WHAT CHRISTIANS BELIEVE
By Jonathan Gould
Christian Focus. 224 pages. £7.99
ISBN 978 1 845 509 224
The author has set out to write a clear presentation of what Christians believe, for the benefit of new Christians and interested non-Christians. His approach is personal and engaging, as he is clearly aiming to urge people to put their faith in Jesus as Saviour.
In nine chapters, he looks at what God is like and why he made us, common mistakes in trying to relate to God, the person of Jesus and what is claimed for him, and how faith relates to facts. Next come two chapters on ‘What’s gone wrong with the world?’ and ‘Does God care?’ The central issue of the book is, ‘How can I know God?’. He deals with this in two chapters: one on Jesus’s conversation with Nicodemus, and the other on Peter’s Pentecost sermon. The book closes with an account of Zachaeus’s conversion.
The book is well written and conversational. Gould works hard to engage with and interest modern readers. Each chapter ends with a helpful Q&A session with ‘Jack & Jill,’ two modern day enquirers. There is helpful emphasis on the need of the reader to engage personally with Jesus Christ, through a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit.
Not each subject receives the same depth of treatment. Eternal punishment was mentioned, but would have benefited from slightly more prominence. The chapter on Jesus was an excellent overview of his person, and probably about the right length. By contrast, some of the middle chapters could have been more concise.
This book is worth a look. It would give Christians helpful insights in communicating the gospel to non-Christians. For evangelistic use it might be a bit wordy, but if a keen non-Christian wanted to understand the Christian message, they would be helped by reading this book.
Adam Laughton,
team leader & church planter, Gateway Project, Gravesend
