This book was born through the Driscoll’s pastoral experience of speaking at marriage conferences, counseling couples at their church, and fielding a variety of “taboo” or difficult questions related to issues of marriage and sex. It is a deeply personal book that does not shy away from the realities and difficulties of marriage, especially for the Driscolls themselves. They share openly about their marriage—the good and the bad—while teaching and encouraging the reader to pursue God’s best for their own marriage.

Book Summary

Part one of the book deals with marriage. In the first chapter, New Marriage, Same Spouse the Driscolls tell their own personal story, both before and after marriage. The second chapter, Friend with Benefits speaks about the importance of a husband and wife developing a deep friendship before and during their marriage. They write, “All the talk about spending time and doing life together, making memories, being a good listener, growing old and taking care of each other, being honest, having the long view of things, repenting and forgiving can be summed up in one word—friendship,” (p. 23, italics original).

Chapter three is on Men and Marriage and offers husbands a frank, stern, and needed discussion on their role as leaders of the family and the necessity of assuming this responsibility. In chapter four, The Respectful Wife, Grace instructs wives to embrace the need for respect within a marriage and the role respect (defined correctly) plays for their husband. Part one closes in chapter five, entitle Taking out the Trash, with a plea for couples to appropriately handle conflict and sin.

Part two of the book is about Sex, but its scope is actually a little broader. Chapter six argues for the biblical understanding of sex as a gift from God, and not something to be made its own god or denigrated as “gross” (Sex: God, Gross, or Gift?). Chapter seven, Disgrace and Grace is a very personal chapter where Grace writes about her own experience of being sexually abused and how we can start to recognize and deal with abuse happening around us. Mark writes in chapter eight about the dangerous consequences of The Porn Path and about how we must avoid this pitfall to build healthy marriages and spiritual lives. Chapter nine is entitled Selfish Lovers and Servant Lovers and speaks to the ways husbands and wives can serve each other in their marriage both in and out of the bedroom. Finally, in chapter ten the Driscolls ask and answer a variety of sexual questions in a chapter called Can We ________? If you’re thinking “do they talk about that?” the answer is probably “yes.” The book concludes in part three on The Last Day with a chapter called Reverse-Engineering your Life and Marriage. This chapter encourages couples to think about the end of their lives and build a system of goals in which they desire their marriage to attain.

Book Review

Real Marriage has drawn criticism from the wider Evangelical world for what it does, and does not, contain. (You can read several of the negative reviews here, here, and here.) Many of these reviews are disappointed with the Driscolls lack of reflection on how aChristian marriage between a man and a woman reflect the union of Christ and the church. They also point out several biblical interpretations what seem errant (bad biblical exegesis). And they all seem to blush at the explicit discussion in chapter ten, Can We ________?

After reading these reviews before I read the book, and having read the book, and having reread the reviews, I must agree with with many of these fellow reviewers. Real Marriage does seem to falter at a few points such as little reference to Christ and the church from Ephesians 5, the tricky nature of sex as a “need,” and the “unashamed” nature of Can We ________? Also like most, I found some of their conclusions in this chapter less-than helpful.

That said, let me speak to a few of the areas in which I found the book helpful. First, I believe the tone of the book speaks volumes both to the current (younger) culture reading these books and the Driscolls themselves. At least once while reading the book, I thought Mark’s level of self-disclosure made him look like a poor pastor. I believe, that is the point. They are very honest throughout the book, and I believe that tone communicates just as much as the content to younger readers. Second, I thought the chapters on husbands and the pornography were very helpful. As the chapter on husbands begins, Mark notes his tone will be honest; as a man talking to a man should be at times. He calls men to step up and leave their lifestyle of “indefinite adolescence.” This is a call that needs to be answers. The chapter on pornography likewise gives a stern call away from the sin wrapped up, not just in the multi-billion dollar pornography industry, but also in the more suble forms you can find in music videos and video games. Third, I must commend the Driscolls for approaching such a “silent” topic as they do in the chapter on sexual issues, Can We ________? I do not agree with all of their conclusions, but I do agree on their premise: “The questions today are different, and if people don’t get answers from pastors and parents, they will find them in dark, depraved places,” (p. 177). We should be talking about these issues, and using a biblical worldview to find answers. For the answer are out there… and people will get them from us (the Christian community) or somewhere else.

