"Thinking. Loving. Doing." by John Piper & David Mathis

Reading books based on a conference are tricky.  If you were at the conference and you enjoyed the event and all of the talks, then you will more than likely enjoy the book that follows.  For example, I have attended each Together for the Gospel conferences, have enjoyed each talk, and have enjoyed the books that followed each conference.  But the most recently edited book by John Piper (and David Mathis along with him) is different. In October 2010, a conference was held by Desiring God ministries in light of John Piper's book Think. The conference included renown speakers like Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr., Rick Warren, and Francis Chan.

The problem is that I did not attend this conference nor have I read the book the conference was based on.  Furthermore, before picking up the book Thinking. Loving. Doing.:  A Call to Glorify God with Heart and Mind, I was unaware that these would be prerequisites.  But nonetheless, I did pick up and read.

The challenge I had with this book was I struggled understanding its point.  What is the primary purpose and message of this book?  What is the books thesis?   The title is helpful and I understand the conversation regarding thinking, but what is the driving point?  Must I read Piper's earlier book in order to understand this one?

Beyond that flaw, this is a book that includes helpful chapters.  Dr. Mohler had the best chapter by far as he discussed how to think about thinking - something I've heard him discuss before.  Thabiti Anyabwile's chapter on Islam was good though I found it a bit out of place for this book. Chan's exhortations regarding humility and love I thought were needed and well received.  Overall, each chapter is helpful but I am stuck with the question of why this book was written outside of putting into print what was said at a conference that readers like myself did not attend?

Don't get me wrong.  This is a good book, but it certainly isn't a great book or a necessary book.  I suspect that those who were at the conference will enjoy this book while most of the rest of us, like myself, will find it confusing.  Everything with Piper's name on it is worth looking into, but this is certainly not his best work either as editor or writer.


This book was given to me free of charge for the purpose of this review.


For more:
Reviews - Preaching the Cross 
Reviews - Proclaiming a Cross-Centered Theology 
Reviews - "Life's Biggest Questions" by Erik Thoennes
Reviews - "Welcome to the Story: Reading, Loving, and Living God's Word" by Stephen J Nichols  
Reviews - "King Solomon" by Philip Graham Ryken 
Reviews - "Am I Really a Christian?" by Mike McKinley  
Reviews - The Beginning and End of Wisdom" by Douglas Sean O'Donnell