan for you, and is an adventuresome undertaking that can take you to new and rewarding places. He warns the reader that the adventure may be “unnerving or disorienting” – a warning which proves apt when he goes on to challenge institutionalized Christianity in a few ways, including what he calls inverted Christianity, in which the misguided wish for God to serve their purposes, instead of the other way around. He also holds a dim view of cut and paste Christianity, the practice of taking some parts of scripture and leaving others. But taking it all in is arguably, as warned, disorienting. And in the stories he tells about remarkable characters, both biblical figures and modern day people, who have taken great risks in the service of good, there too are unnerving moments - leaps of faith with potentially disastrous consequences. 




A skillful writer and motivator, Batterson keeps us a little off balance. Some of his admonitions are just what we expect from a pastor, and some are not. He reminds us not to point the finger of blame or judgment at our neighbors. He tells us that we are surrounded by miracles. These are pretty standard-issue assertions. But then he uses modern and sometimes scientific terms and metaphors, and throws in a dash of self-deprecating humor, mentioning, for example, picking up his dog's poop. Through it all, his crux exhortation to chase the Wild Goose rings clearly. He says that there is a time to pray, and then there is a time to stop praying and take action. Christianity, he says, is not a noun, but a verb. And an action verb at that. He tells us not to wait for a sign from God before acting, but to act first. God, he says, will sanctify our expectations. Simultaneously, yet somehow without seeming to contradict himself, he advises against rushing things. “Hurry,” he writes, “kills everything from compassion to creativity.” Don't wait around too long but don't make too much haste. Pace is important to Batterson, and in the cadence of his writing and his variations of voice, as well as the gist of his advice, there is a certain... syncopation.




Act spontaneously! Pray imaginitvely! Wade in! Throw down your staff! Everywhere in this book, Batterson challenges us to take chances and to challenge ourselves. Peppered throughout the text and arranged neatly at sections' ends are lists of questions for the reader, which I found a welcome aid in cementing concepts in mind and bringing Batterson's arguments home to my own circumstances and life. I could imagine responding to these questions in a small group environment, and indeed I think this book is designed to lend itself well to a study group or book club.




As Batterson continues to illustrate his points with examples of human heroism, the book draws to a close, leaving me with a sense that this author has displayed a certain daring of his own, has taken some calculated risks with his prose and maybe even flown by the seat of his pants a little. The Wild Goose, he writes, is eternally elusive. It will not let us down. In the same spirit, I will say that with this brave, intelligent book, Batterson does not let his readers down.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

Wild Goose Chase

The book was purchased in response to an initial church small group implementation accompanied by a pastoral sermon series based upon the various cages which prevent us from pursuing the Wild Goose (Holy Spirit).
I have really enjoyed the weekly in-depth discussions percipated by our study of the authors unique perspectives.
I got a lot out of the book, but I did experience difficulty in relating to and understanding some of the author's concepts and rationalization.
The book is well worth the the readers time.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

¿Submit to the Spirit.¿

Wild Goose Chase is an amazing book that focuses on the Holy Spirit. If I put the plot in a nutshell, it would be ¿Submit to the Spirit.¿ When we totally submit, we follow wherever the Spirit leads. We have no idea where that will be we just follow, willingly with faith. Wild Goose Chase¿s target audience is Christians. This book assumes there is a Biblical, Spiritual background. Mark Batterson¿s writing style is conversational and easy to understand. I see this book as a call for Spiritual Revival. All Christians would benefit from reading Wild Goose Chase.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

In Wild Goose Chase, Mark Batterson once again takes us on an ho

In Wild Goose Chase, Mark Batterson once again takes us on an honest and intense look at our lives as &quot;Christians.&quot;

“Celtic Christians had a name for the Holy Spirit–An Geadh-Glas, or ‘the Wild Goose.’ The name hints at mystery. Much like a wild goose, the Spirit of God cannot be tracked or tamed. An element of danger, an air of unpredictability surround Him. And while the name may sound a little sacrilegious, I cannot think of a better description of what it’s like to follow the Spirit through life. I think the Celtic Christians were on to something….
Most of us will have no idea where we are going most of the time. And I know that is unsettling. But circumstantial uncertainty also goes by another name: Adventure.” --from the introduction

Batterson's unique writing style encourages us to really look at what it means to pursue the Holy Spirit, and dares us to question whether or not those of us who actively pursue God, really stop and listen to where God would have us seek Him.

I definitely recommend reading this book for yourself, no matter what stage of growth your faith is in, you will not be sorry you did.

Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

Get the Goose

I have become a huge fan of Mark Batterson, lead pastor of National Community Church in Washington, D.C. I continually find myself identifying with Mark's life stories and for me, he offers the "after shot" of the "before shot" I'm currently experiencing or in the process of pursuing. Wild Goose Chase: Reclaim the Adventure of Pursuing God was no different.

Batterson writes about a creative illustration of the Wild Goose, a name given for the Holy Spirit by Celtic Christians, to challenge and inspire Christians to a life of adventure in chasing God's plan, purpose and promises. He presents six cages that have confined believers to live a tamed life with wings clipped, but inspires the reader to get out of the cage of our limitations through an exciting revelation of living life as a God chaser. If you like living your life predictable, lacking spontaneity , not having any room for God to interrupt your routine, or you are resistant to change leave this book alone.

On the other hand if your ready to live life as an adventure or desire deep within your heart to break out of boredom this book will inspire you to get loose so you can chase the goose! Read this book if you long to:

Quit living as if the purpose of life is to arrive safely at death.
Set God-sized goals.
Pursue God-ordained passions.
Go after a dream that is destined to fail without divine intervention.
Don't let fear dictate your decisions.
Don't take the easy way out.
Don't maintain the status quo.
Want to read the rest of the list...get the book.

I received Wild Goose Chase for free in exchange for my review from the Blogging for Books Program.

Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

When I first got this book I honestly thought it would be boring

When I first got this book I honestly thought it would be boring. Mark Batterson proved me wrong with this book and took me on a wild goose chase through this book. The Wild Goose in this book has symbol in it and expresses so much.

This whole book is focused on Christianity and how awesome our God is. This book is really deep and inspiring. I loved reading it and thinking about the things Mark Batterson wrote about. The way he wrote the book was just amazing. Everything from the cover to the back cover was amazing. The cover of the book was the thing that made me pick this book and have a stab at it. I also enjoyed his clever chapter titles, &quot;yawning Angels&quot;, &quot;Goose Bumps&quot;, &quot;Dictatorship of the Ordinary&quot;, &quot;Eight-Foot ceilings&quot;, &quot;A Rooster's Crow&quot;, &quot;Sometimes it Takes a Shipwreck&quot;, &quot;Good Old-fashioned Guts&quot;, and &quot;Madonna of the future.&quot; Those titles made me laugh and made me want to dig in deeper to the book.

I really enjoyed this great read and look forward to more by Mark Batterson.

Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

Get Your Spiritual Life GEARED UP!

This is an increditable book that challenges your heart and soul to be alligned with God.
It is about getting geared up to serve the Almighty in huge ways that truly make a difference. It is about seeing God work thru your life way beyond your own ability.

If you don't want your life changed...DON'T READ THE BOOK!

However, if you are ready to be used by God in bold new ways to change the world...READ IT TONIGHT!

Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

Live the Adventure!

This book was motivational, inspirational, and encouraging. Highly recommended for those truly seeking to do life right and to take hold of the great adventure we were created for. Live Dangerously -- Follow Jesus!

Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.