The irony about reviewing this particular book on productivity is that I received my copy from the author nearly 200 days ago. Oops.

Now that could mean one of two things: either I really needed to read the book, because I’ve got serious organisational issues.

Alternatively, it could mean I read the book but it was so effective, that in my reorientated-organisational-self I simply prioritised not writing the review until this point. 

I’ll leave you hanging on that one.

Suffice to say, that having now finished What’s Best Next, I’m convinced it is an excellent book and will get you well on your way to both thinking biblically about your approach to ‘getting things done’, as well as helping you act wisely as you seek to be more effective. Perman states that his aim is to “reshape the way you think about productivity and then present a practical approach to help you become more effective in your life with less stress and frustration, whatever you are doing”. Boy, does he achieve it.

The sharp rise of knowledge-based industries has meant productivity has increasingly become an in-demand subject. At the heart of the abundance of ‘productivity lit’ has been David Allen’s hugely influential Getting Things Done (GTD), and it is this work that is referenced in What’s Best Next ‘s subtitle: “How the gospel transforms the way you get things done”. However, although the GTD methodology and its variants have their fanboys, there’s also a fair few sceptics of the movement. And so, despite Taylor Swift’s observation that “the haters gonna hate,” a cynic might remark that it was only a matter of time before someone jumped on the bandwagon with a ‘Christian approach’ to productivity. Is this book just going to be a few Bible verses wrenched out of context to support some quasi-Christian self-management tips?

It’s a valid concern, but happily author Matt Perman isn’t guilty of this, and it’s partly the book’s foundational sections that make it so strong. As the former Director of Strategy for Desiring God, Perman is well placed to write such a book. His popular blog regularly reflects on productivity, leadership, theology, and culture, and he’s particularly given a lot of time to thinking about the recent productivity movement through a biblical lens.  

For starters, Perman is clear from the outset that productivity is not about efficiency, but about effectiveness. And the minute you bring in a biblical worldview, then this is not a vague effectiveness but becoming effective specifically in the realm of fruitfulness in doing good works, as labours of love prompted by a gospel motivation. This is not about getting lots of the things-I-want-to-do done more quickly, as if it were just for my sake. Neither is Perman oblivious to the messy reality of life and the need to be flexible. Ultimately he is arguing for serving and loving others in all of life; it is about people, not things or tasks.

Even if you agree with Perman up to this point, you might still dismiss the need to examine your own productivity. But Perman perceptively notes that whether we like or not, we all have some sort of approach to getting things done, even if that approach is the absence of any real strategy. And if we’re Christians who are called to be stewards of our lives, gifts, hours, etc, for God and for others, then it’s right that we seek to ‘manage our time well’.

And so, having made his case for effectiveness in serving others, Perman then argues that this needs to translate into personal leadership (knowing what’s most important) and personal management (putting it first and actually doing it). Of course, this idea won’t be groundbreaking to anyone who’s familiar with the likes of David Allen, Peter Drucker or Stephen Covey, and Perman is the first to acknowledge that. In fact he suggests these ‘what’s best next’ approaches are a gift of common grace. The difference lies in that fact that Perman has already spent a third of his book building up a biblical approach to redefining the category of ‘best’, as well as examining our motivations for doing it.

Perman then spends the rest of the book unpacking four key steps for actually becoming more effective, using the acronym D.A.R.E. These stand for Define (knowing what’s most important); Architect (creating a flexible structure); Reduce (freeing up your time for what’s most important); and Execute (doing what’s most important). Throughout these I found myself underlining again and again. Perman writes with the aim of his work being useful for any work situation, but as someone who is in a situation where I am responsible for ordering most of my time it was gold-dust. He argues convincingly for the likes of personal mission statements; setting up your week and creating the right routines; harnessing multitasking, interruptions and procrastination; managing email and workflow; as well as managing larger projects in the midst of the everyday.

What’s Best Next is a treasure trove of general wisdom for working effectively, whilst all the way through compellingly directing one’s overall aim to that of using our lives to serve others, with the gospel as our motivation. It is very easy to read, and Perman’s use of chapter abstracts, summary boxes, and headings ensure one processes the headlines. I can’t think why someone would not benefit from much of this book. I plan on re-reading regularly, confident that each time will gradually sharpen my approach to my ‘getting things done’.

Go get yourself a copy. That’s what’s best next.

Full disclosure: The author sent me a copy of the book for free, but I hope this is still a fair and honest review!

Feeling like your church small group is lacking missional fervour? Maybe it just seems like discussions always remain pretty shallow? Or perhaps there’s just a real lack of fundamental Bible knowledge? In this short, accessible book, Trevin Wax suggests the antidote: showing Jesus Christ in all the Scriptures.

