Faithfully Formed

RevJZ

9/8/24

If looking for a solid Bible Study book for home study, small group, or perhaps to walk through as a congregation, check out Pastor Andy Wright’s recently published, “Faithfully Formed.”

Here’s a quote that stood out to me with a recent read-through:

“We confess the truth and reject what is false. … There is something very freeing with the Lutheran Confessions, as they don’t subject us to the whims and ways of the day or the loudest voice and personality of the time.”

Throughout the book, working through theological terms such as “concupiscence”, Pastor Wright did a marvelous job intertwining Scripture and our Confessions in an accessible manner for our laity to read and understand. The summaries of the books included in the Book of Concord are wonderful resources, especially for those that never went to seminary.

Pastor Wright brings the Scriptural and Confessional understanding of daily life out in this book, including a solid application of a windstorm (derecho) that caused great havoc at his previous Call in Keystone, Iowa.

While dealing with daily life, Wright hits the nail squarely on the head with such pastoral clarity that can only come from a solid Confessional background, grounded in the Scriptures:

“Our future is known. It is a physical resurrection from the dead and eternal life. We confess this sure and certain confidence we have before God to the world. There is wonderful clarity and simplicity to this. A clear confession has a way of doing that. It speaks the truth like a breath of fresh air amid the smog of so many lies, false hopes, and attacks that attempt to suffocate us and God’s Word.”

Thanks to my good friend, Pastor Wright, for putting this resource together. I bought my copy, no advance copy sent. This would make some good Christmas presents for helping folks understand our Biblical and Confessional understandings and applying it to your daily rhythms.

5/2/24

I felt Rev Wright’s writing style was easy to read and he cited his references clearly.

If the rest of the book is as good as the preview, I believe it would be important to have for those looking to increase their knowledge and reasoning behind Confessional Christianity.