Book Review: Average Joe-A Book for the Tailgate

(Thank for reading this.  I need a certain number of reviews each month to stay In the program.  Would you do me a favor, read this and give it an honest rating on the above bar?    Thanks.)

Average Joe: by Troy Meeder, is a book for the tailgate of a truck.   Spiritually forming books and events typically appeal to women.  It's a mars and venus thing, I suppose, but there is a perceived  disconnect between "Spiritual" stuff and men's spiritual needs.    Meeder is trying to build a bridge by taking a scriptural look at the needs and influence of the "average, ordinary and normal" men who can have an extraordinary impact on the world.  Wrapped in Christ, these Average Joe's escape the macho and the discontented life to be men of "honor, integrity and covenant"...

Troy is an Oregon cowboy and minister who tells the story of the life in Christ  from a cowboy's life.  He reinforces scripture through stories .  There is nothing resembling a sermon as he speaks of horses, airplanes, soldiers, friends and boys.  He writes plainly that a Christian man has tremendous influence while working on a car or cutting grass with someone. He does not gloss over God's testing but shares painfully transparent stories like working in a hole filling up with human waste and a moment of brokenness with his wife.  Moments that all men share but yet rarely share with each other.  Rather, we tend to "finish our eggs and go to work".  The strength of the book is that it leads a man to both GET AND BE a mentor.

  Pastor's and small group leaders-The book is only 148 very readable pages.  The small group study guide at the end is short and makes one scriptural point at a time.  It can be used by or taught to anyone who is willing. "Average Joe" would be a good small group or a "men and boy's" retreat guide.   It is geared more for working guys but anyone will benefit.  The book is jargon free, flexible and for people of all ages.  Women will enjoy these stories and insights too.  Often, they will be the only ones to get their men to pick this up and read it.  Buy a copy,leave it laying around and see what happens.  

I am struggling in starting a "Men's Ministry" at our church.  This book may be the sparkplug to get something useful going.  Check out an excerpt at http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/catalog.php?isbn=9781601423078&view=excerpt  Multnomah press gave me this book for free in exchange for this review.  Thanks to them for risking a bad review and thanks to you for reading the thoughtfulpastor blog.