My initial thoughts upon picking up this book for the first time were, “What in the world could this possibly have for me?” Power struggles are not something I deal with, either in the church or in my own personal life, to any great degree. So I was less than enthused going into this book.
However, The Way Of The Dragon Or The Way Of The Lamb pricked my conscience in more ways than one, and brought me to a greater understanding of my own quests for power, versus seeking the power of God’s way, the way from above.
More than once, I had to set aside the book and do some soul searching and prayer. I found that I am tempted by the seduction of the world’s power just as much as the next guy, if not more. And this book spoke to my heart on that matter in a very deep way.
Authors Jamin Goggin and Kyle Strobel believe that the church has abandoned the higher way of power, that of God working through us, to embrace the world’s way of power, and working through our own strengths and achievements. The American church has been seduced by the world’s way, and we haven’t even realized it. Goggin and Strobel have identified this departure, and even though we would deny it, they have hit the nail right on the head.
In their search for wisdom in this area, they visited and interviewed several key people of the faith, living in these modern times, among them people such as Eugene Peterson, Dallas Willard and J. I. Packer. Their findings were difficult to read, but their solutions offer some hope that we can turn our hearts back to Christ, and seek the way from above as we strive to follow his lead in shepherding the church.
I found The Way Of The Dragon Or The Way Of The Lamb to be a refreshing, yet challenging book, and one that spoke to my heart in ways that I didn’t expect. It has opened my eyes to a reality I never knew existed, even in my own heart. I highly recommend that you read it, too.
Ratings & Details For The Way Of The Dragon Or The Way Of The Lamb:
- Genre/Style: Christian Living
- Purpose/Premise: 10 of 10 stars
- Spiritual Content: 10 of 10 stars
- Readability/Flow: 8 of 10 stars
- Cover: 10 of 10 stars
- Overall Rating: 9 of 10 stars
Question: Have you ever stopped to consider the nature of power in the Christian life, and whether that power is from above or below? You can leave a comment by clicking here.
I received this book free from Harper Collins Christian Publishing as part of their BookLook Bloggers review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.