Deep Roots For Resilient Disciples written by Rick Hill published by Timeless Publications.
Having worked in youth ministry, speaker, leader and writer, Rick Hill has just released his first book, ‘Deep Roots of Resilient Disciples’.
Married to Sarah with two young sons, Rick serves in leadership at Carnmoney Church and works for the Presbyterian Church in Ireland in the areas of discipleship and leadership. He is passionate about seeing every follower of Jesus equipped and mobilised to serve in God’s mission.
Opening up about the heart behind the book, Rick said: “A couple of things have been stirring in me in recent years and both of them collided in leading me to put pen to paper. One was a frustration and the other a realisation. The frustration arose out of seeing large numbers of my own generation and below drop out of church and Christian faith over the last decade. Working in youth ministry I have seen so many teenagers and twenty-somethings start well, only to seemingly move away from Jesus. This has troubled me, but also caused me to consider what really helps develop faith for the long-haul.
“The realisation came as I interacted with many others who not only continue to follow Jesus, but have flourished in their faith. As I observed and reflected on what I saw in these people, I began to see some common trends emerge. These didn’t come about through any kind of precise research, but were instead a mix of outward practices and inward principles that seemed to have created a kind of resilience in their faith.
So, I began to write into that space, exploring key principles and practices that might help to develop long-haul faith. I realised that I was already saying many of these things out loud through training I was delivering or in groups I was leading, and I liked the idea of capturing it all in a more structured or coherent way that could be more easily accessed.”
Key themes of the book
Outlining some of the manuscript’s key themes, Rick added: “In a general sense, the book explores the need to be proactive rather than reactive in our faith. Every moment of every day we are always being discipled and the influence of our culture is strong, and there is a need to develop intentional and sustainable rhythms that shape us more than the dominant narratives of the society around us.
“It’s my hope that this book can be a useful resource in offering a framework for a life of intentional discipleship within our contemporary culture – perhaps most specifically to a younger generation of Jesus-followers in their 20s and 30s, but hopefully much more widely than that as we all grapple with the reality of post-Christendom.
“The book explores some of the key aspects that help develop resilience as disciples. It’s by no means an exhaustive list, and there may be others to add, but each of the eleven markers are seen in the life of Jesus Christ and offer postures and patterns for long-haul faith.
“Some themes are personal, exploring the nature of apprenticeship to Jesus and reliance on the Holy Spirit. Some themes are corporate, addressing our relationship to the church and how we can contribute to building authentic Christian community.
“Some issues are more hidden, exploring how we cultivate spiritual habits that will shape and sustain us. While there are more outward aspects touching on how we relate to and engage with the culture as followers of Jesus, how we share faith with others and how we become disciples who make disciples.
“Some themes are weighty, such as understanding the cost of discipleship and exploring how we prepare for challenges that come our way. While aspects of the book are personal, as I share stories of discipleship in action and offer examples where suffering has produced fresh resilience in people’s faith and those who face the erosion of cultural Christianity not with clenched fists but open hands.”
You can purchase your copy of ‘Deep Roots of Resilient Disciples’ by Rick Hill now
‘Deep Roots of Resilient Disciples’ by Rick Hill is published by Timeless Publications and will cost just £9.99.
The book can be ordered directly at www.rick-hill.com. From early July, ‘Deep Roots of Resilient Disciples’ will also be available in local Christian bookshops such as The Bookwell, Faith Mission and ICM.