Conclusions on Real Marriage

I believe the Driscolls have made a contribution to Christian publishing on marriage that is a mixed bag. This is a book for a new generation of couples, and I think they will find it a unique read. However, I do wish they read it with caution, noting where the book falters at times and seeking additional guidance elsewhere. I also hope we all have the discernment to take that which is helpful and leave that which is not. I needed to do just that with this book. I am personally thankful, that even on areas in which I disagree, it has sparked helpful conversation between my wife and I. I would not recommend it as a “first read” on marriage or sex, but I do believe, with proper wisdom, it can provide guidance for those who are ready or looking for it.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the 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.”

In a continuing effort to expand my thinking, I’ve taken to reading books that help me understand other people and their perspectives. Thus, by recommendation of one of my interns, I picked up a copy of David Dark’s latest book, The Sacredness of Questioning Everything, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2009).

It is not an easy book to read, for several reasons. First, Dark’s prose ambles on at a sustained, yet gentle pace. I might compare it to a small stream wandering through the mountains adjacent to your chosen hiking trail. Because the stream never changes, you almost forget it’s there until you reach a dramatic shift such as a waterfall. Because you’ve been “lulled” into the steady movement and sound of the water, you’ve forgotten that there was anything actually going on while you were walking. For you, there was only the beginning of the stream and the waterfall. I do not mean this in a negative way towards Sacredness. It’s very well written, and perhaps the skill of the writer leads to this stead pace of movement.

Second, Dark’s affinity for art (in its widest possible form) leads him to often reference, allude, or simply mention in passing a dizzying number of movies, books, people, artists, and other such intriguing figures. This certainly adds to his work, but if, like me, you are unfamiliar with many of his references, you might, like me, find yourself feeling on the “outside” of his argument. (Although I despise “endnotes,” I am impressed Dark takes the time to cite sources and give credit where credit is due.) I imagine that you will instantly connect with a few of his references, a connection that will undoubtably provide moments of unexpected joy.

Finally, this book is difficult to read because it, well, questions everything. Dark writes about questioning God, religion, our offendedness, our passions, media, language, interpretations, history, governments, and the future. There is an equal opportunity for you to be upset, challenged, or perhaps sharpened(?) by his musings in one page or another. But it is a book that for me, was a necessary read. It helped me wrestle with a fact that I see every day as I work with teenagers: questions must be given their necessary space. I try my best, each week as I teach our students, to exemplify an attitude of humility and grace as I interpret the Scriptures and attempt to apply that to life. This means, for one, at least admitting that I don’t have it all figured out (hence I need to ask questions, especially of myself) and at most admitting that I just don’t know. Second, this means doing all I can to encourage teenagers in their own journey of faith, even when—perhaps especially when—they ask difficult questions. As the current motto of Dallas Theological Seminary reads, we must “teach truth,” while we “love well.”

Be prepared for what you will find in this book. It seems to me that Sacredness demonstrates the best and worst of what I understand postmodernism to be. On one hand, Dark offers a weighty but needed critique of our passions, fundamentals, and dogmas of living. Perhaps the things which are not open for questioning are just the areas in which we need to experience growth through the very questions we refuse to ask. But on the other hand, I am weary of the “ask questions but don’t ever expect final answers” manner of living. The oft-quoted response of Pilate to Jesus, “what is truth?” from John 18:38 in many ways captures the feelings of today’s disenfranchised culture. But there is danger here because at the end of our journey, there is truth to be found. There must be. If we fool ourselves into thinking that there is nothing to be found, why search or ask questions? Perhaps it is intentional that in the same Gospel that would ask “what is truth” can be found the absolute statement where Jesus claims that he is the “way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6), and that only through faith in him can we approach God.

I’m sure I need to read it again to really appreciate Dark’s words, but in the meantime, I’ll keep trying to learn, and question myself, along the way.

The reality is that many Bible translations, and probably the ones you prefer and use, are the result of a committee of men and women who have dedicated their lives to studying, teaching, and translating the Scriptures. They read, write, and live the world of ancient languages and customs, long-dead civilizations, and complex background issues. Furthermore, they must be adept at modern culture as they seek to communicate the ancient truth of words written thousands of years ago to a contemporary audience.

