Considering Sparrows: What Birds Teach Us About Who We Are, Where We're Going, and the Joy of Following Jesus

by Kevin Burrell

Birds don’t just sing—they preach.

Pastor and birder Kevin Burrell takes readers on a one-of-a-kind journey of theology, nature, and wonder that reveals God’s truth through the lives of birds.

The world is loud, life is fast, and wonder is slipping through the cracks. But Jesus gave a simple command—consider the birds. Pastor and birder Kevin Burrell takes that call literally, weaving together the beauty of creation, the depth of Scripture, and stunning illustrations from artist Aedan Peterson in a way that is insightful and delightfully unexpected.

From the Arctic Tern’s relentless migration to the Satin Bowerbird’s obsessive collection of blue trinkets, Kevin shows us why these feathered creatures illustrate timeless truths found in Philippians. A Western Scrub Jay’s funeral echoes Paul’s perspective on life and death. An albatross’s lifelong commitment mirrors the call to steadfast faith. Even the sparrow—once deemed a pest—reminds us why anxiety has no place in the kingdom of God.

This book is more than ornithology. It’s more than theology. It’s an invitation to slow down, look up, and rediscover the Gospel written in the wings of creation. With wry humor, fascinating science, and rich biblical insight, In Consideration of Sparrows transforms both how we see birds—and how we see God.

Genres: Christian, Birds

240 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication March 24, 2026

About the author

Kevin Burrell is the co-lead Pastor of StoneBridge Church Community in Charlotte, North Carolina. An avid birder, Kevin’s pastoral heart and avian interests united in 2020 with the formation of his blog, Ornitheology (where he utilizes birds as illustrations of the Christian life), and more recently the book Considering Sparrows: What Birds Teach Us About Who We Are, Where We're Going, and the Joy of Following Jesus (releasing March 24, 2026). As a result, his pastoral responsibilities have begun to include an increasing number of “Hey, what bird is this?” inquiries. He lives in Charlotte with his wife Beverly, three children, and five birdfeeders.

Reviews

[Christine Gustin · Rating 5 out of 5]

You guys. This book is absolute GOLD!

I’ve spent most of my life watching birds and following Jesus; this book gave me an ever deeper love for both.

It’s part bird book, part reflection on Philippians. Excellently written, funny, Biblically sound and just delightful.

I laughed, I reflected, I shed some happy tears, I shared countless reflections & bird facts from this book with my husband and teenage kids as I read it.

Age recommendation: everyone.

I can’t wait to get my hands on a paper copy of this book when it comes out in March. Spoiler alert to all of my fellow Jesus-loving, bird-watching friends—this is the book I’ll be gifting you from now until forever 😆

Huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an eARC of this book! All thoughts are my own.

[Elaine Willis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book through NetGalley, but I will be buying a physical copy for my own library. It is just that good! Kevin Burrell is a PCA minister & also an avid birder. (He combines those 2 aspects on his blog Ornitheology.) Burrell walks you through the truths found in Philippians, illustrating his points with a variety of interesting (& uninteresting) birds. This book is such a fun read. I was laughing out loud multiple times. At one point, he's guessing what each American denomination would choose as a their avian mascot & assigns the Baptists "a diving duck...the sort of bird that's most comfortable in an environment that allows full immersion." As a fan of immersion myself & current member of a Baptist church, I thought that was particularly funny. The humor, the Gospel-rich insights into Paul's letter to the Philippian church, the lessons from nature--all of it make this a book I would highly recommend!

[Kayla Hollatz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the most refreshing books on spiritual development I've read in years! I wouldn't consider myself a birder, but I might be one after reading this. What a unique lens by which to gain a greater understanding of the Biblical text. I especially liked the focus of studying Philippians through the characteristics of birds. I must buy a physical copy once it is published! Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this eARC.

