Book Review - Pursuing God

Pursuing God - A Seeker’s Guide is a book for those who are drawn to God and yearn to understand more about Him. Intended as a tool for evangelism, it is written in a warn and conversational style. Over sixty pages, author Jim Elliff, president of Christian Communicators Worldwide, leads the reader through the all-important questions and answers in what is a clear and biblical presentation of the gospel.

I took me only a couple of pages to realize that I was going to like this book. On page seven Elliff asks, “What does God think of me?” So many Christians are afraid to address this question from a biblical perspective for fear of driving people away. But Elliff answers, “The answer to this question may surprise you - and disappoint you. But the disappointment is necessary. If you do not fully understand the awful predicament that sin puts you in, you may never appreciate Christ’s coming, death and resurrection enough to become a Christian.” Later he says, “Nobody was ever converted to Christ without knowing, and feeling deeply, the terribleness of sin and his or her desperate need for Christ.”

What follows is an, old-fashioned, out-of-style, non-seeker-friendly presentation of the gospel - the full gospel. Elliff follows Francis Schaeffer’s suggestion that if he had only one hour to share the gospel with someone, he would spend 45 minutes showing him the problem and 15 minutes showing him the solution. The final chapter, entitled “What Shall I Do” does not lead the seeker in a prayer, as we have come to expect from evangelistic materials, but instead suggests some affirmations of an authentic child of God and recommends ways in which the person can find spiritual mentorship. The book contains an appendix which outlines a twenty-one day reading plan through the book of John.

This book is intended to be an evangelistic tool. It clearly and unapologetically preaches the gospel, letting God speak for Himself through the words of Scripture. I enjoyed it and intend to keep a couple of copies on-hand for the times that I have opportunity to witness to others. Pursuing God is available from ccwonline.org for less than $4 a copy, so stock up!