Campfire Stories: A Devotional Companion to the Campfire Series

by Rend Collective

What is the purpose of church? How do we strip back the noise and get the heart of what it is to be a community who loves Jesus? This eleven-day devotional series delves into the heart and message behind the Campfire projects by Rend Collective. It's a collection of honest letters from the members of the band about what it looks like to worship Jesus in "spirit and in truth."

Genres: Nonfiction, Christianity

ebook

Published October 31, 2016

Reviews

[Bryce Van Vleet · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been a huge fan of Rend Collective ever since they were still Rend Collective Experiment and the biggest gig they could get was as the first opener for Tenth Avenue North. Believe me - there was a time when people rolled their eyes when Rend would come onstage. All of this said, as the band has grown and changed, I've liked their main albums less and less. Their campfire editions, however, have always been some of my favorite albums produced. I was so excited to hear that they had released a devotional surrounding them and immediately downloaded it.

While I liked the end of this devotional, the beginning never struck the right chords with me. It felt too preachy and was too focused on the downfalls of the Millennial generation. It was also all so familiar and cliche - ideas we've heard a thousand times, in both the secular and religious fields. It was just... too little. The end was better and I felt like we got more into the deeper, complex problems in the church as the book wound on. This wasn't a long or breathtaking devotional, and it didn't need to be, but I would have liked to see more from them.

I also would have liked to see more specifics of who wrote each chapter (or the whole thing). The book never says, and I think it would have been easier to connect to if I know the face behind the "I."

I'm glad I read this, and I'm glad to have supported a band who has meant a lot to me over the years, but I do wish they had explored outside of the comfort zone, and been slower to pin everything on Millennials, with little deviation to any other groups, especially with the statistics that more and more Millennials are leaving the Church, rather than ruining the authenticity of it.

[Brittany J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading through this devotional will have you feeling like you just had a long over due conversation with one (or a few) of your dearest friends. Possibly around a campfire.
It’ll challenge you in so many ways, but chances are you’ll be laughing at the same time, so it’s fine.
Sincerely though, this book will open your heart and calm every anxiety and fear you’re holding onto- encouraging you to let go and to go in that wonderful name, Jesus.