Review: The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith

The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith by Timothy Keller
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I thank the Lord for Timothy Keller's passionate exploration of Jesus' famed parable. This was the book that got then anti-christian me back on track again. Having grown up in church, I was all too familiar with the elder brother types and could relate so very well to the younger brother. Only then did I realise in my hatred of the elder brother types, I took was just as legalistic and lost.

Most of us would have never heard this well known parable being taught before in this light.

I highly recommend this book! In fact this is highly likely to be my book of choice whenever I am have the privilege to disciple a person. I hope that the grace of the prodigal father would touch and change the hearts of the lost sons out there - whether they be like the older or the younger son in the parable.

Buy a few copies if you must! And journey together chapter by chapter (or two by two chapters) with your small group. I have not had the opportunity to review it, but I do know that Keller has a resource that is catered to the small group setting. It is titled "The Prodigal God Discussion Guide with DVD."

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Review: Center Church: Doing Balanced, Gospel-Centered Ministry in Your City

Center Church: Doing Balanced, Gospel-Centered Ministry in Your City by Timothy Keller
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Rather than propose a culture-specific quick-fix model, Keller communicates a theological vision across various ministry settings to balance the three axes of gospel, city and movement (p23-24). For him, the reading of Scripture is less about “what I must do” and more about “what he has done.” (p78). Keller skilfully uses secular narratives to illustrate biblical truths. For example, utilising C. S. Lewis’ analogy of Hamlet’s relating to Shakespeare and Dorothy Sayer’s writing of herself into the story to save Lord Peter Wimsey to illustrate divine revelation (34-35).

Keller emphasises that the Center Church movement is “not a formula,” (p39) and repeatedly calls church planters and pastors to hold opposite theological positions in tension. For example, an “evangelical-charismatic church” (p47) that draws on both the Systematic Theological and the Redemptive Historical Methods. Keller maintains that a church that truly understands the implication of the biblical gospel will look like an unusual hybrid of various church forms and stereotypes. Because of the inside-out, substitutionary atonement aspect, the "evangelical-charismatic church" will place great emphasis on personal conversion, experiential grace renewal, evangelism, outreach and church planting (p85).

When I first read this book in my first year of bible school (about 2-3 years ago), much of it went over my head and dismayed, I put the book down for a later time when I would be more theologically and spiritually astute to comprehend the rich theology, sociological concepts, and ministry/missional responses to secular culture. Keller’s extensive lists of recommended material reflect his thorough research. Throughout the book, he engages with the ideas of various thinkers and scholars; for example, Niebuhr in Chapter 16 and Bosch and Newbigin in Chapter 19.

A caveat therefore is that Keller’s exhaustive referencing and thorough development of substantives may intimidate the average pastor. Probably only the most “scholarly” of church leaders able to comprehend and persevere through. And for those that do, Keller hopes that they would be inspired and that the overwhelming task ahead would elicit a sense of humility (p382). Indeed, a gospel city movement cannot come about without the “providential work of the Holy Spirit” roots the pastors as to who is the chief engineer of revival – it is a work of God, not man’s (p373-374).

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Review: The Meaning of Marriage: Facing the Complexities of Commitment with the Wisdom of God

The Meaning of Marriage: Facing the Complexities of Commitment with the Wisdom of God by Timothy J. Keller
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It's quite comical and yet embarrassing how I discovered that I had read this book twice. I'd be so angry with my wife that I am unable to sleep, and so I see this book lying on my bookshelf and seek to read it to see what does the Kellers have to say to help me cool down. (The first time I got sleepy halfway went to bed straight after reading so I didn't remember much of it).

So this time I'm making sure I penned my brief thoughts down. Having had a keen interest on dating and attracting the opposite gender since my youth, I had read dozens of books on (biblical) manhood, dating (or not dating), courtship and marriage. I rate this title as one of best I have read - Gary Thomas' The Sacred Search, McDowell & Lewis' Givers, takers & other kinds of lovers, and Janssen's Your marriage masterpiece being the others I rate highly.

I was quite skeptical (as I would be about any Tim Keller book or sermon/lecture) - even though I cherish how my mentor journeyed with me through The Prodigal God and thus helped me gain an appreciation of the Gospel, receiving and extending grace - because of the many "fanboys" I know who irritatingly quote Keller a tad too often. So I was surprised to have found the book to be an easy yet enriching read - simple enough for the lay person to understand, yet profound enough for the scholarly types to engage in some theological wrestling.

The Kellers ground the content with a responsible exposition of Scripture, and Tim does what he does best - contexualise the theological truths and providing brilliant illustrations to help the readers better understand them clearly. Sometimes the Kellers provide a personal account of their own marriage on the topic, but always we are presented the opportunity to evaluate how we measure up God's invitation to his design for marriage (or singlehood). I heartily recommend this book - both to the married and unmarried - and regard this as a 6 star title.

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Keller on the effect of quick programs on new converts

I am compelled to reflect on my own christian walk as to whether it is a desire to submit to the Lordship of Christ, or if it stems from a desire of seeking my own will be done and demanding that my prayers be answered. Without a weekly exposition of Scripture, and a platform to faithfully apply the principles of the text as a community, we are but a sorry lot - bending the meaning of the original biblical author to try and bring about temporary moralistic behaviour change. Church membership, while it is a new concept to me, seems to be something that I think would be good for me to embark on a journey toward a formation of my heart condition to be more like my Creator's.

From Page 57 of Center Church  

Our truth-allergic, experience-addicted populace wants transformation but doesn't want the loss of freedom and control associated with submitting to authority within a committed community. Many "converts" seem to make decisions for Christ but soon lose their enthusiasm because they are offered quick programs for follow-up and small group fellowship rather than a lifelong, embodied experience of community. Many churches do not even have a process for becoming a member. As a result, converts' lives are often not visibly different from those in the culture around them. The older, more communal processes of traditional churches are better at bringing about a more thorough transformation of life.

Review: Worship by the Book

Worship by the Book by D.A. Carson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I thoroughly thoroughly enjoyed this book. Having grown up in a charismatic tradition and having recently discovered the whole new world (yes reference to Aladdin) of reformed theology, I was so very enriched to learn of carefully thought through worship service sequences. Carson's excellent opening chapter on "worship under the word" sometimes were beyond my understanding, but it is going to be something i will refer to, time and time again, so to better catch a glimpse of how worship could be like before we pass into eternity.

When I have to do spring cleaning of my books, this is definitely one that I will keep for a long time. A absolutely helpful resource, especially for decision makers in churches, both old established ones and new church-plants.

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Wilkinson and Keller on the unconverted "Christian"

I was reading two different authors (Bruce Wilkinson and Timothy Keller) write about the topic of "revival." I came on this fascinating notion of the unconverted "Christian." The realisation that we are living so far off the marks calls us to humble repentance for wanting our wills done in our spiritual journey. Perhaps we have yet to be converted?


From Page 438 of The Seven Laws of the Learner

"Many teachers assume that their students already are Christians and become 'children of God, to those who believe in his name' (John 1:12). Many teachers assume that their students already are Christians because they come from a good family, or appear to be Christians, or attend Christian institutions.

Would it not be wise, therefore to present the plan of salvation at appropriate moments during our teaching? Some teachers take this responsibility so seriously that they visit their students individually to determine their spiritual condition and present the gospel."


And from Page 60 of Center Church

"it is possible (even common) for a person to be baptised, to be an active member of the church, to subscribe to all biblical doctrines, and to live according to biblical ethics, but nonetheless to be wholly unconverted... conversion and spiritual renewal, not only for those outside the church, but also for those inside the church. Some need to be converted from clear unbelief; other needs to see, to their surprise, that they've never been converted; still others need to sense their spiritual stagnation.