Therefore I was delighted to see the following video. I first learned about it from Denny Burk’s blog. About the video, Denny wrote,

Last year the ESV translation committee met at Tyndale House in Cambridge, England to discuss revisions to the ESV. The BBC filmed a portion of their deliberations, and the video above includes their discussion about how to translate doulos in 1 Corinthians 7. The video gives fascinating insight into how translation committees do their work and deal with disagreements over translation. In the end, the committee votes 9-3 to change four instances of “slave” to “bondservant” in 1 Corinthians 7.

Among those participating in the discussion are Peter Williams, Gordon Wenham, Jack Collins, Wayne Grudem and Paul House. Lane Dennis is there as well as Justin Taylor, Bruce Winter, Clint Arnold, and J. I. Packer.

As you can see, each of the scholars presenting opinions have prepared their own individual conclusions on the matter (think research paper), and then after all the “papers” have been shared, the committee votes on the changes. This kind of revision is done periodically with all major translations, otherwise the language quickly becomes unhelpful in communicating to the culture.

Enjoy the video.

This is the passage in question, with the current ESV text of 1 Corinthians 7:20–23:

Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called. Were you a slave when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) For he who was called in the Lord as a slave is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a slave of Christ. You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.

Soon after making the switch to Mac, I was able to purchase iWork to use alongside Office for Mac. Now, a year later, I’d like to share my opinions regarding which productivity software I prefer.

I use both iWork and Office on my machine. But before we begin, here are a few notes. First, I understand that my opinions are many times the product of my unique needs in using this software. For example, I know most users won’t need to type Hebrew, so my opinions on this subject won’t matter at all. (I’ve tried to include a few screenshots to demonstrate my specific needs.) Second, I understand that some of my negative comments regarding a particular software might be the result of my lack of knowledge about how to do something. Forgive me if this is the case.

Pages v. Word: Slight Advantage to Pages

Word has always been the work horse of productivity software; I doubt there’s anyone who regularly uses computers who hasn’t used it on some level. Word for Mac is a good piece of software that allows users to easily create documents. However, I have to give a slight advantage to iWork’s Pages. Pages is a robust software built for more than simple word processing. For me, it has proven easier in Pages to create colorful newsletters or brochures. The built in templates are designed to easily accept your own media to create personal, semi-professional documents. Pages is not perfect. Certain tasks, like columns within a document, require additional preparation than Word. Neither Word or Pages handles right-to-left text (such as Hebrew well), but Pages struggles more than Word.

Because of its greater flexibility in creating documents, its ease of use for a majority of functions, and its easy integration into the wider Mac OS (like iPhoto, etc.), I give a slight advantage to Pages and I use Pages for almost all of my word processing.

Numbers v. Excel: Good Advantage to Excel

Whereas Pages and Word are somewhat similar, Apple’s spreadsheet software, Numbers, is designed pretty different from Microsoft Excel. Excel is designed to be a blank spreadsheet first that demands you manage with the “production value” of the document (i.e. printing, adding graphics, etc.) second. Numbers is designed to let you think about the “production value” of the document from the beginning. Thus, when you open a new Numbers document, you don’t get a single screen of cells, you get a blank document with a small “table” in which you can manipulate around the page as desired. In Numbers, the tables are free floating and act much like a picture would in a word processing document. Because of this functionality, you can easily create some very sharp looking pages with a combination of tables (like a normal spreadsheet), pictures, call outs, or other details. It would take you much longer in Office.

However for me, this functionality also created the biggest obstacle. Numbers almost lets you do too much. It seemed difficult to navigate around and use, especially when I had a bunch of data or multiple worksheets. I used Numbers for a while, but ultimately went back to Excel and now use Excel for almost, if not all, of my spreadsheet needs.

However, if you are planning on creating a one-page spreadsheet, for say a trip itinerary or budget, a recipe, or small calendar, and would like to “spice” it up easily with graphics, text boxes, or other “production” type items, then Numbers is the way to go.

