I first read this classic work by J.I. Packer, 4-5 years ago. It was thrown in with a bunch of old books I received from a retired pastor. Most of those books didn't make it to my shelf, but this one caught my eye (duct tape binding and all) and I held onto it. Boy, am I glad I did.
I am now almost done with my second reading of this book and, to be honest, I didn't realize the impact it has had on my soteriology (understanding of salvation). "How does God's sovereignty relate to man's responsibility in salvation?" This is the central question of the book, and also happens to be a hot topic in our Southern Baptist denomination today (sometimes labeled as "Calvinism," although that's become a loaded term that should probably be avoided). After answering this question, Packer goes on to define Biblical evangelism. (In so doing, he has some very interesting things to say about "door-to-door" evangelism and "revival meetings.")
Whether you're a layman with an interest in this topic, or a pastor or small group leader that desires to be informed, I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It is fairly short, fairly easy to read, and may rock your world!
