Few men have had as big of an impact on my understanding of cultural engagement and theology as David Wells. His books combine serious scholarship with biblical and theological engagement that in my opinion is rare these days. Furthermore, I have only have a handful of authors and writers who I feel like I need to read everything they write and on that list is Dr. David Wells. With that said, Dr. David Wells has come out with a new book God in the Whirlwind: How the Holy-Love of God Reorients Our World. This book builds on years of research, writing and cross-cultural ministry and seeks to define God’s greatness and give shape to the Christian life through what he calls the “holy-love of God”.
God in the Whirlwind seeks to explore the relationship between the holiness and love of God, showing how God’s holy-love provides the foundation for our understanding of the cross, sanctification, the nature of worship, and our life of service in the world. In the author’s opinion, this renewed vision of God’s character is the cure for evangelicalism’s shallow theology, with its weightless God and sentimental gospel.
Chapter one sets forth the author’s vision for God being our vision and the culture our context. Chapter two explores faith and the exclusivity of Christ. Chapter three looks at the person and work of Christ and the Holy Spirit. Chapter four examines the love of God, and chapter five looks at the holiness of God. Chapter six examines divine sovereignty, justification, reconciliation and the incarnation. Chapter seven looks at positional and progressive sanctification. Chapter eight examines the nature and purpose of worship. Chapter nine concludes the book by looking at how Christians are to serve God.
God in the Whirlwind is an important book in my opinion. The book explores topics through a biblical-theological framework for the purpose of not only helping the reader understand what the Bible says about them but how to engage topics in a culture that is hostile to biblical Christianity. As I read this book I was once again reminded of the keen theological insight that Dr. Wells brings to all of his writing. The style of writing is warm; even pastoral which helps make this a great book not only for the pastor or seminary student but also for the serious-minded lay person wanting to know more about the character of God and its importance to the Christian life and worldview. All-in-all, I think God in the Whirlwind is an excellent book that will help evangelicals to see the value of a biblical-theological framework in practice. God in the Whirlwind is a rich book that brings readers back to foundational theological truths that will help them to have a truly God-centered lifeview. I highly recommend this book and believe it will greatly bless and enrich reader’s lives.
Title: God in the WhirlWind How the Holy-Love of God Reorient Our World
Author: David Wells
Publisher: Crossway (2014)
I received this for free from Crossway book review program for this review. 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.
