Book authored by Vicki Watson, Sonrise Stable, www.sonrisestable.com

Assessment by Michael Leppert
8.5” W x 11” H, soft cover, 230 pages illustrated in color, ages 12-adult or read aloud to younger children $19.99

A devotional book is one that contains uplifting quotes or sayings, especially from a holy book, such as the Bible. Vicki Watson is a HORSE person and a Christian, through and through, and she finds guidance and inspiration from God by her experiences with horses and her knowledge of horses. She has compiled a large series of this inspirational material into one volume, Following the Narrow Path.

The relationship between Man and Horse is powerful and our world would not be the same without these, our second-best friends (if dogs are Man’s best friend). Vicki is able to see spiritual values and truths in her daily life with her children and her horses and finds constant reminders of her relationship with Jesus. Some of the anecdotes in this light-filled book are small wonders that we can all relate to – a “lost” jacket that is found last minute; a seeming lack of blessings that shortly turns into abundance; life lessons from observing horse behavior and experiences.

One example of this, is in the true story of Beka and Stormy, a teenage girl and her blind horse! Vicki sees them compete at a horse show and does not realize the horse is blind, but comments on how slow he is cantering in a “race”. Another spectator advises Vicki of the horse’s condition. After learning more about this amazing situation, Vicki draws a parallel between the horse’s “blind” faith in Beka and the blind faith we should have in God. I think this is a perfect example of a devotional passage. It is not taken literally, but is something that can pique our meditation mechanism to see in our own lives.

Following the Narrow Path is a book that one might keep on a bedside table or in the bathroom, to read a page or two throughout the day – and especially in times of darkness or tribulation – to shed light and uplift one’s attitude. While Christians will find its references to the Bible familiar and easy to relate to, non-Christians can find solace and value in its pages as well. It is a positive source of encouragement, no matter what one’s background is.

By Michael Leppert

For millions of Christians, attending church is a thing of the past. They are among the growing ranks of church “dropouts” — those who choose to stay home rather than waste time and energy on a church that, in their estimation, no longer represents Christ or has ceased to be relevant in their lives.

In her controversial book Quitting Church, Julia Duin documents this ongoing trend in which those who seek a genuine spiritual experience are opting out of “organized” religion. “Something is not right with church life,” she writes. “It’s no secret that the percentage of Americans in church on any given Sunday is dropping fast…. The problem seems to be the church itself…. [Churchgoers] have given up on the institution” (p. 18). This “exodus of desperation” has been a long time in the making, and is accelerating at an alarming pace. Duin estimates that 78 million Protestants are now church dropouts (p. 20).

What’s behind all the empty pews? Churchgoers are troubled by what they see—political infighting, corruption and abuse, watered-down doctrines. Increasingly, organized religion is seen as irrelevant in today’s world. Duin suggests that many churchgoers are simply not being pastored. “Often, ministers are out of touch with what’s happening on the ground … [and fail to address] the serious problems many [Christians] face” (p. 23).

Overall, churchgoers are disappointed by what they consider to be a lack of genuine spirituality — and they are deeply concerned that worldliness is making serious inroads into the church. Young people in particular are turning away from church in record numbers. The result: millions of believers are abandoning mega-churches for home-based mini-churches.

In his book Revolution, researcher George Barna writes that a new kind of Christian is emerging out of the established church. He says these are serious believers — “devout followers of Jesus Christ [who] are repudiating tepid systems and practices of the Christian faith…. They have no use for churches that play religious games” (pp. 7, 11).

In 2000, according to Barna’s research, 70 percent of Americans expressed their faith through traditional church attendance; only five percent did so in an alternative setting. But based on current trends, Barna expects the number of those seeking an alternative church experience to rise by 2025 to 30 percent—with a corresponding drop in traditional attendance (p. 49).

The “alternative church” includes house churches (see I Cor. 16:19), small-group studies, coffeehouse groups — even homeschooling groups. Homeschoolers figured out a long time ago that they didn’t want their kids exposed to a dysfunctional, corrupt educational system. Why should church be any different? If it just isn’t working, maybe it’s time to look elsewhere — even if that means leaving organized Christianity.

