117 (21–22), because they lead groups of people. He adds that most ministry leaders are trained for “a disappearing world.” Ministry frustration is often the result of faulty or outdated systems. Bolsinger observes, “Your system is perfectly designed to get the results you are getting” (127). Therefore, he encourages leaders to count costs, change systems, and effectively lead people into uncertain futures. The primary weaknesses hampering the success of this book is its seeming deafness towards twenty-first-century attitudes of the Lewis and Clark expedition. Readers may find irrelevant or offensive the author’s choice to abstract imagery from an increasingly contested time in American history. The book could also place a greater emphasis on Scripture because it appeals to a Christian audience. Bolsinger does sprinkle biblical references alongside those from leadership scholars, but deeper exegesis would further support his findings. Bolsinger’s philosophy exhibits a church-growth bias that could also be mitigated with biblical support. Nonetheless, the book remains a valuable ministry resource in its current iteration. The release of Canoeing the Mountains: Christian Leadership in Uncharted Territory coincided with the events leading up to the 2020 COVID-19 global pandemic. This resource equipped and emboldened countless ministry leaders as they made once-in-a-generation decisions to move their traditional churches toward new methods, such as engaging social media, offering live-streaming, and facilitating online giving. In some cases, changes made amid this time of cultural upheaval allowed churches not only to survive but position themselves for a brighter future. This work is valuable not only as a pandemic-era keepsake, but because most of the principles remain timeless for ministry leaders. The discussion facilitates ministry leadership in navigating ever-changing cultural shifts while preserving biblical fidelity and the ecclesiological distinctives of the local church. Michael Cunningham, D.Min., is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Cook School of Leadership and serves as a pastor, educator, and reserve Army chaplain in Vineyard, Utah. BOOK REVIEWS
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