Coming of Age


	Coming of Age: Exploring the Identity and Spirituality of Younger Men Author: Anderson, David; Paul Hill; Roland Martinson

Coming of Age was written to address the declining presence of men within the local church. The authors identify personal stories of a small test group and mix it with ecumenical theology to create this book. Coming of Age has both strengths and weaknesses. The strength of this book is the author’s attempt to address a real need in the church. Young women clearly outnumber young men in many communities of faith, and this trend should alarm church leaders. The book also offers common sense solutions to this problem. It does not just address the need from a theological perspective, but from a practical one.

Coming of Age also contains many weaknesses. The first weakness is the theology of the book. It is clearly written from an ecumenical viewpoint, which many evangelicals and fundamentalists will not appreciate. They suggest that Jesus wrestled with his identity in the desert like many young men wrestle with their identity. The first part of the book attempts to free women from male dominance in the church (18). The authors also believe in a new creation order based on their view of Genesis, Galatians, and 2 Corinthians, in which men and women become the same. They claim that there are not many differences between men and women at all. They write, “Therefore, a new vision of gender and sexual relationships needs to be grounded in an interdependent view of reality” (30). Many readers may want a vision of gender and sexual relationships based on God’s Word and not an “interdependent view of reality.”

This book also promotes life-style choices that most evangelicals will not endorse. The authors suggest drinking beer with unbelievers. The best place to witness to unbelievers should not be in local bars, because God has called His church to be separate from this world; not unidentifiable from it. The authors state that men respond better to visual images of God. Early Christians gave their lives because they worshipped the invisible God.

This book is a good read for those who endorse an ecumenical theology, and are looking for solutions outside of scripture. Liberal pastors will find this book uplifting and full of great ideas, but conservatives will not enjoy this book. The authors express the idea that young men are fleeing the church, but it is not entirely true. There are many churches in which young men are active in ministry. The problem is that young men and women need to be confronted with the absolute authority and truth of the Gospel of Jesus and be transformed into His likeness.

Review contributed by: Steven Lookabaugh. He is the senior pastor at Medway Baptist Church – Medway, Ohio, avid reader of theology, church history, and homiletics.