And Welcome to Seminary!
“An honest conversation,” that is the first impression I had while reading Jonathan “JP” Pokluda’s new book, Welcome to Adulting. In an era where the youth scream out for raw authenticity while churches seem to keep pushing dated materials at them, this book is incredibly refreshing.
JP begins his novel like many other Christian writers—a brief look back at life before Jesus Christ entered the picture. He recounts the first time he met his future boss and mentor, Watermark’s Senior Pastor Todd Wagner, and the exhilarating first experience of doing life with people who care more about the quality of their friendship than their next drinking binge or hookup. Though this book is very much targeted at young adults leaving home for the first time, it is a great reminder to all ages that genuine Christian community is one of God’s greatest gifts.
While reading, I am reminded that our choices do more than fulfill a need in our lives—they also shape who we become. This book thus covers all the major matters of growing up, from that first taste of freedom to problems with authority, from the responsibilities of work that coincide with the need to make money, and even the changing pressures of community or dating. This non-patronizing guide is written with the sole purpose of helping those attempting to “adult” for the first time thrive.
The underlying theme in this book can be summed up quite nicely in this paragraph from the first chapter, where JP addresses those who seek out purpose in the wrong places: “Here’s the deal: I’m not saying your life doesn’t have a distinct, worthwhile, noble purpose. In fact, I’m saying that it does, and I believe that purpose is greater and more fulfilling than you ever dared to imagine. But that’s only possible because there is an intelligent Creator (capital ‘C’) who designed you, specifically you, with a unique purpose in mind. Understanding that purpose will be key in living out your life correctly from here on out.”
We all desire purpose because we were created for it. But if we knew what that purpose was, would that be enough to live it out? That is the question this book asks its young readers. But, you may discover, the answer to that is between you and God.