Dug Down Deep by Josh Harris - Book Review

My Thoughts:
I appreciate Joshua Harris writing this book. I appreciate his openness and honesty as he has grown and as his faith deepened.  I was first exposed to Joshua Harris via his dating book "I Kissed Dating Goodbye", and honestly I wasn't a fan of that book.  But having seen a number of his sermons now that he is the lead pastor at his church, I can say he is really growing on me.  This book really helped change and cement my feelings that he has grown by leaps and bounds since I Kissed Dating Goodbye.  While Harris doesn't break much new ground with this book (though it is new territory for him), he does an excellent job of writing in an engaging and compelling way.  I wholeheartedly recommend this book.  There is a lot to gain from reading it, especially if you are newer to Christianity.  You will find in it solid theology, and many places where you will be challenged to really live out your faith and grow personally rather than just coast by.  This book is an excellent source as part of a foundation of faith for someone who is just getting started.  There are other great books in this same category, but few are as enjoyable of a read, and few bring it down to such a personal level so well.

Each chapter fits well within the whole and makes for a very solid book.  My favorite section is probably chapter 4 "Ripping, Burning, Eating" where Harris is at his earthy best.  Throughout the book he does a great job of connecting on a very personal level because he ties it in with his own story and journey.  If you have a new Christian in your life, or someone just now finally getting around to growing in their faith, this book is a great tool to go along with personal bible study.

Summary from the publisher:

What will you build your life on?

With startling transparency, Joshua Harris shares how we can rediscover the relevance and power of Christian truth. This is book shows a young man who rose quickly to success in the Christian evangelical world before he realized his spirituality lacked a foundation—it rested more on tradition and morality than on an informed knowledge of God.

For the indifferent or spiritually numb, Harris's humorous and engaging reflections on Christian beliefs show that orthodoxy isn't just for scholars—it is for anyone who longs to know the living Jesus Christ. As Harris writes, "I've come to learn that theology matters. It matters not because we want to impress people, but because what we know about God shapes the way we think and live. Theology matters because if we get it wrong then our whole life will be wrong."

Whether you are just exploring Christianity or you are a veteran believer finding yourself overly familiar and cold-hearted, Dug Down Deep will help you rediscover the timeless truths of Scripture. As Harris challenges you to root your faith and feelings about God in the person, work, and words of Jesus, he answers questions such as:

What is God like and how does he speak to me?  What difference does it make that Jesus was both human and divine?  How does Jesus's death on the cross pay for my sins?  Who is the Holy Spirit and how does he work in my life?
With grace and wisdom, Harris will inspire you to revel in the truth that has captured his own mind and heart. He will ask you to dig deep into a faith so solid you can build your life on it. He will point you to something to believe in again.

Author Bio:

Joshua Harris is senior pastor of Covenant Life in Gaithersburg, Maryland, which belongs to the Sovereign Grace network of local churches. A passionate speaker with a gift for making theological truth easy to understand, Joshua is perhaps best known for his runaway bestseller, I Kissed Dating Goodbye, which he wrote at the age of twenty-one. His later books include Boy Meets Girl, Sex Is Not the Problem (Lust Is), and Stop Dating the Church. The founder of the NEXT conferences for young adults, Joshua is committed to seeing the gospel transferred to a new generation of Christians. He and his wife, Shannon, have three children.


This book is available on Amazon and at WaterBrook Multnomah if you would like a copy!  This was book was provided for review by WaterBrook Multnomah.