It’s been nine months since the release of Evolving in Monkey Town, and I’ve been profoundly encouraged by the response I’ve received from those of you who see your own stories reflected in its pages.  

I’ve been meaning to blog through each chapter, and now seems like a good time. So if you’ve been putting off getting a copy, consider doing it today. For the next few weeks, we’ll devote Tuesdays to discussing your favorite excerpts. 

In the meantime, here are some things you might not know about Evolving in Monkey Town: 

1. It’s not about biological evolution; it’s about spiritual evolution. “It’s about moving from certainty, through doubt, to faith. It’s not about the answers I found but about the questions I asked, questions I suspect you might be asking too. It’s not a pretty story, or even a finished story. It’s a survival story.” (p. 23)

2. It won an award! 

3. Since mixes are my love language, I created a Monkey Town Mix for readers – a playlist meticulously selected to give you just the right ambiance as you work through the story.  

 4. It’s endorsed by Shauna Niequist, Scot McKnight, Brian McLaren, Mary DeMuth, Jason Boyett, and many more.

5. A free discussion guide is available in the book study kit if you're interested in using it for a class or small group.

6. Most people tell me that they read it in a day or two. 

7. The book explores some of the questions my generation is asking about heaven, hell, science, faith, religious pluralism, the Problem of Evil, politics, "blessings," and the Bible. 

8. The original title was Evolving in Monkey Town, but my publisher asked me to submit a list of alternate titles.  I came up with 25...(including, just for fun, “Maturing in Ape Village”)…but Zondervan decided to stick with the original. 

9. In Chapter 1 you find out how I won the Best Christian Attitude Award four years in a row...and that I was a complete nerd in high school. 

10. You can purchase the book here. 

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A question for those who have read the book: Do you have a favorite quote or chapter you especially want to discuss?

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