Serious Times

In this deeply important and reflective book, White issues an urgent challenge to Christians to deepen their souls, develop their minds, follow God's call and be rooted in the local church so that they can live lives that matter. Serious times as ours call for Christians to take the times seriously and to be serious people so that we can make a difference in the world around us and advance God's kingdom. Every pastor and church member ought to read this book which is sure to challenge as well as encourage them. The four characteristics of serious Christians - who have deepened souls and developed minds and who follow God's call and are rooted in the local church - provide a helpful framework for local churches to develop programmes to equip Christians to help them make their lives count. This book is essential reading and highly recommended.

This is one of my favourite books. James Emery White focuses the need for Christians to understand their times and know how to respond. The book is divided into two sections. One is a brief overview of church history that demonstrates how important it is to understand ones culture and social environment. The second section looks at some ways to develop a relationship with God through purposeful living (eg. prayer, bible reading, reading books that encourage you to think). The author is very thorough and covers a lot of ground in this modest-sized book. I really appreciated the way he brings together many different aspects of life and focuses them on the goal of living for the glory of God. It is a challenging book but also encouraging. There are so many references that any particular point he makes draws from multiple sources, allowing for easy reference for further reading. It is a solid book, well written and of benefit to all Christians.