Book Review "Zealous for Good Works"

Book Review

"Zealous for Good Works"

by Todd A. Wilson

What a challenging read for the Christian with a heart to grow the Kingdom of God through obedience to the Scriptures.  Wilson has logically, spiritually and forcefully captured the spirit of the writings of Titus in this well-organized, enthusiastic and uplifting volume.  He asks the question, “Is your church transforming the community?” and from there builds on the steps needed to take the church all the way up to becoming a city on a hill!

Chapter titles are intriguing and it’s hard not to take a shortcut through to those that look more interesting, but one will certainly lose out on the flow of this book by doing so.  He explains why he chose the book of Titus to help the church grow to become a serving church and not just a body of believers.  He asks another question:  “What Turns a Place Upside Down?” and goes on to illuminate the importance of excellent preaching in the church.  He explains the importance of preaching that is both expository and biblical.  He helps us to understand that the purpose of preaching is to “elicit or bring forth faith”.  He shows how the knowledge of the truth cures us of the most fatal of diseases – ignorance! My favorite line in this chapter?  While biblical literacy or knowledge of the truth leads to godliness, biblical illiteracy or biblical ignorance inevitably leads to spiritual importance and ineffectiveness.” (page 41)

A church that is going to be zealous for good works not only needs great preaching but also great leadership.  Elders are important in the church.  They need great character and conviction and a desire to protect the church from ungodly influences.  After elders (and church leaders), great teachers are required to help a church be zealous for good works.   Those teachers need to teach (in word and example) about godly character and build relationships that will help pass on how a Christian should live.  It’s so important for them to realize, too, that they hold the reputation of the gospel in their hands…from the lips…in their lives.  So there’s a team of people needed to spur on the church to good works.

Chapter 5 reminds us that what God does is more important than anything we do and introduces us to God’s grace and the importance that we model His grace.  We need to “embrace grace” as we teach it.  Then we get into the meat of the book in a chapter titled “Stop, Look, and Listen”.  Wilson describes Titus’ call to readiness and that the church has a social and civic responsibility.  He explains how sin interrupts that call and that the source of our readiness comes from God’s gracious salvation.  He says that our readiness starts “right where we are”…something that I noted in large letters inside the back page.  It starts now…it starts with me…IT STARTS HERE.

Chapter 7 may be my favorite chapter in the book.  It talks about keeping our focus on the main thing and not being distracted by the many things that we choose to keep us from fulfilling God’s call to be zealous for those good works and accomplish God’s will for the church.  There are three things that can help us remain focused:  hammering away at the truth of God is what Titus reminded Timothy to do.  Don’t get into quarrels and quibbles over things that matter.  Keep the main thing the main thing, or as Wilson puts it, “Make the chief things the chief things. If we can stay singularly focused on the great truths of the Gospel, our hearts will become zealous for those good works God wants to accomplish in us, around us and through us.  From this chapter he moves to DEVOTION…the motivator in accomplishing those good works.  He explains that we can only become zealous by practice…doing good works over and over will make doing good works become second nature in our lives.  The last three chapters help us hit the target:  ready – aim – fire.  Good works are not good works till you DO them.  They are more than thoughts…more than something to be studied…more than something to make preparation for.  One must DO the work.  What IS a “good work”?  It’s any work that advances the kingdom of God.  It comes in all sizes and shapes, but if it’s done for the Lord, for His kingdom purposes, it is a good work.  While Titus called the churches to good works, we need to remember that we as individuals ARE the church.  Each of us has good work to do.  Those good works will help the church be the church…a city on a hill that lets its light shine.  What good work have you done today to further the kingdom of God?