"God's Grand Design" by Sean Michael Lucas

What was the center of Jonathan Edwards' theology?  That's a question that preoccupies and opens the wonderful book "God's Grand Design:  The Theological Vision of Jonathan Edwards," by Sean Michael Lucas. Lucas notes that to many biographers and Edwards scholars, the question of the center of Edwards' theology and ministry is a lively one.  But to Lucas, what mattered most to Edwards was driven by his role as a pastor:  to present back to God a complete Christian.  Edwards spent much of his time dedicated to thinking, writing, and preaching "about the Christian life, both for himself and then for his parishioners" (12).  However, though this pastoral concern drove his ministry, he was deeply theological.  Thus throughout his life, "Edwards set forth a vision of the Christian life that was deeply theological" (13).

What Lucas presents in this new book on the greatest American theologian in history is a survey of Edwards' theology of the Christian life from creation to consummation.  In part 1, the author walks the reader through Edwards' theology of redemptive history from the person of God and creation to the eschaton.  The theology here is really rich and the author presents a really robust survey of Edwards' thought, writings, and theology.

Central to why God created is, as we would expect, for His own glory.  The author writes:

Edwards's larger purpose was to raise his congregation's vision from its apparently mundane and petty daily concerns to find their affections engaged by the cosmic purpose that god has in his work of redemption.  And God's grand design in the work of redemption was nothing less than is own glory. (22)

He goes on to add:

Far from focusing on a merely individual salvation, Edwards rooted his understanding of the Christian life in the cosmic purpose of God himself - namely, for God to glorify himself and enjoy himself forever.


Far from wanting an abstract theological construction with little bearing on actual Christian living, Edwards recognized that only as Christians have their vision filled with God's grand purpose to glorify himself through his work of redemption are their affections transformed, their wills moved, and their beings engaged in benevolence toward all creation.  Yet in order for believers truly to grasp such a vision, they need to see that God's purpose to glorify himself through creation and redemption is an outflow of his own eternal being. (23)

This is just rich theology.  Unlike the stereotype of Edwards of a mundane, boring preacher who cares more about even more mundane, boring theology is simply untrue.  Lucas understands that it was Edwards' rich theology that led to his efforts in leading Christians to sanctification and the above is only one example of this.

This section highlighting and surveying Edwards' theology from creation to consummation is simply rich and worth the price of the book itself. This is one of the best survey's of Edwards' theology I have come across.  Though I am by no means an Edwards scholar or one who has read a lot of him, Lucas writes an engaging and helpful theological survey of the man. Lucas looks at Theology Proper, creation (remember that Edwards is pre-Darwin), the Fall, original sin, redemption, and eschatology.

But the book is more than just a survey of Edwards' theology.  There are plenty of books on that.  What Lucas spends much of his time on is how this rich theology is translated into practical ministry.  Central to all of this is Edwards book on the Christian Affections.  Regarding the question of what Edwards means by affections, Lucas presents a helpful explanation and discussion helping the reader better understand apart from all of the confusion of colonial English.

As a pastor and as a Christian I loved this section.  Here we meet not just Edwards the theologian, but Edwards the shepherd.  Though Edwards is known for his sermons (and we have many of them), we at times forget that he pastored real people and his theology shaped how he met the needs of his church.  The discussion on Edwards' Affections and how we can be self-deceived offer great insights for the pastor, the seminary student, the academic scholar, and the lay person.

I particularly enjoyed the chapter on Christian ministry (for obvious reasons).  Every pastor and Christian called into ministry ought to at least read what Lucas presents here.  Edwards' understanding of preaching, Scripture, and the gospel are really insightful and Lucas succeeds in presenting Edwards as a mentor for pastors instead of just another important dead theologian.

This is an excellent book.  I did not know if I would enjoy this book as I am one who frankly finds Edwards difficult to get through.  He is rightfully respected and honored as America's greatest theologian, but I have struggled in reading and studying under him.  Therefore, perhaps the greatest compliment I can give this book and its author is that Lucas made me realize what I have missed by all but ignoring Edwards.

