In the 19th century, preacher Charles Haddon Spurgeon "captured the admiration all true believers should have for the church in his depiction of her as "the dearest place on earth." Chosen by God the Father, purchased by Christ the Son, and empowered by the Holy Spirit, the church should be cherished and recognized as "dear" by all who call her home."
Can we say this is true for us today?
Reluctance to attend worship, reluctance to serve, reluctance to trust people, the value we place on this gathering of the saints deteriorates in our muddled thinking about politics, pandemics and preferences. These struggles have always been there, but the rise of division and cancel culture increasingly lead us away from the unity Jesus prayed for in John 17.
I'm thankful for resources which propel our deeper, thoughtful love for the church and to hold her in the highest regard.
"The church is beautiful because the lens through which Christ regards her is his cross...His cross makes her beautiful. His perfection makes her beautiful. It is his sacrificial, substitutionary, sinless blood that washes her garments as white as snow.
The Loveliest Place | Book Review
Content
Content
Purpose of the Book
This is the goal of The Loveliest Place: The Beauty and Glory of the Church by Dustin Benge, to awaken our affections for who the church is and why she exists, to reignite our admiration for who God
Table of Contents
Introduction
Chapter 1: You Are Beautiful
Chapter 2: The Household of God
Chapter 3: Our Father and Friend
Chapter 4: Our Savior and Head
Chapter 5: Our Helper and Beautifier
Chapter 6: A Pillar and Buttress of Truth
Chapter 7: In Spirit and Truth
Chapter 8: Shepherding the Flock
Chapter 9: Feeding the Flock
Chapter 10: Good News
Chapter 11: In Remembrance
Chapter 12: Walking Worthy
Chapter 13: Blessed Persecution
Chapter 14: We Are One
Epilogue
Summary
In the first 5 chapters, he shows us the significance of the church being God's home, and how the Father, the Son and the Spirit each participate in beautifying her. The next chapters teach on the source of her truth, how she worships, how she's led, and the very good news she carries. The last chapters talk about how she remembers, how she continues to be made lovely through living worthy lives and enduring through suffering.
He concludes by looking at Ephesians 4 and the divine oneness of the church: one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism and one God and Father-this is where her unity is found!
My Take
The bride of Christ is set apart from the world. In order to fulfill her mission, we must walk in the unity to which we were called. If we're honest, it's gonna be hard. But as we read and pray for the Lord to soften our hearts, to see the church with his eyes and the purpose he has created her for, we will see more of her beauty and glory.
I can't remember the last time a book brought me to tears, but this one did. Tears of grief over the divisive nature inside the church now, her deteriorating witness, tears of conviction for my own apathy toward her that bubbles up at times, and tears of wonder at all God has done for her, and continues to do in her, to make her beautiful.
May the Lord graciously give us renewed hope for the church as we ponder her beauty and glory.
My Recommendation
This book is for you if you've felt discouraged with church, or if you want to more deeply consider her beauty. I highly recommend it!
Quick Stats
# of Pages: 199
Level of Difficulty: Easy-Moderate
My Rating: 5 stars
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Scriptures About the Church
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (Heb. 10:24)
Built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. (Eph. 2:20-22)
teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns a
What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up. (1 Cor. 14:26)
And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. (Rev. 21:2-3)
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*A big thanks to Netgalley and Crossway for the complimentary copy of this book and the opportunity to post an honest review!
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