To live is Christ, to die is gain

This book has been on my bedside table for nearly a year. I pretty much bought it because Chandler wrote it and I assumed it would be a good book. While the title is from Philippians, for some reason I thought this book would be a bit like Platts, Radicals, Follow Me or Counter Culture, ie some call to live a different life to what the world is telling you, almost like a call to arms. Instead, this book goes through the letter Paul wrote to the Philippians. This isn't a bad thing, it is just not what I expected (serves me right, you can't judge a book by its title).

Two weeks ago I found myself with a bit of time on my hands so I opened this book. I read the first four chapters in one sitting, and then decided for me to really digest this book better I should slow down. This book probably was a 12 part teaching series by Chandler and my guess is that Jared C Wilson then took Matt's notes and turned them in to something more bookish.

While this book wasn't what I was expecting, I appreciated that Chandler didn't use the text of Philippians as a spring board to go somewhere else. He mostly stuck to the text, while also going on little excursions to parts of Acts for background, the example of Mary in Luke 1 and other places, but always using that to help make the point that is Philippians. I hope more authors and mega church leaders take a leaf out of Chandlers method.

Those who have been following Christ for awhile may feel a little tired and ho hum. They may not be feeling as "spiritual" or "holy" as they thought they should by now. Chandler, using Philippians, shows us what a mature Christian life should look like, and pretty much it is summed up in Christ. Christians should be living for Christ, through Christ. Chandler doesn't want Christians to just know things, but he tried to stir their affections towards Christ.

Is your joy and contentment with Christ? Do you trust Christ in all things, like really all things? What do you worry about then? Is Christ not just the cliché answer to what your top priority in life is, but is He really? What if your wife is in hospital? What if you lose your baby? Is Christ really all in those (and many other) circumstances?

This is by no means a commentary, but is instead filled with personal stories and some good lines to help you understand Philippians, but also for you to feel or live what it is saying. If this book doesn't make you want to read Philippians, then I think the book may have failed. To me, the book did it's job. I found myself reading Philippians through in my own time... twice (it really doesn't take that long). Even if you don't want to read this book, then still, check out it's primary source it's based on. Philippians is not bad, nor long.

Here are some promo clips for the book: