There is no shortage of ideas about what the Church should be and what it should be doing, but which ideas are the correct ones? To uncover this important truth, DeYoung and Gilbert examine what the Scripture says about the Church. They also interact with key texts that speak about justice, poverty, and mission. While generally helpful, the work reads a bit dry in places and occasionally stalls from a noble yet inefficient desire for meticulousness.

The mission of the church is to go into the world and make disciples by declaring the gospel of Jesus Christ in the power of the Spirit and gathering these disciples into churches, that they might worship the Lord and obey His commands now and in eternity to the glory of God the Father. [62]

Non-Christians do not do “kingdom work.” The phrase “kingdom work” is confusing and nonbiblical and probably should be jettisoned, but even if we grant its use, we should at least be agreed that it cannot be applied to good things that non-Christians do. When a non-Christian does a good deed, it is most certainly good (at a certain level), and it is an instance of God’s common, evil-restraining grace on all mankind. It is a singular kindness of God that human beings are not as bad as we could be. But that those good works are “good” is all we can say about them. They are not “kingdom work” because they are not done in the name of the King. [112]

We must deliberately plan our financial lives so that we have extra left over to give to those in need. Don’t reap to the edge of your fields. And don’t spend all your money on yourself. Think of those who have less than you, and let some of your wealth slip through your fingers. In other words, don’t be stingy. [144]

You can make a good case that the church has a responsibility to see that everyone in their local church community is cared for, but you cannot make a very good case that the church must be the social custodian for everyone in their society. Christians are enjoined to do good to all people, but the priority is “especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Gal. 6:10). When we can’t do every good thing we want to do, this verse from Galatians tells us what to do first. [176]

If we improve our schools, get people off welfare, clean up the park, and plant trees in the neighborhood, but aren’t seeking to make disciples, we may “bless” our communities, but we’re not accomplishing the church’s mission. Ultimately, if the church does not preach Christ and Him crucified, if the church does not plant, nurture, and establish more churches, if the church does not teach the nations to obey Christ, no one else and nothing else will. [238]

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When faced with a need to replace old pew Bibles, DeYoung recommended the English Standard Version to his church. This booklet is the basis of his reasoning, and details why he prefers that version to others. Although any such arguments will naturally require a measure of academic comparison, DeYoung handles it in a generally approachable and meaningful manner. He highlights some of the main points of contention between translation philosophies, and argues convincingly for the ESV.

It must be stated unequivocally that the Lord in His sovereignty has used and will continue to use many different English translations to build up His church. This isn’t to say that all translations are the same or that it doesn’t matter which translation we use. It’s simply an acknowledgment that God’s Word is sufficiently communicated in many different translations in such a way that people can come to saving faith in Jesus Christ. [6]

There are millions of people who still do not have the Scriptures in a language they can understand and millions more who do not have the Bible in their heart language. How fortunate are English speakers who not only have 500 years of Bible translation history to rely on, but can choose from more than a dozen modern translations. Ours in an embarrassment of riches. [6]

Dynamic equivalent translations often don’t do justice to the artistry, meter, subtlety, multi-layeredness, and concreteness found in the literature of the Bible, especially in poetry. By aiming first of all of what a modern reader can grasp, dynamic equivalent translations undermine the literary nature of the Bible. [20]

To do careful preaching requires a more careful (i.e., more literal) text than the NIV. The other option is to frequently un-explain the English translation, which is a terrible habit. First, because it makes for laborious preaching. Second, because it leads people to think they need an “expert” in Greek or Hebrew to really explain the Bible. And third, because it causes people over time to come to their English Bibles with less confidence. [25]

Choosing a Bible translation is not a life or death decision, but it’s far from a minor issue either. The Bible we study, the Bible we study, the Bible used in our pulpits, the Bible read to our children is the Bible that will shape our vocabulary about God and even the way we think about God. [30] 

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This entry in the series of Gospel Coalition booklets highlights the person and work of the Holy Spirit. Much more than an impersonal, vague force that has little more than mystical effects on feelings, the Holy Spirit is God Himself, personally working in the lives of His people. Constrained by the format of this series, DeYoung nevertheless manages to convey several of the main ideas about the identity and activity of the Spirit within His church.

The Holy Spirit shares the same essence with the Father and the Son, and yet He is distinct from them. Simply put, the Holy Spirit is God, but the Holy Spirit is not the Father or the Son. He is His own divine person. [9]

Justification, reconciliation, redemption, adoption, sanctification, glorification—all these belong to us because of our union with Christ. In a mysterious, supernatural way that transcends spatial categories, Christ is in us by the Spirit that we might have communion with Christ and share in all His benefits. [14]

Baptism in the Spirit is something every Christian has experienced because every Christian has been born again and joined to Christ through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Baptism with the Spirit is nothing less than our union with Christ. The same Spirit first poured out at Pentecost now dwells in every believer, joining us to Christ and immersing us in all His benefits. [15]

The Bible expects that because God dwells in us by the Spirit, we can, by that same Spirit, begin to share in the qualities that are characteristic of God Himself. Of course there is still a fight within us. But with the Spirit there can be genuine progress and victory. The New Testament simply asks us to be who we are. [19]

Everyone is gifted by the Spirit for service. This means we can serve. It also means we must serve. Whether it’s within or without the walls of the church building, each of us must be working for the common good. Church is not like going to the movies. It’s more like being a soldier in an army. Every soldier needs to do his part, and munching popcorn while his fellow soldiers do battle in the foxhole doesn’t count. [21] 

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An excellent companion to last year’s Why We’re Not Emergent, DeYoung and Kluck thoughtfully examine the organized, institutionalized church and conclude that it is necessary and vital in a Christian’s life. They honestly discuss the church’s shortcomings (past and present) and detail many of the issues people have with organized church. Even with its flaws, they remind us, the visible church is bought by Christ and built by Christ, and His people must be in it. 