So, who’s this Trevin Wax geezer?

Given what the book’s about it’s no surprise to find out that Trevin Wax is managing editor of The Gospel Project, a organisation based stateside which produces all-age church resources for helping people to understand the storyline of the Bible. He’s also a regular blogger for The Gospel Coalition at Kingdom People.

And who’s the book for? 

Wax is unashamedly writing for those involved in any teaching and leading roles within a local church, whether that’s reading the Bible one-to-one, teaching in childrens’ or youthwork, or leading an adults’ small group. This means GCT is also a book well worth pastors considering, as one to give away/recommend to those leading these ministries in their churches.

What’s the Problem?

Wax begins by highlighting three common problems in church small-groups: the tendency to be inward-focused; the reality of biblical illiteracy; and the tendency to never get round to applying the Bible. Various fads and quick-fixes can get proposed to ‘sort these out’, but Wax reckons many of such ‘solutions’ suffer from two particular misconceptions: a) that depth is to be measured by information (“we need more knowledge”) and that depth is measured by “practical ways to put the Bible into practice”. As he says,

There’s hardly anything new in this book… my goal is to remind you of something you already instinctively know as a teacher of God’s word or a leader of a small group. It’s Jesus who changes lives, and the goal of your Bible study is to continually reintroduce people to Him.

What’s all this Gospel-centred craic?

As such Wax’s work works as both a helpful introduction and a refreshing reminder to the reality that the gospel of Jesus Christ is at the heart of the whole Bible and is to be at the heart of all ‘ministry’:

At the end of the day, it’s not enough to be “Bible-believing” or “Word-centered,” because, after all, the Bible we believe and the Word we proclaim is itself Christ-centered.

His second chapter unpacks this, outlining the gospel’s message (Jesus’ person and work and the need to respond in repentance and faith), the gospel’s context (God’s big-picture story of Scripture) and the gospel’s purpose (the community of the church birthed by the gospel). In part Wax is trying to tackle the notion that ‘the gospel’ is something to just tack onto the end of our talks or Bible-studies for unbelievers. It’s something a couple of my friends addressed in their book God Speaks. We all need the gospel, for the gospel is all we have:

The gospel isn’t the dessert at the end of the meal. It’s the salt that gives distinctive flavour to the meat and potatoes. The gospel is what makes our teaching distinctively Christian. And Jesus is at the heart of the gospel.

A Bible all about Jesus…

Wax goes on to explain being ‘gospel-centred’  requires understanding and teach the Bible’s overall storyline, and so helping people form worldviews shaped by it. I can remember being shown for the first time that the Bible contains one big story of God working out his promises. It simply blew my mind. Vast chunks of the Old Testament that I’d hardly considered before suddenly became relevant and full of wonder. It’s about God and his plan, rather than first and foremost me:

“It’s only in bowing before the real Hero of the story that we are in the right posture to take our place in the unfolding drama”.

I think where Gospel-Centered Teaching works brilliantly is in making explicit some of the ministry implications that flow from the belief that all the Scriptures testify about the gospel of Jesus. It counters the idea that the Bible is just a divine instruction manual, or a impersonal map for doing well in life.

Yet as Wax acknowledges, his book is definitely not a replacement for introducing people to the concept of a Bible Overview. Instead he suggests a number of foundational resources, e.g. Graeme Goldsworthy’s According to Plan, Vaughan Roberts’ God’s Big Picture, or Sally Lloyd-Jones’ The Jesus Storybook Bible. So for Wax’s book to really pack its punch, it makes sense that one already has some prior understanding of the Bible as one big story with the person and work of Jesus at its heart. But assuming that most of those teaching in churches will be doing so because they believe these things, then this book is a perfectly-sized gentle encouragement to let those beliefs shape and connect with one’s teaching, whatever the age and stage.

Finding our Gospel motivations…

Another small caveat: although Wax does give a handful of examples of how a gospel motivation will shape how you teach a particular topic, I wonder if actually sometimes these connections will flow more naturally when a leader has simply been taught to read the Bible well. If a leader is working hard to find the author’s intent in a particular passage (as well as its place in the Bible’s overall story), then that should naturally entail considering the particular ‘engine’ or motivation that a Bible author is putting forward in that particular Bible book. As such perhaps Wax’s book will be most profitable when those Bible-handling skills are simultaneously being nurtured. One doesn’t need to magic a ‘gospel motivation’ out of thin air! If we’re doing our best to listen to the particular tone and motivation of a Bible book, and aware of its place in the Bible’s story, then our teaching should be protected from becoming ‘gospel-flat’, with every study or sermon sounding the same, which can sometimes be a valid criticism of ‘Christ-centred preaching’.

