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Olive U
An aging Baptist preacher in small-town Kansas. The members of a band who play contemporary Christian music in Los Angeles. Beyond their love for the Lord Jesus and His people, they have only their struggles with failure and success in common—until tragedy brings them together on Christmas Eve.When Paul Knight joins the members of Olive U, the group instantly jumps from local cover band to sought-after opener at concerts across the nation. The problem is Paul may not know the Lord as well as he claims.After a tornado of historic proportions rips through Kansas, an elderly Baptist preacher, Ron Best, faces challenges to his doctrinal beliefs and failure after failure in his ministry. But the Holy Spirit keeps pushing him forward.Olive U is the story of how God brings these men together for Christmas Eve on the wind-swept Kansas Plains.
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First published August 24, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 16, 2015
Olive U, by David L. Johnston, 2014, Prayers and Promises Publications
A subtitle for this book indicates that it is “an inspirational novel.” I believe it would fit into the category of Christian literature, which is a very broad genre. This particular effort is what I’d consider mainstream, in that there’s no fantastic elements. It’s primarily the story of a Christian musical group from Los Angeles known as Olive U., although the reader also interacts with the pastor and some members of a small community Baptist church in Kansas. At the end, these two disparate groups come together for a Christmas celebration to remember.
This is pretty far from the type of fiction I usually read, which is mostly SF, Fantasy, Horror and Western. However, I enjoyed it. The characters are well crafted and likable. I would enjoy having some theological discussions with them. Such discussions would likely be lively in that I was raised Catholic while I believe this book primarily espouses a Baptist theological approach. A good thing about these characters is that they show themselves to be open to question and discussion, although very firm in their beliefs. All of them are well versed in the Bible. They are clearly portrayed as individuals who are striving to live the lives that they feel Christ wants them to live. But they are not shown as perfect.
The book inspired some far ranging discussion between my wife and I that kept us up until 3:30 in the morning. Gotta like when that happens, and a good thing I didn’t have to go to work the next day.
A subtitle for this book indicates that it is “an inspirational novel.” I believe it would fit into the category of Christian literature, which is a very broad genre. This particular effort is what I’d consider mainstream, in that there’s no fantastic elements. It’s primarily the story of a Christian musical group from Los Angeles known as Olive U., although the reader also interacts with the pastor and some members of a small community Baptist church in Kansas. At the end, these two disparate groups come together for a Christmas celebration to remember.
This is pretty far from the type of fiction I usually read, which is mostly SF, Fantasy, Horror and Western. However, I enjoyed it. The characters are well crafted and likable. I would enjoy having some theological discussions with them. Such discussions would likely be lively in that I was raised Catholic while I believe this book primarily espouses a Baptist theological approach. A good thing about these characters is that they show themselves to be open to question and discussion, although very firm in their beliefs. All of them are well versed in the Bible. They are clearly portrayed as individuals who are striving to live the lives that they feel Christ wants them to live. But they are not shown as perfect.
The book inspired some far ranging discussion between my wife and I that kept us up until 3:30 in the morning. Gotta like when that happens, and a good thing I didn’t have to go to work the next day.
February 18, 2015
An aging retired pastor, a musician who sings for the Lord, and a small church spared from a tornado, come together in an outpouring of praise and thanksgiving.
Pastor Ron Best, struggles with his call too after an E-5 tornado blows through his rural church community, but spares most of it and the parish. Pastor Best is coming to what he believes is the end of his ministry, but Spirit says otherwise, so he attempts to continue to reach out to "the lambs"; dealing with the missing young people, and ministering to them, getting their attention, and having them feel welcome in their church. And in doing so, Best rubs some of his Deacons the wrong way, is chastized and "convicted" , tries to give up,even if Spirit belives otherwise.
Christian musician Eli Garcia and his band Olive U have a small following in their community in LA. Circumstances have him run into a man with an outstanding voice and a cynical chip on his shoulder, who gives Christianity a good run, but has little beyond the words. His abilities really don't match his actions, and it worries everyone and strains the relationship.
This is the story of how they came together and ministered to each other and praised God, and I turn, to a much larger community.
OK, confession time. I am a retired,ordained, mainline church minister with three Masters. I grew up in the suburban church of a fairly well off community. I was part of the "I'm OK, You're OK" generation, and personal faith and action weren't part of my life. I have served churches in tiny rural communities across the country. I have seen communities devestated by natural disasters, seen churches struggle with situations within their midst. Have seen Spirit move as those marginalized were brought into the community as more than someone to point at. I've been shunned for supporting people over my job, for turning churches outward instead of " the way its always been" attitude. I've also mourned with communites as churches have dissolved having "fulfilled" their "usefullness".
So, I'm saying I, too, have had my moments of uncertainty, we all have. Johnston weaves Job, the Pharisees, the story of Jesus, Noah and the Garden together seamlessly in a book that rekindles sparks of faith within a hurting world.
Pastor Ron Best, struggles with his call too after an E-5 tornado blows through his rural church community, but spares most of it and the parish. Pastor Best is coming to what he believes is the end of his ministry, but Spirit says otherwise, so he attempts to continue to reach out to "the lambs"; dealing with the missing young people, and ministering to them, getting their attention, and having them feel welcome in their church. And in doing so, Best rubs some of his Deacons the wrong way, is chastized and "convicted" , tries to give up,even if Spirit belives otherwise.
Christian musician Eli Garcia and his band Olive U have a small following in their community in LA. Circumstances have him run into a man with an outstanding voice and a cynical chip on his shoulder, who gives Christianity a good run, but has little beyond the words. His abilities really don't match his actions, and it worries everyone and strains the relationship.
This is the story of how they came together and ministered to each other and praised God, and I turn, to a much larger community.
OK, confession time. I am a retired,ordained, mainline church minister with three Masters. I grew up in the suburban church of a fairly well off community. I was part of the "I'm OK, You're OK" generation, and personal faith and action weren't part of my life. I have served churches in tiny rural communities across the country. I have seen communities devestated by natural disasters, seen churches struggle with situations within their midst. Have seen Spirit move as those marginalized were brought into the community as more than someone to point at. I've been shunned for supporting people over my job, for turning churches outward instead of " the way its always been" attitude. I've also mourned with communites as churches have dissolved having "fulfilled" their "usefullness".
So, I'm saying I, too, have had my moments of uncertainty, we all have. Johnston weaves Job, the Pharisees, the story of Jesus, Noah and the Garden together seamlessly in a book that rekindles sparks of faith within a hurting world.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews