Worldliness: Resisting the Seduction of a Fallen World by C. J. Mahaney
My review
rating: 5 of 5 stars
I CAN'T RECOMMEND THIS BOOK ENOUGH!!!!!!!
If there is a better book, talk, or movie on this subject, I've yet to ever hear of it. I'm still processing a lot of what I read in this book (which I will be blogging about at a later date) but God has used this book to expose my heart's desire for worldliness that I never knew exsisted.
Here's what I like about this book and what makes it different from most (if not all) on this subject. It is written with humility, is full of grace, and saturated with Scripture. If you are looking for a book that gives you the "approved listening, watching, and buying list for Christians", get another book because you're not going to find that here.
This book deals with the heart, exposes the wordliness inside of it, and by God's grace leads you through the process (notice not quick fix, but PROCESS) of tuning your heart to live a life centered by the cross of Christ.
I can't think of a better book for personal reading, small group discussion, for congregational reading, or a resource to give to another brother or sister that is struggling with this issue as you are in some way.
The people that God has brought together in Sovereign Grace Ministries are a blessing to me. I love that this book isn't authored by just one person, but rather is authored by several men who are in all kinds of different pastoral ledership situations. They are real with their sin and allow you to see the worldliness that still rests in their heart. This book is raw, honest, humbling, loving, and full of grace.
I will be buying a bunch of these books to hand out to folks in hopes that God would cultivate more of Himself in the people that explore this issue in their hearts. Thanks C.J. for your putting this project together, your humility, leadership, love for Jesus, and a great resource!
View all my reviews.
Posts
A La Carte (February 24)
4 hours ago
4 comments:
You might find the following blogs about SGM of interest:
www.sgmrefuge.cm
www.sgmsurvivors.com
They tell about another side of SGM.
Hope this helps.
Steve
Hi Steve!
Welcome to my seldom visited blog.
I have seen these sites before and have spent a good amount of time reading the hurt these people are carrying with them. Who wouldn’t be troubled by some of the stories that are being shared on the sites? But, just as you have pointed out in your note on my blog, I would also point out that there is another side to the stories that are shared on the above listed sites.
The blogosphere can be a very dangerous place, as there is not any accountability for the things that we put out here. I would encourage you to do a little more digging, however, before throwing links to various blogs. There is another side to most stories, and I would say that your blog entry on Larry Tomczak is a perfect example. You have done an excellent job in sharing one side of the story, but I would encourage you to seek the other side as much as you have sought the side that you are quoting.
I have absolutely no desire to get into a blog “argument” with anybody. Everybody is welcome here as long as they can present themselves as someone who has spent time in both study and thought in articulating their POV. Randomly posting links like the ones you have posted on my site can be dangerous without follow up discussion (no matter when the subject is).
BTW, I couldn’t find your profile? Where are you from?
Blessings!
I am not sure why you are saying posting these links is "dangerous." I am sure there are two sides of a story. If just a portion of these stories are correct then something must be quite wrong with the culture at SGM.
I am glad that you have at least looked through them.
I have a profile up. I live in MD.
I would submit that these types of links and stories are dangerous because it's not a dialogue. Anytime biased information is distributed, and there is no dialogue or an opportunity to tell the other side, people are left to have just one side of the story in their minds which evolves into truth.
As with anytime you are dealing with flawed and sinful human beings you’re going to have issues. There is no doubt in my mind that their pain and heartache is real. But how do we know that there are not details which have not been shared that would suggest that they are not a victim of anything but their own sin? That they are the ones that put themselves in such a position, and it’s those actions and decisions that have brought them to this place? How do we know that everything that is being shared is accurate is not exaggerated? If somebody from SGM, or the pastors mentioned in these notes, were to come out and share the other side of the story, would that be appropriate? I would submit absolutely not!
So I’m left to wonder what the value is of these sites. True healing does not come by posting a blog of your situation. How do I know this? Because the Bible gives us the roadmap of how to do this and these sites are not it.
Again, I’m not saying that everybody in SGM is perfect, nor am I saying that every pastor has done everything “right”. But to say that these sites represent “the other side of SGM” suggests that all the information is true and accurate and I know that is certainly not the case here. Maybe some of the stories are true, but even if they are this is not the biblical way to handle such matters. To say that this is the “other side” of the entire movement of Sovereign Grace is the same as these experiences happening at Baptist church that is part of the SBC and saying that this is the behind the scenes side of how the entire SBC operates.
Again, all said in love and grace. Blessings!
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