For Christians looking to form a home-based mini-church, here are some practical considerations:

1) Start fresh by looking to God for direction — diligently studying the Bible to “prove all things” (I Thess. 5:21). Avoid replicating the same problems that led you to leave organized Christianity.

2) Realize that you are the church. The true church isn’t made of bricks and mortar; it isn’t identified by corporate organizations. The church is the spiritual body of Christ (I Cor. 12:27).

3) Don’t let your house church become a social club. Meeting in homes creates an informal atmosphere, which is good. But keep it organized and on target — or it will become just another feel-good social gathering with little spiritual value.

4) It is inevitable that someone will assume a leading role within the group. But that person should not be allowed to “lord over” fellow believers (Mark 10:42-43). No man should stand between you and God — Jesus alone is our mediator!

5) There will be a need for those qualified to teach the Bible. Small-group leaders often have little training in teaching, and this presents a real problem for those seeking Bible-centered fellowship outside the traditional church setting. One solution is to rely on educational materials produced by Internet ministries. Again, be diligent to “prove all things.” As a fellowship, work together to check up on any support ministry you may be considering.

As you step out in faith to form a new home-based fellowship (or join an existing one), strive to keep God at the center of your efforts. Pay special attention to honoring and obeying Him in everything. Worship Him in spirit and in truth and He will indeed bless you with peace of mind and genuine spiritual growth!

P.N.

www.churchathome.org Ω

[Howard Gardner is an American developmental psychologist and a professor at Harvard University. He has held various research positions there since the late 1970s.

Gardner is best known for his theory of multiple intelligences, originally presented in his 1983 book Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences. Gardner retired from teaching in 2019.  He continues his research and writing, including many blogs.

While a parent’s main focus on this topic might be for the benefit of the children, adults gain life skills from knowledge of the multiple intelligences. You can gain career guidance from knowing the main intelligences that you possess. You understand yourself and your spouse more clearly as you analyze your personality and inner self through this prism.

Main Intelligence vs. Main Learning Style
According to Gardner, the difference between the main Intelligence and your main Learning style is that the Intelligence is an intellectual ability and a Learning Style is the way in which an individual approaches a range of tasks.

Original 7 Intelligences
In 1983, the Harvard Developmental Psychologist, Howard Gardner, put forth his theory of 7 multiple intelligences in his book “Frames of Mind”. Here is the list of those 7:

Logical-mathematical intelligence
People with this intelligence as their primary,

• Demonstrate mathematical aptitude   
• Like problem-solving and understanding what makes things tick
• Enjoy puzzles and manipulatives
• Gravitate toward computer technology

Linguistic intelligence (aka Word Smart)

• Creative writing
• Debates & Public Speaking
• Enjoys words and word games
• Likes reading & Spelling

Spatial Intelligence

• Ability to envision objects in the mind’s eye & move them or examine them
• City Planners and architects need this intelligence to perform their work
• Dancers have this intelligence well-developed
• Da Vinci and other painters also possess a high degree of spatial intelligence

Musical Intelligence

• Might have perfect pitch or perfect relative pitch
• Sees rhythmic patterns
• Enjoy the SOUND of language, such as poetry
• Good singing voice. Sensitive to mood and nuance of music

Bodily-kinesthetic Intelligence

• Excels at sports, has good fine-motor skills
• Likes to move; dance, wiggle
• Using a bouncy ball for a chair; hand grippers aid learning
• Has excellent control over his body
• Learns best through movement

Intrapersonal Intelligence (Self Smart)

• Likes to spend time along, thinking
• Prefers working alone
• Good at understanding self
• Learns best through self-exploration, reflection, journaling

Interpersonal Intelligence (People Smart)

• Good communicator
• Diplomatic Empathetic
• Likes group projects
• Good negotiator. Has lots of friends

Later, Gardner added 2 more to the original 7:
Naturalistic Intelligence

• Ability to deal with elements of the environment in detail
• Deep concern for the environment
• Like to be in nature as much as possible
• Excel at identifying plants – natural leaders & authors of foraging books, etc.

Existential Intelligence

• Deep sensitivity & curiosity about the meaning of existence
• One of the most complex Intelligences in Gardner’s research
• Are comfortable discussing serious questions and strive to find answers
• Includes desire to explore & answer what happens after death