[Lena · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a unique and well-written book! I’ve never read anything like it. Both a pastor and birder, Kevin Burrell accomplished something truly powerful in this book — admiring creation while glorifying the Creator — and I loved every minute.

I learned much about a variety of birds, but beyond just birds, I enjoyed Jesus while reading this book. I didn’t expect this to be a loose study of Philippians, but I thought it was an interesting angle. Also, Burrell is an incredible writer! His writing style was refreshing to read, and his evident knowledge and appreciation of both theology and ornithology simultaneously is something special.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves Jesus and birdwatching (or if you like the board game Wingspan). Five stars from me! (Releases March 2026)

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Christian Publishing for an advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Truly loved this book!

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The annotations you mark in an ebook tell an evidence-based story about your reading adventure. I just finished Considering Sparrows and the data shows I marked 189 highlighted sentences. Since these highlights are grouped by chapters, I can easily pick out my three most favorite chapters. Each of these favorites has twenty or more highlights. No chapter was sans highlights. This data proves beyond a doubt, I loved this book!

Bible and birds; you might think there’s not enough material on these two topics together to fill a 240-page book. But Kevin Burrell, a pastor and birder, has authored a book that sings like a nightingale and soars like an eagle. His knowledge of scripture and ornithology is extensive and accurate. From beginning to end, the book is filled with insightful analogies. Each of them are pearls of wisdom to treasure. The book’s layout is enhanced by Burrell’s focus on the book of Philippians. Each chapter begins with a selected verse from this scriptural letter and then in the following paragraphs Burrell expands on themes related to this verse.

Readers can invest confidently in Burrell’s conclusions since his experience with birds is current and wide-ranging. He references the highly popular Merlin app, thousands of individuals around the world use to accurately identify birds. The retelling of his field experiences across the globe solidifies his credentials. He includes references to birding in India, Costa Rica, Spain, Mexico, and Panama to name just a few.

Burrell’s thoughtful book is a pleasure to read. His style includes humor, popular references, and draws quotes from both religious giants and illustrious avian writers.

As a former twenty-year librarian, I think I might be hard pressed to figure out the best place to shelve this book. Should it be assigned to the religion section or nestled in the non-fiction books on birds. I’ve decided the best place I would shelve Considering Sparrows once it’s spot on the new books section expired, is to give it a perpetual “Staff Picks” favorite designation.

Considering Sparrows by Kevin Burrell will appear in bookstores and online on March 24, 2026. I read an advanced readers copy supplied by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. #ConsideringSparrows #NetGalley

[Zoey Fountain · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a thoughtful, beautifully written, unique bird-forward study of scripture. Burrell does an exceptional job reflecting on God's creation, by taking readers through a study of the book of Philippians. I found this book leading me to reflect on scripture and remain in awe of God's creation. In the best way this book truly balances biblical truth, plenty of bird facts, and quite a few jokes that had me wishing the book kept going! A must read - even better is to read alongside with Google images to be able to picture the birds referenced throughout the book.

[Kelly Bruce]

I’ve never been a bird-watcher, so I honestly wasn’t sure I’d even like this book…but let me tell you, it was AMAZING. ✨
And now? I kinda want to be a bird watcher. 🐦💛
I’ve spent so much of my life following Jesus, and this book somehow made me fall even more in love with Him.
The way the author walks through Philippians is just so beautifully done—rich, simple, and full of heart.

I received my copy through a GoodReads Giveaway, and I’m so grateful—this one’s a treasure.

[Gracie Schlabach · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall this was a pretty satisfying devotional look at birds and the book of Philippians in the Bible. The bord stories were quite randomized but worked with each chapter and verse, the alternating of bird facts to biblical facts made the book balanced, making it an easy and engaging read. Thank you netgalley for ARC this is my honest review.

[Joshua · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. This is one of the best books I've read in the past 12 months.

I don't care about birds as much as the author, but this was a great read! I would buy it and gift it to others!

Thanks NetGalley for an ARC.