Review of How People Change

Mike Leake 1 Comment

Author: Paul Tripp/Timothy Lane

Pages: 230 pages

Publisher: New Growth Press

Price: 13.49

Genre: Christian Living/Christian Ministry/Pastoral Resources

Quick Summary:

As the authors explain in the acknowledgements this book grew out of a class that David Powlison has developed and taught for over twenty years. And Powlison’s imagery and class grew out of the biblical principles of change. This book is God-centered and gospel-saturated. This is not a self-help book. This book is one that pinpoints where we need to change and offers the only biblical solution for change—union with Jesus Christ.

Tripp and Lane begin this book by defining the problem—which is that in many areas of our lives we do not believe the gospel. Then, before getting into any practical tips, they lay a solid theological foundation. Before showing us how to change they paint a picture of where God is taking us and point us to the Savior that is taking us there. Then in chapter 7-14 they look at a biblical picture for change. The book ends with a story of one couple’s journey as well as one’s church’s story.

What I Liked:

Tripp and Lane write in such a way that you are unable to escape their exhortations. Even in areas where I thought I had it together they wrote with such biblical and penetrating insight that I discovered my need for change is deep. Yet, at the same time they do not leave you on your own as many self-help books do. This book is the exact opposite of self-help. This book draws you to your knees and therein points you to Jesus. Many books about change and practical living are sub-Christian at best and heretical at worse. This book is unbelievably gospel-saturated.

One of the great benefits of this book is that it does not claim to work overnight. Tripp and Lane remind us that biblical change is a lifelong process. What a refreshing rebuke to our “quick-fix” church culture. I love that the authors are real and do not promise more help and faster change the Bible does. Part of the great appeal of this book is that admits that the Christian life is messy. And the hope that it offers is that the God of the universe is in control in the midst of the messiness of life. There are few books that are more needed in our church and culture.

What I Disliked:

My only regret is that the book is only 230 pages and I do not have Tripp and Lane’s cell phone number. Thankfully this book gives principles that I will use for a lifetime so it really does not need to be over 230 pages—but I will keep going back to this book as a resource. Great book!

If I had to offer one criticism it would be outrageous price of the Workbook and Leader’s Guide. This would be a great book to go through as a church and the workbooks would be a wonderful benefit. Unfortunately they are 25 bucks a piece for the workbooks (21.25 if you follow the link) and 50 for the leader’s guide (42.50 if you follow the link). For smaller churches that have people with lower means this is a ridiculous price. Hopefully they make this excellent resource available for a less expensive price. (The book is well priced at 13.49)

Should You Buy It?

This is one of those must have books. My copy is dog-eared and full of underlines—I have had it for less than a year. I keep going back to this book for sermon illustrations as well as for my own personal growth. Whether you are a pastor or not this book is for you. Unless you are Jesus you need to change. And if you need to change there are few books that will lay a better foundation for change than this one.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Monday’s Ministry Musings: The Changing Face of Preaching Styles

Mike Leake 5 Comments

This post will officially disqualify me from holding an office within the Southern Baptist Convention for at least 30 more years. It is not meant as slander. It is not meant to trash another man’s preaching style. It is not even meant as a criticism. Here is the sacred cow that I’m getting ready to “insult”….I do not like Adrian Rogers’ preaching. My pastor loves him, I love my pastor, but I do not share his love for Rogers’ preaching. (Neither of us agree with him doctrinally on some points).

Apart from his anti-Calvinistic missiles here is why I do not like his preaching style. The alliteration and the constant “Here’s what I’m going to tell you, Here’s what I told you, etc.” comes off to me as inauthentic and far too crafted. I think in days gone by this was the hip thing to do. Rogers did it better than anyone. Even his alliteration was alliterated. And it is a great tool for learning. Many books on preaching encourage you to use things like this to assist your hearers. Even parts of the Bible use it in forms. So, I am not against alliteration.

I am not sure what the underlying cultural values where that drove this type of preaching in Rogers’ day–I was not in church then. But I do know that in our culture today for those under the age of 35 a far more effective method is passionate, messy, yet authentic preaching. I think people my age and younger are turned off by slick preaching and flashy rhetoric. People listen to passion and follow those that have it.

So here is my question and a little advice. The question is this–How do you effectively preach to those congregations that have Adrian Rogers-Charles Stanley-lovin‘ Southern Baptist as well as “what the heck is a Baptist”-Jesus lovin‘ postmoderns?

Advice–Preach the Word. Do not try to follow Adrian Rogers and do not try to follow Mark Driscoll or Matt Chandler. Be authentically who you are. If it helps you to think and preach with alliteration then do it but do it authentically. If you could care less about alliteration and are a messy Jesus lovin‘ postmodern preacher then do it authentically. Do not try to be who you are not. And lastly consider what John Owen said, “If the Word does not dwell with power in us, it will not pass with power from us.”

A Neat Opportunity

Mike Leake

Bible Study Magazine and Mars Hill are giving away 20 copies of Mark Driscoll’s new book, Vintage Church. Not only that, but they are also giving away five subscriptions to Bible Study Magazine and a copy of their Bible Study Library software! Enter to win on the Bible Study Magazine Mark Driscoll page, then take a look at all the cool tools they have to take your Bible study to the next level!

This looks like a pretty neat magazine. Is anyone else familiar with this?

Review of The Gift of Being Yourself by David Benner

Mike Leake

Author: David Benner

Pages: 114 pages

Publisher: IVP Books

Price: 10.40

Genre: Christian Spirituality

Quick Summary:

At the core of this book David Benner hopes that we understand the importance of knowing our true self. The self that God created and the self that God really knows. His hope is that we might reject the false self and embrace our true selves. This book is a book about self-discovery but it is also a book about discovering God. You cannot know yourself unless you truly know God. Benner hopes that this book will set us on a journey of doing both.

What I Liked:

I think the core point that Benner is getting at is pretty solid. We need to be real and part of the process of redemption is God stripping away our false self and transforming us into who He really has crafted us to be. The core I think is good; the layers, however, are muddy at best–unbiblical at worse.

Another positive aspect to this book is the Benner does make the principles practical. He offers practical suggestions for getting to know God better and our true self better.

What I Disliked:

I went through this book with a group of pastors and most of us shared the same dislike—the truth that Benner proclaims in this book is so clouded by psychobabble that it makes the book almost irrelevant. There are statements in this book that cause me to shake my head and wonder not only what Benner is talking about but why he said it the way that he did. There are quite a few statements in this book that tiptoe towards crossing the line of biblical theology. Here are some of the samples:

“No one is born with an identity, and Jesus was no exception…and being fully human meant that he, like all humans, had to discover who he was. Even Jesus had to find his way, his self.” (p.93)

“Jesus’ understanding of his vocation came out of wrestling with God, himself and the devil in the solitude of the wilderness.” (p.99)

And this quote, I think sums up the fundamental problem with Benner’s theology and this book. Speaking of the human capacity for self-deception Benner says this, “This is taught in Scripture and confirmed by psychology.” Since when does psychology have the right to “confirm” Scripture. As one fellow pastor said, “there is a difference between being a psychologist that is a Christian and a Christian that is a psychologist”. Benner seems to be the former and as another pastor said, “a little theology would have went a long way in this book”.

Should You Buy It?

If you have discernment and are able to sift through mud to find gold then it might be a good read. I would not suggest it for the new believer or a Christian that struggles with discernment. I think someone could be a deep sinner, read this book, and walk away from it very comfortable in his sin and comfortable with himself. That would not be Benner’s intent but his writing opens up the door for such things.

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars