...but just wanted to say that You can change: God's transforming power for our sinful behaviour and negative emotions, Tim Chester's new book, is exceptionally good and may just be my book of the year so far. I read it very quickly, but I think it is best read slowly so I'm going to do that with the extra material on the IVP website.
You really should buy it now.
I've tried a few times to adequately put down a paragraph long review but don't feel like I am doing it justice. So I will brutalise Paul Tripp's endorsement:
This book is 'brutally honest'. It is real not just in Tim being honest about his struggles to change, but in forcing you to be honest about your own heart and motives both to change and to sin. You cannot sit on the sidelines when reading this book.
This book is also 'carefully theological'. Not in a dry or detached way. It is soaked in the bible and theology because of a conviction that it is truth that will set us free. Change comes through hearing the word and believing it.
And finally, this book is 'gloriously hopeful' because it shows that you can change. Not on your own strength, not easily, and not completely this side of death, but certainly because of God's promises.
If there was just one thing I will take away from this first reading it is that if I am serious about change then I have to be serious about confessing to, loving and engaging with the Christian community I am a part of. A community deeply involved in each others lives and itself is changing is the best place to change personally.
Anyway...
Dave Bish has already reviewed it, and liked it so don't believe me, believe him. Also read extracts and endorsements here and here.
Here is a video of Tim introducing the book:
Finally, I will just add that it hasn't come as a surprise to me that this book is so good. I have read most of Tim Chester's output and it has all been brilliant. Other titles I will happily recommend you read include:
- The Busy Christians Guide to Busyness
- Delighting in the Trinity
- Good News to the Poor
- The Gospel-Centred Church (co-authored with Steve Timmis)
- From Creation To New Creation: Understanding the Bible Story
- The Message of Prayer (Bible Speaks Today Series)
- ...I still need to read Total Church which he co-authored with Steve Timmis. It's sitting on my shelf.
- Oh yes, I shouldn't forget The World We All Want: A Course on How the Bible Really Works which I'm currently going through with a friend and is so far proving a hit.
You can buy them all from his Amazon.co.uk store here.
Happy reading.... now back to the OU study I should be doing.
