Book review: Dug Down Deep

I sometimes dread telling people that I studied literature at university. Their eyes, formerly blazing with interest (especially if they’re aunties on the lookout for prospective matches for their daughters), now glaze over as they try to process this new piece of information. "So, er, Shakespeare?" is the inevitable response. It doesn’t help that I don’t look like some cool and artsy figure with a goatee – when a friend tells you that you have a "muka A-Maths" you know you’re not the human personification of the iPhone!

I suspect the word ‘theology’ has the same effect. Talk about worship and love and forgiveness and you are (rightly!) bound to get an enthusiastic response. But once ‘theology’ enters the conversation, eyes glaze over. It’s not cool and sexy; on the contrary, theology calls up images of grumpy old men arguing with each other using long and obscure words, before they adjourn for dinner to eat babies or something.

Thankfully, Joshua Harris is cooler than me (known to one entire generation as the guy who wrote the "Christian dating" book), and he’s on a quest to restore theology to its rightful place. That is, theology as necessary to a warm-hearted, compelling vision of who God really is. As he says in his introduction: "We’re either building our life on the reality of what God is truly like and what he’s about, or we’re basing our life on our own imagination and misconceptions. We’re all theologians. The question is whether we will be good theologians or bad theologians, whether what we know about God is true or false." (p.11)

What makes this a unique read is that this is less textbook and more memoir. Reading Josh Harris is like having a conversation with him over a teh tarik. He consistently reflects on stories and events in his own life and the lives of others and then connects them with theological truth. In other words, he doesn’t just tell you about the doctrine of Scripture or how Jesus is fully God and fully man, but he shows you why this matters, and why these doctrines are so dear to him.

Another major strength of the book is the emphasis on what he calls "humble orthodoxy". Josh Harris understands that if he believes the gospel, than "humble orthodoxy" will be its natural outworking. "Orthodoxy" because the gospel has a specific message, filled with specific content. It is to be treasured and guarded (2 Tim. 1:13-14), for this is God’s unchanging truth, and "a distorted gospel rots the soul" (p.220, 2 Tim. 2:17-18). And yet "humble" too, because the gospel reminds us that we are all sinners. We haven’t got it all together. We fall all so easily into pride. We want all so acutely to be right. "The message of Christian orthodoxy isn’t that I’m right and someone else is wrong. It’s that I am wrong and yet God is filled with grace. I am wrong, and yet God has made a way for me to be forgiven and accepted and loved for eternity." (p.231)

I commend this book unreservedly. And I pray that in the Malaysian context, we too will rediscover the big point of this book. We will rediscover that theology and doxology go together. We do theology, not for our own names, but that we might know and love Jesus more and more and be conformed to his image.

Brian K

Note: this book should be placed in the SMACC Library soon.
Preview chapter 1 here.

Two recent Gospel Coalition pieces

The Gospel Coalition has two insightful articles, one on singleness and one on the glory of the gospel in any church situation.

† Singleness with Purpose
† No Greener Pastures with the Gospel

Workplace Ministry Malaysia

Evangelism in the Workplace

It is not easy being a Christian at work. Even tougher doing evangelism in the workplace. Join us at our next event as we pray, think and discuss how we can encourage each other to do so. We'll share a meal together, as well as practical tips, examples, scenarios, testimonies and Q+A. There will be resources to help equip us to be better witnesses for God at work.


Date and Time: Saturday, 27 November 2010 @ 6:30pm

Venue: Skewers Bar and Restaurant, SG-01 Subang Avenue, Persiaran Kemajuan SS16 Subang Jaya. (Google Map)

Cost: RM40 full price and RM30 for non wagers. Drinks at own cost.

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On evangelism and relationship

We all know that part of being a Christian is to sharing our faith with others. But we struggle with the tension between simply dumping all that we know unto some unsuspecting person on the one hand, and never getting round to talking about Jesus on the other, hiding behind the curtain marked "Waiting for the right time".

Here's a thoughtful perspective that helps us remember that relational evangelism actually begins with a healthy relationship with Jesus.

Short interview with Piper

A short interview with John Piper in South Africa on suffering, and passion as a Christian

Here I stand, as it unfolded...

Ever wondered what it would have been like to have been there when Martin Luther made his stand? (Or maybe, you're not even sure what Luther's stand is?) Then come and watch the scene unfold...