O Taste and See

O Taste and See: A Guide to Developing Purity and Faith in the Heart of a Leader is a deeply practical and spiritually searching work by Mary Banks, written specifically for those called to lead in the Body of Christ. Drawing from Psalm 34:8, the book challenges ministers to move beyond intellectual knowledge of God into genuine, transformative experience of His character. Across eleven focused chapters, readers are guided through essential themes including what it truly means to taste God, the nature of His love and comfort, the serious danger of sinning against what God has already convinced you of, and the critical importance of purity in a leader's motives and actions. Mary Banks addresses the subtle temptation of manipulation, the misidentification of God's provision as struggle, and the tendency of modern ministers to forget their original surrender to God. The book also explores how God intentionally preserves dependency in ministry, using the story of Gideon as a key illustration, and why a minister's ambition must be completely surrendered if genuine spiritual authority is to be established. Each chapter builds toward a central conviction: the goal of ministry is not merely performance but the formation of a heart that agrees with God. This guide is ideal for pastors, ministry leaders, Bible teachers, and serious disciples who want to move from describing God's character to actually living it. It is both a personal devotional resource and a tool for leadership development, written with pastoral warmth and prophetic directness.