Rejoice and Tremble: The Surprising Good News of the Fear of the Lord: A Book Review

Nick Minerva • Jan 11, 2021

Fear is an idea that we rarely look at in a positive light. So it’s no surprise that we often shy away from the topic of the “fear of the Lord.” But that doesn’t stop Michael Reeves from tackling this topic in this fantastic book. In  Rejoice and Tremble , we learn how the fear of God is the answer to all other fears. At the beginning of the book, he unpacks the difference between sinful fear and godly fear. Sinful fear drives us away from God because we fear accountability and judgment. Godly fear is the overwhelming response of experiencing God, not only as a powerful Creator but a beautiful Redeemer. Godly fear does not drive us away, but to God because of how overwhelmingly good he is. It goes beyond what we often call “reverential awe.” It causes us to tremble with ecstatic joy at how powerful, awe-inspiring, merciful, and gloriously gracious God is. 

Reeves unpacks how the rise of fear and anxiety in our culture is the result of a lack of godly fear. Not only has this led to moral collapse, but it’s also at the core of many of our mental and physical health issues. He sights studies that have shown how the more a person experiences a sense of “awe” the more symptoms of PTSD and other stress-related issues decrease and how happiness, satisfaction with life, and social well-being all increase. The ultimate source of this sense of wonder is found in knowing God as a loving Father. The more we center our lives around this certain, fundamental truth the more at peace we find ourselves in the uncertainty of this world. 

Towards the end of the book, we learn how we can grow in this godly fear. But as Reeves is quick to point out that godly fear is not something we can follow 5 simple steps to achieve. The answer is not found in ourselves but the cross of Christ. He goes on to explain and unpack how “the fear of God is the heartbeat of our new life in Christ and ‘the soul of godliness.’” It’s an internal matter of our heart that is captured by the beauty and grace of what Christ accomplished on the cross. We were made to know God in such a way that our hearts tremble at his beauty and splendor. No checklist or list of action steps can produce this heart. Only the Holy Spirit can do this in our heart and he uses his sword, the Word of God to produce such change. To quote John Owens, (who Reeves quotes often) “holiness is nothing but the implanting, writing, and realizing of the gospel in our souls.” It’s the fear of the Lord that makes us joyful, holy, and alive in our faith. This book releases January 15th.  You can get your copy here.

I was given a digital copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

A Creed To Remind The Gathered Church Of Its New Life In Christ

By Nick Minerva • 14 Jul, 2023
When I was pastoring I wanted to read a blessing over the church that would remind all of us of our new life in Christ. So I wrote this new life creed and every week I would read it and remind us of what Christ had done for us. We gather together as believers professing our great need We acknowledge that we have fallen short We confess that we are rebels who have gone our own way Apart from Christ, we stand condemned, guilty, and unable to save ourselves But what we are incapable of doing, God did In his infinite love, God made a way of salvation for all who would believe Jesus willingly laid down his life and received the just punishment we deserve So that could walk in new life So yes, we confess our great need We humbly recognize that apart from Christ we are incapable of any good thing But we also proclaim that because of the finished work of the cross we will never be apart from Christ We are forever secure in the love of the Father We have been sealed by the Holy Spirit All because of the sacrifice of the Son, Jesus Christ. We are no longer in bondage to sin We are no longer facing righteous wrath We have been declared holy by our King And nothing on heaven or earth will change that reality This gathering is a testimony to our redeemed state We pursue holy living to be an authentic demonstration of the love we have for Christ We believe that we have been empowered by grace to meet our every need And we gladly anticipate the complete fulfillment of our adaption and the remaking of this world at the coming of our Lord To Christ be glory forever and ever Amen

A Praying Church: A Book Review

By Nick Minerva • 23 May, 2023
Prayer is one of those topics that always seems to convict me. I have never heard a sermon or read a book on prayer and not been challenged. Even as I am writing this review there is a bit of imposter syndrome because I know I should pray more. In A Praying Church , Paul Miller writes about how to become a people of hope in a discouraging world through prayer. And he does so in a way that was very authentic and accessible. While I was consistently challenged, I was also consistently encouraged. Throughout the book, he takes you on his journey of developing a personal prayer life plus countless stories of ministries that developed communal prayer as a vital component of their life together. One thing that struck home with me throughout these stories was the reality that prayer always grows out of desperation for God. There were several things that I found very helpful in this book. One of them was the connection between a life yielded to the Holy Spirit and a vibrant prayer life. The power to do anything of eternal importance comes from the Holy Spirit and the Spirit moves in response to prayer. Paul shows us a biblical pattern we see throughout the New Testament. Prayer-Spirit-Jesus-power. However, this is not a simple formula to get God to do what you want. Another thing I appreciated about this book is Paul tells us time and again that the Spirit often moves in ways we don’t expect and that almost always includes difficulties. The Spirit enables us to look more like Jesus and that means joining him in the fellowship of his suffering. So this is not a “how to turn God into your personal genie” scheme, like many books on prayer. God often answers in ways we don’t expect and in places we don’t anticipate. This book is also full of practical help. I’ve already mentioned the stories he tells, but Paul also offers several helpful charts, strategies, and ideas to help put into place what he writes about (and lives by.) At the end of each chapter, he has a section called “A Word To Pastors” with a few paragraphs of wisdom to help them become a person of prayer and then lead their congregation to become a church of prayer. This book also made me thankful that I am a part of a church that has sought to grow in corporate prayer over the last few years. This would be a great book for any ministry leader who is burdened with the prayer life of his or her church. But it’s also a great read for any believer seeking to develop their own prayer life. Crossway was kind to send me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. You can get a copy of it at the affiliate link below.

Non-Toxic Masculinity: A Book Review

By Nick Minerva • 28 Apr, 2023
Let me start this review by saying everyone should read this book. If you've grown up in Evangelicalism, you‘ve no doubt heard of purity culture. For the last several years we have seen the harm that has come as a result of this sub-group of Christianity. In Non-Toxic Masculinity, Zachary Wagner does an excellent job unpacking its teaching and the damage that has come as a result. He explains so well the angst I've been feeling with the movement and how often the Church falls short and winds up doing more damage. But unlike many critiques, this one also points a way forward. We know what toxic male sexuality looks like. We see it in the news and unfortunately, in the Church. But what does healthy male sexuality look like? What does it look like for me? What will it look like for my boys? In my heart, I know what I want it to look like, but so often I struggle to find the right words to express it. Non-Toxic Masculinity paints a healthy picture that is (re)humanizing and ultimately looks like Jesus, who, like all of us, had a sexual body. Zach is also very transparent in this book and God used his transparency to encourage, challenge, and convict me. As you read his story you will no doubt find yourself resonating with him on some level. Every man should read this book for themselves first and foremost. But if you have sons, nephews, grandsons, or young boys in your life, reading it is a must. Non-Toxic Masculinity is a breath of fresh air that will prove to be a tremendous resource for generations. Thank you Zach for writing it and sharing your story to serve us.
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