CrossTalk Where Life and Scripture Meet is written by Dr. Michael R. Emlet counselor and faculty member at the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation. CrossTalk is a unique book in that it not only explains why reading the Bible in a Christ-centered way is important, but actually helps the reader to connect the Christ-centered nature of Scripture to one’s daily life and ministry.
This book is an important contribution to the conversation on the Christ-centered nature of Scripture, because it major’s not on theory, but combines serious scholarship with deep love for God’s people. The best part of this book in my opinion is chapter seven where Dr. Emlet proposes how to integrate a Christ-centered reading of Scripture into ministry. He proposes that as we minister the Scriptures we see people as falling into three categories: saint, suffer, and sinner. Under the saint category the author explains that as we minister to one another we should affirm the evidences of grace in a believer’s life. In other words we should affirm where we see and have seen the Holy Spirit at work in the believer’s life (page 95-96). Under the category of suffer we need to see the “entry gate themes” such as fear, anger, despair, shame, guilt, etc in a person’s life (page 98) Under the category of sinner we are seeking to understand the stories, values and beliefs that guiding and leading the person to sinful words, values, and beliefs (page 99). In my opinion thinking through the categories of saint, suffer and sinner is helpful because it is biblical and affirms what God is doing in a person’s life, and how to help people grow in areas of weakness in their walk with God.
Reading this book has been very helpful for me especially thinking through how I minister to people in the categories of saint, suffer and sinner. Many times in ministering to others I focused too much on the suffering and sinner aspects and miss out on affirming the saint category. CrossTalk is an important book on a vital topic and will help you to understand not only the Christ-centered nature of Scripture, but also how to live out the Christ-centered nature of Scripture, and minister to others in a way that brings glory to God, and advances the Kingdom of God. I recommend every believer, and especially those who serve as Pastors, counselors or teachers of the Word of God to read CrossTalk in order to learn how Life and Scripture meet together to transform lives for the Gospel.
Title: Cross Talk: Where Life and Scripture Meet
Author: Dr. Michael Emlet
Publisher: New Growth Press 2009
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the New Growth Press book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Dave Jenkins is happily married to his wife, Sarah. He is a writer, editor, and speaker living in beautiful Southern Oregon. Dave is a lover of Christ, His people, the Church, and sound theology. He serves as the Executive Director of Servants of Grace Ministries, the Executive Editor of Theology for Life Magazine, the Host and Producer of Equipping You in Grace Podcast, and is a contributor to and producer of Contending for the Word. He is the author of The Word Explored: The Problem of Biblical Illiteracy and What To Do About It (House to House, 2021), The Word Matters: Defending Biblical Authority Against the Spirit of the Age (G3 Press, 2022), and Contentment: The Journey of a Lifetime (Theology for Life, 2024). You can find him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, or read his newsletter. Dave loves to spend time with his wife, going to movies, eating at a nice restaurant, or going out for a round of golf with a good friend. He is also a voracious reader, in particular of Reformed theology, and the Puritans. You will often find him when he’s not busy with ministry reading a pile of the latest books from a wide variety of Christian publishers. Dave received his M.A.R. and M.Div through Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.
