Review: Tim Challies - The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment
Apr 29th, 2008 by Michael Krahn
Tim Challies is finally putting words down on paper. The Oakville, Ontario author is better known as a prolific and widely-read blogger and chronicler of various Christian conferences than a book author. Making a successful transition from blogger to published author is, so far, a rare occurrence but one that seems natural for bloggers who think of themselves as serious writers in training.
In The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment, Challies wears his influences on his sleeve, quoting Evangelical theologians and pastors like Albert Mohler, John Piper, J.I. Packer, and John MacArthur. If the aforementioned authors are familiar to you, you are almost guaranteed to find this a useful book.
Challies wisely avoids explicit prescriptions and lists of what is allowable or off-limits for Christians. Instead, he works and reworks the passages of scripture that teach the principles of discernment in an effort to show readers how to discern for themselves. This strategy is more likely to ensure both the timelessness and prolonged usefulness of this book.
In ten balanced chapters, he develops his subject well; exploring various aspects of discernment and providing practical strategies for applying what is learned. “Where evangelism is a gift that is offensive in nature, taking the battle to new regions,” he says, “discernment is a defensive gift that protects the ground that has already been taken.”
The last chapter of the book – The Practice of Discernment – is especially useful as a summary of the book and an action plan for discernment. In addition, a study guide is included at the back of the book which makes it a good resource for bible studies and small groups.
You can read Tim Challies’ blog and order his book at www.Challies.com
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