Do we assume police officers are worthless because we still have crime or parents are pointless because kids still do stupid things? Not at all. Why then do we assume that the existence of an unmet need or ongoing tragedy in the world is unassailable proof of the church’s failure? [41]

We shouldn’t think spontaneity equals spirituality. Why is a service considered more “Spirit-led” if the Spirit puts the service together on Sunday morning instead of Tuesday afternoon? Deviating from the script on Sunday is fine and at times clearly called for, but let’s not forget that there’s nothing wrong with calling on the Spirit to help us put together the script in the first place. [124]

No matter what the teachers of tickling ears say, we do have rules to follow. Jesus didn’t say if you love Me you’ll feel close to Me. He said if you love Me, you’ll keep My commandments. The church, as the gathering of those who love Jesus, should be pure, holy, loving, and true – both as an indication of our obedience and as a reflection of the character of God. [178]

Go to church. Don’t go for the coffee, the presentations, the music, or the amenities. Don’t even go for the feelings you may or may not get when you go because, no offense, these feelings may or may not be trustworthy most of the time. Go for the gospel. Go for the preaching. Go to be near to God’s Word. [196]

The goal is to grow in godliness. But the church will be full of sin so long as she is full of sinners – which is kind of the point I thought. It’s more than a little ironic that the same folks who want the church to ditch the phony, plastic persona and become a haven for broken, imperfect sinners are ready to leave the church when she is broken, imperfect, and sinful. [211] 

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Troubled by the growing trend among Christians (especially young men) toward indecisiveness, DeYoung has issued a poignant challenge: just do something. In this short book, DeYoung examines some common misconceptions about the will of God and how our decision-making should relate to our knowledge of it. At times, DeYoung can come across a bit brash, but it’s clear that he is writing from a genuine pastoral concern and desire to see Christians engage in God-honoring lives.

Our search for the will of God has become an accomplice in the postponement of growing up, a convenient out for the young (or old) Christian floating through life without direction or purpose. Too many of us have passed off our instability, inconsistency, and endless self-exploration as “looking for God’s will,” as if not making up our minds and meandering through life were marks of spiritual sensitivity. [15]

Passivity is a plague among Christians. It’s not just what we don’t do anything; it’s that we feel spiritual for not doing anything. We imagine that our inactivity is patience and sensitivity to God’s leading. At times it may be; but it’s also quite possible we are just lazy. [51]

God’s way is not to show us what tomorrow looks like or even to tell us what decisions we should make tomorrow. That’s not His way because that’s not the way of faith. God’s way is to tell us that He knows tomorrow, He cares for us, and therefore, we should not worry. [57]

The will of God for your life is pretty straightforward: Be holy like Jesus, by the power of the Spirit, for the glory of God. [62]

Wisdom is the difference between knowing a world-class biologist who can write your papers for you and studying under a world-class biologist so that you can write the kind of papers he would write. Too many of us want God to be the world-class scholar who will write our papers and live our lives for us, when God wants us to sit at His feet and read His Word so that we can live a life in the image of His Son. [93] 

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What is the emerging church movement? What place do they give to the Bible, faith, and Christ? DeYoung and Kluck share writing duties in the examination of all that is emergent, the former handling the play-by-play while the latter adding color commentary based on his experience and encounters with the emerging movement. The tone is thoughtful and often bold, but not abrasive. This book is a very well-researched effort to address a critical issue. Highly recommended.

There is a place for questions. There is a time for conversation. But there is also the possibility of certainty, not because we have dissected God like a freshman biology student dissects a frog, but because God has spoken to us clearly and intelligibly and has given us ears to hear His voice. [40]

We can wax eloquent about the beauty of the story and how the Scriptures read us, but unless people are convinced that the Bible is authoritative, true, inspired, and the very words of God, over time they will read it less frequently, know it less fully, and trust it less surely. [78]

The apostles never preached with the double-talk and ambiguity you find in so many emergent books. [109]

Where sin is the main problem we need a crucified Substitute. Where pain and brokenness are the main problems, we need to learn to love ourselves. God is no longer a holy God angry with sin, who, in His great mercy, sent His Son to die on our behalf so that divine justice might be satisfied. God becomes a vulnerable lover who opens Himself up to hurt and rejection in order to be with us because we are worth dying for. I have no doubt that this message will find a receptive audience, but it is not the message the apostles proclaimed and for which they died. Christians don’t get killed for telling people that God believes in them and suffers like them and can heal their brokenness. They get killed for calling sinners to repentance and proclaiming faith in the crucified Son of God as the only means by which we who were enemies might be reconciled to God. [194]

Jesus is more than a coping mechanism. We may desire sweet fellowship with a kind, caring Jesus, but if He is to help us in any real way, He must be more than a sensitive good listener – He must be strong, exalted, and mighty. [250]

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