Book Review on Raised to Stay by Natalie Runion — Preach magazine - a resource for preachers and worship leaders, putting world events into a biblical context

REVIEWER: Colin Smith

BOOK: Raised To Stay: Persevering In Ministry When You Have A Million Reasons To Walk Away

(David C Cook, 2023) Paperback, 240pp

In Raised to Stay, Natalie Runion – pastor, preacher, teacher, worship leader – addresses the problem of those who, particularly through hurt inflicted by others, are ready to quit their ministry or, in extreme cases, the Christian faith. Writing in an easy to read, sometimes chatty tone, she uses both personal and biblical examples throughout to explore her, her family’s and various Bible characters’ struggles and the way they overcame them. The personal examples are told with raw honesty, and give the reader reassurance that this is someone who really knows her subject. The biblical ones are in the form of metaphors for the reader to compare their own situation with those of the character, and (mainly – see below) provide helpful examples.

The book is well-structured, being divided into four parts that give the feel of a journey through the points she is making, from initial hurt through to the triumph of overcoming and reconciliation.

Raised to Stay is not perfect (what book ever is?) The metaphor used in one chapter, of being thrown into a pit like Joseph, seems to me very clichéd, and must surely have been preached in many a church throughout the ages. And another chapter squeezes its points into a rather tortured metaphor about being shipwrecked on various islands like the apostle Paul. Also, she occasionally lets her literary skills run away with her, indulging in some flowery language and semi-poetic listicles that, for me, caused more annoyed distraction than clarification of the point being made.

These quibbles aside, there is much in Raised to Stay that is sensible, practical and worth the prospective ‘deserter’ thinking and praying about. I particularly liked her assertion that going for professional counselling is not a sign of lack of faith (something I too have heard said), and also her analysis of the difference between leaving (the ministry, faith) and going (to another church where more opportunity may arise to use one’s God-given talents).

All in all, if one is tired, hurt, or just plain bored with the church, Raised to Stay is a worthwhile read.

Reviewer: Colin Smith

Author (as Colin Z Smith) of Writing the Bible And Other Rubbish and Murder At St Marmaduke’s, both available from Amazon. Website: www.colin-z-smith.com