Keynote v. Powerpoint: Major Advantage to Keynote

The primary reason I wanted to get iWork was because I had seen people use Keynote in the past and was impressed with their product. I have not been disappointed. Everything Powerpoint can do, Keynote can do better, faster, and easier. Keynote’s pre-made templates are stunning, and it is easy to create your own templates for multiple uses. Although Keynote suffers from one particular problem that Powerpoint suffers from, the abundance of useless in-and-out animations (please don’t use animations like “fly in” when you make presentations!), many of Keynote’s slide transitions are useable and look nice. It’s easy to export your slides to JPEGs for use in other software like ProPresenter (with a new JPEG for each “stage” of the animations within a single slide).

I am being serious, unless you’re having to collaborate with a colleague who only has Powerpoint, then Keynote is the way to go. It’s designed to help you quickly design professional and appealing presentations.

Conclusions: A Mixed Bag
I made a decision to try and get away from Office when I transitioned to the Mac. However, it will be tough, if not impossible, for this to become a reality. There are simply too many Office users out there. This, along with the fear that comes from learning new software, keeps many people forever “tied down” to Office. My encouragement is to give iWork a try (especially Pages and definitely Keynote). It’s relatively inexpensive and each program can be purchased separately in the App Store for $19.99 a piece. If nothing else, jump ship to Keynote if possible. Your classrooms and board rooms with thank you.

Several years ago I was introduced to a book called Simple Church by Tom Rainer and Eric Geiger.  I was instantly drawn to their research-based conclusions about how to effectively institute a discipleship program in church instead of a confusing mix of events and unrelated, time-consuming programs.  It was a book that changed the way I view church.

And then I found Simple Student Ministry.

The junior high pastor and I have both read Simple Student Ministry: A Clear Process for Strategic Youth Discipleship (Nashville, TN: B&H, 2009).  We joke that if we ever meet Eric Geiger we’re going to do two things: (1) punch him in the face, and (2) help him up and give him a big hug.

Confusing?  Drastic?  Let me explain.

Reading this book brought a flurried mix of emotions.  The comments and suggestions were so on-par that I was at one moment upset because they hit a little too close to home (hence the punch in the face).  And in the next, the material was so helpful that I was left with hope that my program could be as helpful for students as Geiger suggested (hence the hug).

There are a lot of good youth ministry resources available.  But only a few provide a balance of church-specific guidance (no youth ministry programs are exactly alike) and overly general “nuggets of wisdom” or less-than specific principles.  This book does not outline the “perfect” way to do youth ministry.  It doesn’t deal with the latest trends, fads, or cultural “home runs” for today’s students.  It doesn’t even mandate a specific model of discipleship (with specific terminology).  Simple Student Ministry does outline key ideas to help leaders implement a clear discipleship program.

Specifically, Geiger and Borton advocate student ministry leaders should develop a program that demonstrates these four foundations:

1. Clarity: a discipleship program should be a clearly defined process instead of a mixture of unrelated events.
2. Movement: the leadership should encourage students to move through the process as one means of spiritual growth.
3. Alignment: whole ministries from pastors to volunteers should be headed in the same direction towards a common goal and be willing to evaluate their programs and decisions.
4. Focus: leaders must keep a unified program and be willing to cut that which doesn’t help students grow.

As a ministry, we have begun speaking the language of Simple Student Ministry are are excited about the clarity it will bring our process.  We have adopted this method of thinking about discipleship and have walked our volunteer leaders through the method.

I highly recommend this resource and am prayerful it will be beneficial for our students.  All youth ministers want their students to grow spiritually; this is a book that has helped up plan how this will happen.

As for Geiger… watch out!

I was first exposed to video games at an early age.  I can remember not being able to sleep when I was probably five years old and passing the time playing Pac Man on an Atari.  At my eight-year old birthday party, I was sorely disappointed when my mom did not get me a Nintendo (I had played my first Nintendo sometime earlier and my uncle had bought one not too long before).  I finally owned my first video game console, a Super Nintendo (SNES) not too long after that.  Thus began a relationship that lasted almost twenty years (and several different “girls”!).

It all ended this week with a disappointing trip (the cash value was so low) to a video game store where I sold all my current gaming gear (an Xbox 360, various games and accessories).  Here’s why:

1. Lack of discipline. I struggled to maintain discipline about when and how long to play video games.  I went through months where I didn’t play at all, and I went through months where that’s all I could think about.  When my wife is home, I was better about limiting playing time, but when my wife is away for work, it wasn’t uncommon for me to stay up until midnight (or later) playing.  There were even a few times that I stayed up until 4 AM.  No sleep did not help me perform the next day.  When I would play, it was too easy to look up at the clock and realize “oh, it’s been three hours.”  I just couldn’t be as disciplined about how long to play as I wanted.

