Book Review - Basics for Believers

Basics for believers
DA Carson
IVP (130 pages)

Wow! – don’t let the title put you off this book. How often in the Christian life do we need to be reminded of the basics? I heard Carson say at a conference recently that he would far rather be writing something to feed the souls of believers than refuting error and dodgy doctrine. And here he does it. Carson covers the basics without being basic. This is warm and nourishing, and at the same time searching and challenging.

‘Basics for Believers’ is a study of Philippians. There is near enough a chapter for each of the four chapters of Philippians, but it is not a book to be read a chapter at a time, much less the whole book in one sitting. It is a book to be read slowly – each chapter is split up into sections and I found that each section had enough meat in it to provide food for thought for each day.

Carson’s writing is packed full of biblical wisdom and insight. This is a cross and Christ centred book, which will give you a deeper appreciation of the transforming power of the Gospel. His two final chapters on ‘Emulate worthy Christian leaders’ and resolutions to help us never to give up the Christian life are particularly good.

(NB - The link in the Blog-title is to the Baker edition, Amazon don't seem to caught up with the change in publishers yet)