Drawing stumps…

Overall, GCT is a feisty little tonic that should get you eager to make much of Jesus and the gospel of grace in any teaching ministry you’re involved with. At 109 pages, it’s in danger of sounding like more of a tome than it really is. With a pocket-sized leaf (you’ll be surprised how small it is!), spacious margins, and helpful subheadings, you’ll probably merrily skip through the book in two or three relaxed sittings. And you’ll be in good heart afterwards.

Gospel Centered Teaching is available to buy in the UK here.

Full disclosure: The publisher sent me a copy of the book for free, but I hope this is still a fair and honest review!

How do you feel about reading a book on prayer? Part of me feels that’s the last thing I need: another excuse to get me off doing the one thing I seem to avoid: praying.

But when I dipped into this pocket-size offering by Michael Reeves, formerly of UCCF, now ‘theologian-at-large’ (a pretty cool title) at WEST, I was altogether refreshed and thankful for the privilege I have of speaking to my Father God. In short, I was eager to pray.

Reeves begins by laying his cards on the table early. He believes there is a prayerlessness prevalent in evangelical culture, and he wants that to change, and longs for this book to be something of a “tonic” to kick-start refreshed prayer lives. 

Reeves’ diagnosis of the problem is interesting. He thinks one of the key reasons we go wrong is because we think of prayer as another “thing” to do, which inevitably leads us to go down the road of searching for ‘prayer techniques’. Instead Reeves holds up John Calvin’s definition of prayer as “the chief exercise of faith” (Institutes III, 20). If this definition is fair (and it’s one that Jonathan Edwards echoed), and  Reeves comes back to it again and again, then consequently prayerlessness is actually faithlessness, or as Reeves puts it, “practical atheism”.

That said, Reeves is careful to say that it’s not that our prayer life dictates whether or not we’re really Christians. But our prayer life does reveal “how much you really want communion with God and how much you really depend on him.” It doesn’t determine our identity, but it does indicate how much of a “spiritual baby” we might be. Therefore, Reeves challenges, if you think you’re wonderful, take a look at your prayer life.

This might all sound a bit depressing, but Reeves knows where he’s going. Indeed, there are a few backhanded encouragements before we get there: firstly, we should expect prayer to be a struggle, for we’re creatures who are naturally lacking in faith; secondly, even someone like Martin Luther, whose legend often comes wrapped in hagiographical descriptions of mammoth prayer sessions, actually really struggled with prayerlessness. Prayerlessness is not a new problem, ultimately it’s a sinful human problem.

But that’s all well and good (or not, as the case may be), but are we simply being left to languish in our prayerlessness? Reeves’ ‘solution’, if I can call it that, is that we understand that if prayer is an expression of faith, the way to grow in it is to grow in faith. He cites Romans 10:17: “faith comes through hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ”. In other words, “faith – and so prayer – is birthed by the gospel”. As we set before ourselves Jesus Christ, then prayer will follow as the articulation of the Christian’s heart response.

So for the bulk of this short book that’s what Reeves seeks to do. When we wonder at Jesus, then we see the privilege of prayer. Part of that is seeing prayer as something Jesus did, and so loving the gospel means we “learn to enjoy what Jesus has always enjoyed”. Crucially and wonderfully this involves praying to God as our Father, for as Jesus teaches his disciples to pray “Our Father in Heaven”, he is simultaneously showing us the relationship He has always enjoyed whilst also sharing it with us. Reeves uses the startling phrase, “pray as if it were through Jesus’ mouth”, which seems a breathtaking way of describing the privilege we have of calling God Father.

Reeves then addresses the subject of when we pray, encouraging a mindset that expresses the privilege of prayer “at all times”. After all, the whole day is already God’s, so we don’t need to try and ‘fit’ God into each day. Reeves is not against set times of prayers and devotion, but he is certainly arguing for a perspective that sees all of life flowing out of our communion with our Father.

The later chapters quickly cover quite a bit of ground, touching on prayer as a sign of dependence (also about Christlikeness, for the Son was dependent on the Father), the precious role of the Holy Spirit in our prayers (“we can be real with our father, accepting our weakness, and simply stammer out our hearts”), God’s work to shape us in our prayer lives so we echo and share “God’s life and purpose”, as well as prayer as an evidence of unity. The lasting taste in the mouth is that praying to our Father God is a delight.

‘Enjoy your Prayer Life’ is worth getting your hands on. It’s definitely a ‘does-what-it-says-on-the-tin’ book. The bonus is that it’s also really short – many of the ‘chapters’ are only a couple of pages – but that means I was much more likely to read it, and it also meant I was more quickly left to actually pray. You can buy it for three squid from the publisher, 10publishing, here. Do it.

Full disclosure: The publisher sent me a copy of the book for free, but I hope this is still a fair and honest review!