2. Lack of purpose. Video games, I do believe, are an acceptable, recreational activity.  But for me, they were rarely relaxing!  I am still in amazement at the lack of maturity and amount of crass language among online video game players (who will say just about anything to another human being).  I often chuckled to myself at how emotional they could get about losing!  I rarely got upset about losing, but I am a competitive person and video games, by nature, thrive upon competition.  Thus, a “relaxing activity” was rarely relaxing.

As a student pastor, many of my students play video games.  At times, it was fun to play with them online (me at my house and them at their houses).  However, this proved to be difficult for two reasons: (1) scheduling this was more difficult that I imagined, and (2) an ethical problem related to the rating system of video games.  I am a proponent of video game rating (e.g. E, T, or M).  The problem, for me, came when I realized that although I might be okay playing a more maturely rated game, it was hard to play those games with students.  I had to assume that if a student was living at home and playing a video game, his parents were okay with them playing it.  It just complicated the situation.

3. Lack of time. We’re having our first baby in less than three months!  I fully recognize that this will change our schedules, our free time, and our lives.  I didn’t need something else taking up my time.  It was hard at times to pull myself away from playing to help my wife, and I don’t want that temptation when the baby comes. My wife was great to let me play and not make me feel guilty about it, but I know I must give up of myself for my family.

So there’s the three reasons.

Have I given up video games forever?  Of course not. I will still enjoy them and look forward to spending time with friends and students playing video games when the opportunity arises.  But I’ve decided that it was best for me to give up owning them for now.  Perhaps one day our family will have another system (a Playstation 5 or an Xbox 1080?) that we can play together.

And I must admit: I didn’t cry when I sold it, but I wanted to when I got home.  I held it together though.

Here’s what I realized: fifty years from now, I could’ve either spend my recreational time doing something that is beneficial for me in the long run (e.g. reading, writing, spending time with my family), or I can be a good gamer.  I chose the former.  I chose to use my down time for personal growth, and I believe that was the right decision for me.

Have you ever given up something that held a lot of memories for you because you knew it was best?

College.  A place of fun, friends, and freedom.  A place of learning and growth.

The college campus can be a wonderful collection of ideas and thinkers engaged together in an “adolescent cauldron” of thought.  There is great benefit from this experience, but many students will find themselves (in varying degrees) confronted with issues they are unprepared to discuss.

“What do you mean Jesus never existed?”  ”You can’t really believe the Bible is 100% true can you?”  ”How did you get the idea that religion is only for the unintelligent?”

Josh McDowell has been writing books designed to help readers answer these questions for a long time.  And this year his book (along with coauthor Bob Hostetler) Don’t Check Your Brains at the Door (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2011) was republished for college students headed into a world of diverse ideas.

The book is composed of 42 myths about the Bible, Christianity, and culture divided up into six categories:

1. Myths about God
2. Myths about Jesus
3. Myths about the Bible
4. Myths about the resurrection
5. Myths about religion and Christianity
6. Myths about life and happiness

Along the way, the authors tackle a wide variety of issues and topics of conversation that are potentially important for college students to understand.  The short chapters (around 6 pages a piece) are designed to give the reader a brief introduction to correct Christian thinking.  You’ll read about having a proper view of God (“The Father Christmas Myth,” ch. 3), understanding that Jesus was more than just a good man or teacher (“The Good Teacher Myth,” ch. 4), the reliability of the Scriptures (“The Variant Reading Myth,” ch. 11), or the truth about being rich and successful (“The Consumer Myth,” ch. 31).  I found some chapters more helpful than others, but all of them short (you could read one in five minutes or less) and easy to read.

Each chapter concludes with a section entitled “Brain Food” in which the authors give the reader suggested Scripture to read, think about, and apply.  Sometimes the “Brain Food” includes additional ideas to think about or implement.  If the reader chooses to engage the book in this way, Don’t Check Your Brains at the Door can become a helpful devotional read (with perhaps one chapter and the accompanying “Brain Food” section a day).