Keller on why modern Christians lives lack testimony

I was compelled to reflect about the importance of a formal membership process to a closely knit gospel community.

A person may have said "the sinner's prayer", and perhaps even completely understood the implications of what he had uttered. However, there may be a disconnect between the worldviews of the modern-thinking generation of baby boomers, and the postmodern-thinking millennials. To assume that the youth or young adult will fully trust his assigned church leader/discipler with the respect as the "Lord's anointed" is perhaps an intellectual step of faith.

I believe that I am leaning more toward the practice of discipline to come after formal membership and discipleship, the latter of which goes beyond a structured series of lessons on doctrine. Man-made programs are powerless to make a Christian out of a sinner. We are less interested in being told what the bible says or how we should live, but would be compelled to imitate somebody who models a lifestyle that is synonymous to the faith he professes. I suggest that the cry of every person's heart is for discipleship by an authentic spiritual father.

Furthermore, possibly the way to see the lives of Christians more closely aligned with Christ's lies in a pursuit of the community of the Acts 2 church. Then there probably would not need to be an painful cajoling or arrowing of unwilling members to do anything for the church or for the gospel.


From Page 57 of Center Church

"Our truth-allergic, experience-addicted populace wants transformation but doesn't want the loss of freedom and control associated with submitting to authority within a committed community. Many "converts" seem to make decisions for Christ but soon lose their enthusiasm because they are offered quick programs for follow-up and small group fellowship rather than a lifelong, embodied experience of community. Many churches do not even have process for becoming a member. As a result, converts' lives are often not visibly different from those in the culture around them."

Keller on Theologically-driven Ministry

"Gospel-centered ministry is more theologically driven than program driven. To pursue it, we must spend time reflecting on the essence, the truths, and the very patterns of the gospel itself."

From page 28 of Center Church

Carson on how Keller preaches

Carson comments on his good friend's Keller's preaching style in (Time 34:35 to 36:09) of
Introduction to Systematic Theology:

...one of the things that Tim Keller is constantly doing: (well people have different strengths of course; people have different priorities in their preaching). There are some preachers who instantly gravitate toward biblical theology and trace out the bible story lines, draw the thing out and tie together with a nice bow. And you see the whole thing put together beautifully and you think, this is fantastic! Isn't God wonderful?

That's not what Tim Keller does.

What Tim Keller does is focus on something central in the text that he's looking, at and then masses it within the structure of biblical thought on that theme in order to address the present day age. He is always thinking synthetically and apologetically.

I'm not saying that's a bad way to preach, I'm saying that's not the only way to preach. One of the things that happens in the gospel coalition is amongst speakers both men and women who are given the responsibility to expound on the word of God, we look for people who try to handle the word well, who have diversities of style and emphases and so on.

The only reason I'm mentioning Tim is not because he is necessarily the best or the worst, but because he gravitates in his preaching toward moving from the text to the big synthesis to the application very quickly, and then spends alot of his time there. You see? That's characteristic of the way he thinks and preaches. That's one of the better functions of systematic theology.

Keller on not picking and choosing bible passages

I love how Keller presents how we should treat the bible as a grand narrative (in comparison to using individual passages to teach on topics/lessons you desire to convey).

Excerpt (in verbatim) of his exposition of Nehemiah 3-4 titled "Laboring for a God Who Fights for Us" From 5:03 to 6:05
Laboring for a God Who Fights for Us

That means that the bible ultimately is one story. It is not just a bunch of little stories, though it is in a sense. But it is one large story, there is one large narrative arc. And everything in the bible because it's all written by a divine author behind the human author, is moving and pointing along on that arc.

In this case, here's what we know. We know that this Nehemiah... is pointing to the ultimate Nehemiah. That is, the ultimate one who was in the palace, completely safe, had it made, and who left all of that and went out into danger, to identify with his people. And of course, Jesus Christ the ultimate Nehemiah, not doing that at the risk of his life but at the cost of his life... And what did he come to do? Essentially to make us citizens of the ultimate city.