Review: Need to Know by Gary Millar
(Our church holds a regular book club where we aim to read good Christian books that encourage us in following Jesus).
Book Review by Elin.
Gary Millar has written a compact little book on what it means to live as a Christian. But compact and little does not mean it is not also deep, profound, and comprehensive. Whether you are a new Christian, a Christian struggling to see the way ahead, or have been on “a long obedience in the same direction” for a while, this book has much to offer.
From understanding who God is, to living with God, to knowing ourselves and being transformed, to living in community, and how we see the world, this book explains what your Christian walk can, and should look like.
You get a very real sense of the honour it is to live for Christ, as well as the responsibility involved. Gary shows that it is also hugely ennobling and deeply confronting. He does not blithely tell us this life will be easy and rosy. As he says, living as a Christian is not complicated, but it is hard. His honesty about the difficulty is refreshing. The roadmap you are given for what living for Christ looks like for your everyday life is Biblically sound. It is evident that he knows the Bible well, and is passionate that we, along with him, go all in on our Christian walk.
There is a lot to encourage us as well as instruct us . Yes, the Christian life might be hard, but Gary clearly shows us we are not alone; that we have help for the journey. This life shaped by the gospel is the life we were created for. It is the only life where we will one day receive a crown. So read this little gem and be encouraged to “fight the good fight, finish the race, and keep the faith.
Millar, J Gary. 2020. Need to Know: Your Guide to the Christian Life. UK, Good Book Company.