I cannot recommend this book enough.  I was unsure of choosing and reading this book, but I am glad that I did.  I would highly recommend this book to academics, seminary students, pastors, and even advanced Christians.  Certainly the theology and writing would be difficult to the new believer, but for those who want a rich theology that is practical, this is a good place to turn too.

Another homerun by Crossway Books.


This book was given to me free of charge for the purpose of this review.


For more:
Reviews - "Jesus + Nothing = Everything" by Tullian Tchividjian
Reviews - "Life's Biggest Questions" by Erik Thoennes
Reviews - "Welcome to the Story: Reading, Loving, and Living God's Word" by Stephen J Nichols  
Reviews - "King Solomon" by Philip Graham Ryken 
Reviews - "Am I Really a Christian?" by Mike McKinley
Reviews - The Beginning and End of Wisdom" by Douglas Sean O'Donnell
Reviews - "Thinking. Loving. Doing." by John Piper & David Mathis

"Why Men Hate Going to Church" by David Murrow

Where have all the men gone?  Look at the average conservative church today and you will find a major absence of men in the local church.  Men seem to be missing.  Certainly the chickification of society has affected the church and the stereotype that religion is for women is certainly a factor, but as David Murrow writes in his wonderful book Why Men Hate Going to Church.  His main argument is that the church, and Christianity beyond that, has catered to women for years and have driven men away from the church.

Murrow begins by making an interesting point.  Most of the main characters and heroes in Scripture used by God to change the world were men.  The far majority of the preachers, prophets, priests, apostles, leaders, kings, etc. are men.  Men!  And religion - and the gospel - is for women?  How does that make sense.

This is a book that is a must read for pastors and for church leaders.  Look at virtually any church and you will find men missing.  Many wives attend worship without their husband by their side.  Many churches are struggling to find responsible men with integrity willing and able to serve as deacons, leaders, elders, and staff.  The church has left men behind and Murrow offers a way out of this decline and returns the church back to the more masculine gospel.  I highly recommend this book as we as Christians need to abandon the the ship we're on and return to a gospel that transcends gender and reaches all people everywhere.


I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”







For more from Thomas Nelson:
Blogizomai - Repost | "Nearing Home" by Billy Graham
Reviews - America: The Last Best Hope - Volume 3
Reviews - "Has God Spoken?" by Hank Hanegraaf
Reviews - "Why God Won't Go Away" by Alister McGrath  
Reviews - "Billy Graham in Quotes" 
Reviews - "No He Can't" by Kevin McCullough
Reviews - "Washington: A Legacy of Leadership" by Paul Vickery  
Reviews - "Max on Life" by Max Lucado 
Reviews - "Slave" by John Macarthur
Reviews - "The Jesus Inquest" by Charles Foster 
Reviews - "Finding Our Way Again" by Brian McLaren 
Reviews - "Outlive Your Life" by Max Lucado
Reviews - "The Hole in Our Gospel" by Richard Stearns 
Reviews - "Saint Patrick" by Jonathan Rogers
Reviews - "A Century Turns" by William Bennett
Reviews - "Sir Winston Churchill"
Reviews - "On this Day in Christian History"
Reviews - "Storm Warning" by Billy Graham

"Jesus + Nothing = Everything" by Tullian Tchividjian

I have read a lot of good books this year, but without a doubt, the best book I have read all year is Tullian Tchividjian's new book Jesus + Nothing + Everything.  The context of the book is Tchividjian's struggle as a pastor to wade through the storms of ministry.  After merging his church with the late Dr. D. James Kennedy's church, Tchividjian ran into serious struggles and hardships that almost led to his firing.  Once he went on vacation one summer, he was ready to quit until he started to read Paul's letter to the Colossians and was gripped by the gospel.  He writes:

His good news met me in my dark place, at my deepest need.  Through his liberating word, I was being transformed, freed, refreshed.


