Product Description

Six of today’s leading pastor-theologians—John Piper, Voddie Baucham, D. A. Carson, Tim Keller, Mark Driscoll, and David Wells—have joined together to offer Christians a practical, biblical vision of Christ’s supremacy, so they will be better prepared to present the undeniable truth to a searching society. After grounding readers in the important truths of Christ’s deity and the gospel, The Supremacy of Christ in a Postmodern World strives to help believers understand how to share these truths in a postmodern society. As readers begin to apply the lessons from this book, they will gain a practical, biblical vision of ministry for the twenty-first century.

“Many would have us believe that life is hopelessly fragmented and truth an elusive dream. The authors of this book beg to differ and enthusiastically point us to the cohesive centrality and absolute supremacy of Jesus Christ. Having heard these messages live at the 2006 Desiring God National Conference, I’m thrilled to see them now in print. Highly recommended!”
Sam Storms, founder, Enjoying God Ministries

“Over the past decade evangelicals have been divided over how to respond to the challenges of postmodernism. The options—which have ranged from naïve denial to unquestioned embrace—tend to suffer from the same fatal flaw: putting the emphasis on culture rather than Christ. This collection corrects that error by providing a fresh perspective that is pastorally sensitive and biblically sound. A timely, well-reasoned book that should be enthusiastically welcomed by the evangelical community.”
Joe Carter, blogger at www.evangelicaloutpost.com; Director of Communications, Family Research Council

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #37613 in Books
• Published on: 2007-11-02
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 192 pages

Customer Reviews

Christ above all
This book is edited by John Piper and Justin Taylor and has some topnotch Reformed pastor/theologians contributing: David Wells, Voddie Baucham, D. A. Carson, Tim Keller, Mark Driscoll, and John Piper.It is a great addition to the library of anyone who wants to put Christ above all things in this postmodern world. At the end of the book there are two different discussions lead by Justin Taylor that help even more to flesh out their theology particularly in regards to the emergent church. The book has good insights and though deep it is very readable and not just pie in the sky but gives practical insights into how to transform our culture.

Collection of essays to make you think
The whole collection of essays could easily be summarized in Voddie Baucham's statement on page 62: "Christ is 'before all things.' Why did you choose your last job? Was it because of the supremacy of Christ in truth as it relates to your purpose for existing? Or was it because it paid you more than the job you had before? Pastor, how did you choose your current church? Was it because of a pursuit of the supremacy of Christ in truth in all things, even as it relates to your pastoral purpose? Or was it because this position is a little more prestigious than your last one? All things were made through him and for him. That means my life, my family, my ministry--everything that makes up who I am--must be characterized by a commitment to the preeminence of Christ."

Definitely Baucham's essay was my favorite, but there were excellent viewpoints, from Piper's 10-step process of doctrinally based joy to former Emergent pastor Mark Driscoll's thought-provoking look at "Gospel Theologizing and Contextualizing." This book has a number of quality nuggets to make the reader think, and I think the journey necessitates my highest rating.

A Blessed and Memorable Event
Something that still vividly sticks in my mind out of attending 2006 Desiring God National Conference, where this book is a collection of the speakers' lecture, is what Pastor Voddie Baucham spoke about. He said when asked by college students that he works with, usually in a cavalier manner, after taking intro to philosophy class, "If God is so loving, why all the evil in this world? (paraphrased)," he replied, "That's the wrong question to ask. The right question to ask is, 'Why did God, despite your sinfulness and rebellion against him, not strike you dead in your sleep?" after which I almost shouted, "Amen, brother!" I thoroughly enjoyed his unashamed, stinging, blatantly and brutally honest talk.

With this said, I by no means diminish the weight of other speakers' topic. Dr. Wells solemnly warned about diluting the gospel and treating it like a marketable commodity. What he covered seems to be the highlights of a greater analysis of the threat of postmodernity and his confidence of the gospel that will prevail in the end, in his book "Above All Earthly Powr's: Christ in a Post-Modern World."

Though I sense being the audience of the conference is more edifying than reading the speakers' texts, I believe the readers would still be greatly benefited, by the call from these evangelical leaders to persevere and not lose heart, as what Dr. Well's wrote as the closing statement in his book,

"Indeed, it is entirely unnecessary to even think about overcoming the post-modern world because it has already been overcome in its sin. It is only ours to see the victory of Christ on the Cross being realized afresh in the actual circumstances of our time. That will happen when the Church humbles itself afresh, seeks the power and cleansing of God, and asks to have its vision renewed of the victory of Christ and to see, once again, his greatness. So may it be!"