Nathanial Garrod

Review: To Live is Christ, to Die is Gain by Matt Chandler

706851It can be easy to get lost within the text of the Bible. Confusion on practical application can be, at times, overwhelming. To Live is Christ, to Die is Gain, by Matt Chandler of The Village Church in Dallas, TX, makes an effort to break the book of Philippians into understandable, modern terms.

His focus in the book is that “To Live is Christ, to Die is Gain,” is the ultimate message of the book of Philippians. He focuses on educating the reader in simple steps to make their relationship with Christ better.

He starts by introducing the cast, using the chronicle of Paul’s trip to Philippi from the book of Acts. Once he addresses the background of each member of the founding church of Philippi, Chandler goes through each chapter of Philippians and connects it to the purpose of the letter, and explains what Paul means with some of his statements that may seem difficult for a modern audience to understand.

Chandler’s writing is friendly, like you are talking to a buddy at a party or after-church. He explains things in the simplest possible way, without watering down the seriousness of Paul’s intentions. With passion and conviction, he clearly addresses the idea that Paul is truly and sincerely all in for Christ – that he believes living is about spreading the news of what Christ has done, and dying will bring him closer to Christ. Chandler explains how this kind of passionate fervor could impact the world today, if we loved without abandon and shared without judgement.

This book is a simple, quick read that will engage you, challenge you, and offer numerous opportunities for reflection.

To Live is Christ, to Die is Gain (ISBN: 978-1434706850) by Matt Chandler is published by David C. Cook and available at a local or online bookseller for 17.99. Thanks to David C. Cook for a review copy of this book.

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This entry was posted on June 23, 2014 by in Uncategorized.

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