I started learning to see the many-faceted dimensions of the gospel in a more dazzling way.  it's almost as if, for me, the gospel changed from something hazy and monochromatic to something richly multicolored, vivid, and vibrant.  I was realizing in a fresh way the now-power of the gospel - that the gospel doesn't simply rescue us from the past and rescue us for the future; it also rescues us in the present from being enslaved to things like fear, insecurity, anger, self-reliance, bitterness, entitlement, and insignificance . . . Through my pain, I was being convinced all over again that the power of the gospel is just as necessary and relevant after you become a Christian as it is before.

Tchividjian sings my tune.  This is a book about the gospel, pure and simple.  The title summarizes it all.  Wherever we may be, whatever we may be struggling with, Jesus is enough.  Jesus equals everything.  We need nothing else.  The gospel is just as much for the redeemed as it is for the lost.  The gospel not only tackles our past and assures us of our future, but meets us where we are in the present.

Yet the problem in all of us is idolatry and legalism.  All of us have idols that we worship and through is experience at his church, the author came to realize this.  What mattered most to him was being loved by his congregation and followed by his church.  Thus when he was attacked and challenged, his world was falling apart.  Yet he learned, through the power of the gospel, that Jesus was enough.

But maybe our idol is very different.  The author walks the reader through various idols and how the gospel is better than them.  The problem with idolatry is that it implies that we need Jesus and something else in order to be happy, contentment, and at peace.  Legalism does the same thing.  Tchividjian offers some sharp critique of these two demons.  He writes, for example:

So if we aren't naturally prone to look to the finished work of Jesus for us as it's presented in the gospel for the 'everything' - where are we looking?


Typically, it's not that Christians seek to blatantly replaced the gospel.  What we try to do is simply add to it.

He then goes on to elaborate CS Lewis' argument in Screwtape Letters that a Satanic strategy against the Christian is "Christianity And."  It is the opposite of what Tchividjian argues in this book.  Christianity And Vegetarianism.  Christianity and Faith Healing.  Christianity And the New Psychology.  Christianity And . . . Such a mindset, which haunts us all, destroys the gospel and prevents the gospel from truly ministering to us. This is all idol worship.  Jesus + X is idolatry and not the gospel.

In fact, idolatry and legalism hold us in bondage.  They make us slaves.  Finally someone of prominence other than John MacArthur is speaking the language of slavery when describing sin and its hold on us.  The gospel frees us from the bondage of sin, idolatry, and religion.  Such things convince us that without them and their control on us, we will not be content or happy.  But the gospel says otherwise. All we need is Christ and nothing else.  That is true freedom.  No need to satisfy these false gods anymore.  He writes:

For each of us, the "everything" that Jesus can represent in our lives is always linked, directly and inescapably, to our most basic need - a rescuer to free us form our slavery to sin, from our bondage to self-reliance, and from the burden of our idols.  It's a need we never grow out of.

He's right.  The gospel is constantly freeing us from slavery when we see our redemption and hope in Jesus Christ - past, future, and yes, present.

I could say more about this book, but you get the point.  It is a book about the gospel.  The sweet, liberating gospel.  A gospel that meets us where we are, brings us to the Savior, and calls us to leave everything behind because we need nothing else but Him.  No more chasing after the wind, worshiping non-existent, false idols.  No more religion.  No more legalism.  No more hypocrisy. Just Jesus.

I cannot recommend this book enough.  Every pastor ought to read it and shape their ministry around the gospel.  Not religion, ritual, or church politics, but on the gospel.  Every struggle needs the gospel.  Every moment of bliss and rejoicing needs the gospel.  Every sermon needs the gospel.  Every prayer needs the gospel.  And every book - and here we have one - needs the gospel.



Jesus + Nothing = Everything: Intro from Crossway on Vimeo.


This book was given to me free of charge for the purpose of this review.



For more:
Reviews - "Life's Biggest Questions" by Erik Thoennes
Reviews - "Welcome to the Story: Reading, Loving, and Living God's Word" by Stephen J Nichols  
Reviews - "King Solomon" by Philip Graham Ryken 
Reviews - "Am I Really a Christian?" by Mike McKinley
Reviews - The Beginning and End of Wisdom" by Douglas Sean O'Donnell
Reviews - "Thinking. Loving. Doing." by John Piper & David Mathis