Pursuing God: A Seeker's Guide

Review by Michael A.G. Haykin
Principal, Toronto Baptist Seminary

This small work of eleven brief chapters is an ideal book to give to men and women who are truly seeking to know God. In very simple terms, Jim Elliff, President of Christian Communicators Worldwide, presents the essentials of the Christian gospel, especially its diagnosis of the human predicament, namely, our bondage to sin, and the only truly lasting solution, simple faith in the crucified Christ. The outline of a twenty-one day study of the Gospel of John is included as biblical confirmation of the teaching of the book A truly excellent evangelistic tool. Further tools can be found in the discussion guide for the book at wwwCCWonline.org and Elliff's website for seekers and their questions at www.WayToGod.org.

Pursuing God: A Seeker's Guide

This book is exactly what the title suggests—a guide for seekers who have an interest in learning more about God, Christ, and Christianity. With warmth and simplicity, Jim Elliff presents the issues that must be considered for an essential relationship with Christ. Written with the modern reader in mind, it is a remarkable achievement that briefly and solidly presents the gospel.

The quality of this work is reflected in three ways. First, its brevity and straightforward simplicity make it readable for young and old alike. Second, it is written in a personal manner, as if the author is in a conversation with the reader. Finally, its most important strength is the faithful content and biblical integrity of the book.

The central issues of the gospel are discussed in eleven chapters, beginning with the fact that a seeker must realize who God is and what He requires as the Creator. The first two chapters set forth man's true spiritual condition—every person is spiritually dead, blind, lost, condemned, and completely helpless to change his position before God. Subsequent chapters address important gospel themes, such as God's wrath toward sinners, the certainty of death, and the second coming of Christ as Judge.

The emphasis begins to change in chapter seven, which speaks of the power of the gospel to change lives. The power of the gospel is applied by way of illustration in chapter nine to the rampant sexual immorality destroying our culture, with the gospel being set forth as the only true solution to the power of lust. Chapters nine and ten then deal with the gospel duties of repentance and saving faith in a manner that is simple enough to be understood by the youngest reader.

The final chapter is practical direction for the seeker who has become a believer, encouraging such important steps as Bible reading, prayer, fellowship with other believers, and witnessing. The book concludes with a guided twenty-one-day journal exercise through John's Gospel.

I warmly commend the use of this excellent book. It is a superb, practical evangelistic tool that is as good as anything I have seen in print for a modern pagan who is interested in Christianity but knows nothing about the Bible or the gospel.

This terrific little book gets our vote for the best new evangelistism tool to come along this year. The reader is invited to engage the truth, not merely read about it and ponder — like so many other books. Truly a book for 21st century evangelism. An editor's choice.