I have been an on and off fan of Mark Batterson’s work for several years. I was a big fan of his book Primal, and it was an excellent help to my spiritual growth at a time when I desperately needed it. I was less enthusiastic about his book The Circle Maker. I felt like it was a bit of a stretch, and presumed too much that Scripture didn’t support. So I was slightly hesitant to read Whisper. But I am glad that I did.
I can’t place it on par with Primal for a couple of reasons, but I did find it encouraging and helpful. In Whisper, Batterson strives to discover and explain the different ways that God speaks to us today. He identifies seven different voices through which God communicates, and digs deep into each of them, one at a time. The first one he discusses is Scripture, God’s primary way of communication to his church today.
I was somewhat disappointed at the level of trust he places in the other six voices though. It seemed as if he held these voices – desires, doors, dreams, people, promptings, and pain – as authoritative as God’s Word. I disagree with that. I believe that God can, and does, communicate through some of these other voices; but I do not think they are to be held to the same level as Scripture.