The book lacks depth, which is not surprising due to its overall length (less than 200 pages) and variety of topics.  Readers looking to dive deep into particular issues (such as “The Universalist Myth,” ch. 20), will be left wanting more.  Each chapter would have benefited from a short “for further reading” section to point students thirsting for deep study or in need of further help.  However, the book is a good start for most students and a helpful encouragement as they begin their college careers.

—————

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the 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.”

1. Kids will be kids. Yes I know we should expect high school students to act “mature” and “grown-up” and all that jazz.  Trust me, I want for them to gain maturity perhaps more than most.  However, I also recognize that they’re still developing, young, adolescents.  This means they will be loud. Sometimes they’ll be very loud.  This means they’ll make poor decisions at times.  It means they’ll talk out of turn.  And it will means they may not listen to me when I speak (bummer).  I’ve resolved, as best a possible, to let them be their age and not to get upset at this.
2. “The currency of leadership is criticism.” I was encouraged my these words from our lead pastor last fall when I had received some negative feedback and thought it was worth quoting verbatim.  In July of 2004, as a first-year leadership staff member at summer camp, I wrote these words: “leading is lonely.” These words have proven to be true time and time again. But don’t lose heart!  Your motives will be questioned, your programs will be evaluated, and your skills will be doubted.  I fall asleep each night knowing I did my best and my motives were pure, regardless of what others think. “He who is faithful” is still faithful!
3. We still need the Scriptures. I’m lucky to have a group of students in which most have been involved with church for a while.  This means the’ve heard most of the stories and lessons since they were young.  Ask them a question, most of the time they can give you the correct answer. Once in a while they can tell you why that’s the correct answer.  Rarely can they show you from the Bible what it’s the correct answer. We need the Scriptures in our lives. Period. When everything changes, when we doubt, and when the waves of unorthodox doctrine come (Ephesians 4:14), the Scriptures provide a sure, reliable, and forever applicable foundation upon which to stand.
4. There’s always something else to do. When I started this job, a good friend (and youth minister) of mine joked with me about how I was going to fill up all the time in the week.  From day one, I’ve never lacked things to do. Some of this comes with the job: there’s always next week, next month, and next season to think about and plan for. Some of it comes with my personality: I can keep myself busy with projects, meetings, preparation, etc. The real task: staying busy with the truly important. Which brings me to the fifth and final lesson…
5. The tyranny of the urgent (or most fun) is still alive and well. Even the best plans of day long planning and long-range vision casting can quickly be swept off course with a simple conversation first thing in the morning. For me, I can struggle to work on what’s in the forefront of my mind and probably something fun (like a creative project) instead of what is what is really the best use of my time.  For example, I can always find time right now to work on a new promotional video, but typing out an email to my leaders (even a short email) can be put off.

I pray for personal growth over this next year.  The Lord has blessed our ministry this year and I pray he continues to do so.

What are you learning? Are there aspects of your job that surprise you? How does God use your vocation to grow you spiritually?

However, I had never read the work where it all began, until now.

Inspired by the 25th anniversary of the book, a republication of a revised edition (Colorado Springs, CO: Multnomah, 2011) that includes a group study guide, and a weekly “read-along” question and answer session with Piper on the web, I decided to give it a go.  (And, the book was cheap, about $10 on Amazon and lest at Desiring God.)  I got behind schedule with the read-along, but was able to watch the videos at a later date to hear Piper speak personally about the chapters and answer questions from students and readers.  (You can see a picture of the title page of one chapter that includes my summary notes and notes from Piper’s answers from the video.)

It’s hard to agree with 100% of anything you read, and Desiring God was no exception.  (Although, who am I to argue against someone as well-read, studied, and influential as John Piper?)  However, I enjoyed the experience and the book was excellent.  Here are five reasons why, in my opinion, it was not only popular among my friends in college, but so influential on many of their lives.

