|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sow the Wind, Reap the Whirlwind
by Bill Prickett
Peter
Brossard wants to make a difference in his new job. He also hopes
the cross-country move will give him a renewed sense of purpose and
peace from his troubled past.
Like any new job, his first weeks are spent acclimating to the new surroundings and meeting the people who encircle this new position: the no-nonsense Senior Pastor who holds much different views of ministry than his own, 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 about the incredible bureaucracy imbedded in the church, and the amount of energy exerted to maintain a stable status quo.
But he's also impacted by people he meets who are working to change their world for the better.
In the first weeks at his new job, Peter 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. And he meets a black, ex-junkie who also works at the mission. Their friendship is unpopular with some in his church.
Working at the inner city mission causes Peter to question his own ministry and motivation. He 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 sustains him in the face of devastating tragedy, doubt and grief and provides him with the courage to confront his past 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.