Reviewed by: Connor Salter, Professional Writing student at Taylor University, Upland, IN.

Introduction

Book Title: The Magnificent Journey: Living Deep in the Kingdom

Author: James Bryan Smith

Publisher: InterVarsity Press

Publication Date: November 2018

Format: Hardcover

Length: 174 pages

OVERVIEW

“As human beings we are naturally drawn to that which is easy,” James Bryan Smith says in the first chapter of this book. But it doesn’t fulfill us. What ends up fulfilling us is what Smith calls “the magnificent journey,” a journey that involves surrendering to Christ every day and viewing our lives in the context God shows us. Smith outlines the key spiritual disciplines that we need to understand to live this kind of life.

Sometimes the key things people need to know to grow spiritually aren’t things that no one has discovered yet, just things that few people have really pursued. Here, Smith collects those key ideas, ones which many mature Christians have probably heard in bits and pieces from different people, and brings them together into one place. He explains these ideas well, and perhaps just as importantly, he describes them in an intelligent way. Too many theology books go for a simplistic “handbook to a better you” approach that makes them helpful but boring. Smith on the other hand, doesn’t sacrifice depth. He writes with honesty, talking about challenges as well as blessings of the mature Christian life. He also uses various sources throughout, from biblical quotes to reflections on Christian paintings, appealing to many levels of readers’ mind.

ASSESSMENT

Rating (1 to 5 stars)

5 stars

Suggested Audience

Christian small groups seeking to study foundations of developing mature faiths, Christians seeking to develop deeper faith.

Christian Impact

This book will show people how to reach new levels of Christian maturity and keep growing throughout their lives.

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