1. Desiring God is scriptural. By this, I mean the book is bathed in the word of God.  It’s hard to find a page that doesn’t include a quotation, reference, or allusion to a biblical passage.  I’m not even talking about a random scattering of “proof-texts” to support ideas.  Several sections of the book felt like extended discourse on particularly important portions of Scripture.  The index includes references to biblical citations from 53 of the 66 books of the Bible (and 24 of the 27 from the New Testament; excluding only Philemon and 2 and 3 John).  Listening to Piper in the videos was the same way; he breathed the Scriptures.  While in college, I used to wonder how people were able to do this, but now I know: they spend considerable time studying, reading, thinking, meditating, praying, and teaching the word.  Do anything this much, and it sinks in.  Now there’s something to emulate from a leader.
2. Desiring God is varied. Each chapter covers a new dimension to understanding Piper’s purpose to persuade the reader that “The chief end of man is to glorify God by enjoying Him forever,” (p. 18).  Piper explains his purpose, his background, and his justification for his position as a “Christian Hedonists.” (The book also includes a defense of using this terminology.)  Then, Piper “unpacks” how this conviction works in the arenas of, for example, worship (ch. 3), Scripture (ch. 5), prayer (ch. 6), money (ch. 7), marriage, (ch. 8), and suffering (ch. 10).  This variety of relevant topics makes the book a helpful resources, especially for a college student learning how to live a biblical worldview.
3. Desiring God is deep. It’s not a book you can leisurely read in an rocking chair while listening to Mumford and Sons.  It requires engagement, it requires effort, and it requires reflection. For me, reading it required a red pen (that went a little crazy at time), and a flat surface to enable note taking within the book.  As a high school student, I probably despised literature that made me think.  As a college student, I longed for something a book that engaged my soul.  This book does just that.  You probably will not understand everything you read in it (at least I don’t), but that’s the value and reason of learning.
4. Desiring God is powerful. The combination of Scripture, relevance, difficulty, and the fact of Piper’s breadth of knowledge and heart for God, makes it a strikingly powerful book.  The reader is challenged in areas of their life from how they think about conversion to what they (or don’t) spend their money on to how they think about worldwide missions.  To come away from this book without at least a sense of awe of how God is working in the lives of his people and how he desires to be working in our lives is only to evidence the lack of true reading.  Books change people, and good books really change people.  This book has the potential to be very influential (which it was for several I know).
5. Desiring God is joyful. The topic of joy is a consistent and meanginful theme throughout the book.  Remember, the book is written to convince you that “The chief of end of man is to glorify God by enjoying Him forever.”  Joy is the central tenant of what it means to find satisfaction and pleasure in God.  This is not a book written by a saint who is saddened by his life of service and sacrifice.  Nor is it a book by an author who is arrogant of his position on the Christian life.  It is a joyful expression of a deep, growing, and powerful relationship with the one who gives all good things (James 1:17) and the author of “Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4).  Even a chapter that encourages a heart of “frontier missions” as the “battle cry of Christian Hedonism” is not a dull expression of guilt but a joyful desire to see Matthew 24:14, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations,” and Revelation 5:9, “and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.”

I hope you can give this book the time and energy it asks to dive deep into its words.  It’s worth the journey.

Have you read Desiring God? What was most helpful?  Did you struggle with particular points?

Morrow outlines three resources for the process of spiritual formation.  Here is a summary of his discussion and the relevant scriptural passages he cites in support.

God’s Word
The Scriptures are an essential resource for growth.  Through the Bible we are renewed (Romans 12:1–2), given the truth about Christ and following him, and equipped for good works (2 Timothy 3:16–17).  The Scriptures guides and lights our path (Psalm 119:105), act within our experience (Hebrews 4:12), give us stability in a changing world (Ephesians 4:12–15), and lead us to spiritual maturity (1 Peter 2:2–3).

God’s Spirit
The Spirit of the God who dwells in the hearts of believers, and the third person of the Trinity, is our promised helper (John 14:17), and the “down payment” of the life to come (Ephesians 1:14).  The Spirit is not a “force,” but a person.  Morrow is correct when he says, “There is no spiritual formation if there is no activity of the Holy Spirit,” (p. 223).

God’s People
Morrow writes, “The Christian life is not to be pursued in isolation,” (p. 223).  I might say “the Christian life can not be pursuied in isolation.”  We are given spiritual gifts, not to bolster your pride, but to “build up the body of Christ,” (Ephesians 4:12).  Paul praised the Philippians for their “partnership in the gospel” (Philippians 1:5).  From the moment the Holy Spirit endwelled believers in Acts 2, the body of Christ, the community of believers has operated together.  Take advantage of how God designed this process to work!

How do you see these three resources for spiritual formation working in your life?