Books

Seeking Christ, Not Solutions

Water from Stone says Christians are addicted to problem solving, when they should be seeking Christ.

Water from Stone
Water from Stone
Water from Stone by M. Wayne Brown NavPress 175 pp., $16.99

After two decades of counseling Christians, therapist M. Wayne Brown says he has seen the damage from faith that expects certain results-and the discouragement that follows when things don’t turn out as planned.

“It’s apparent that today’s Christian often becomes addicted to seeking solutions rather than true transformation,” he writes. “This addiction is making us spiritually neurotic and ineffective.”

Brown eschews the pragmatic and programmatic approaches to faith, which he calls “the culture of Right Christian Living”-biblical principles that Christians use to achieve noble objectives: a stronger marriage, more effective prayer, a larger church, better-behaved kids. Rather, he believes, “The challenge for the church in the 21st century is to return to our first love-not only to the Person of our first love, but also to the way of our first love-the way of Jesus Christ.”

Brown invites readers to make the shift from seeing faith as an exercise to abandoning themselves to God because he is God.

Copyright © 2004 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Related Elsewhere:

Water from Stone is available from Christianbook.com and other book retailers.

More information is available from the publisher.

Also in this issue

Why the 'Lost Gospels' Lost Out: Gadfly scholars and DaVinci Code conspiracy theories question the legitimacy of the New Testament. Too bad they haven't done their homework.

Our Latest

From Our Community

Storing Up Kingdom Treasure

Greenbriar Equity Group chairman and founding partner Regg Jones urges fellow Christians to invest in the next generation of Christ followers.

Gen Z Is More Than Just Anxious

What the church gets wrong—and what it can get right—about forming a generation shaped by screens and longing for purpose.

Don’t Pay Attention. Give It.

Attention isn’t a resource to maximize for productivity. It’s a gift that helps us love God and neighbor.

Being Human

Sex and Porn Addiction, Misconceptions That Prevent Healing with Matt Wenger

Porn addiction: An intimacy issue, not just a sexual one

The Russell Moore Show

 Listener Question: How Can I Have Friendships with Atheists?

 Russell answers a listener question about how to have meaningful relationships with atheists.

The National Guard Debate Needs a Dose of Honesty

Criticizing federal overreach while remaining silent about local failures does not serve the cause of justice.

High Time for an Honest Conversation about THC

Legal cannabis may be here to stay, but the Christian conversation is just getting started.

News

Saudi Arabian Prison Frees Kenyan After ‘Blood Money’ Payout

A Christian mother relied on the Muslim practice of “diyat” to bring her son home alive.

Apple PodcastsDown ArrowDown ArrowDown Arrowarrow_left_altLeft ArrowLeft ArrowRight ArrowRight ArrowRight Arrowarrow_up_altUp ArrowUp ArrowAvailable at Amazoncaret-downCloseCloseEmailEmailExpandExpandExternalExternalFacebookfacebook-squareGiftGiftGooglegoogleGoogle KeephamburgerInstagraminstagram-squareLinkLinklinkedin-squareListenListenListenChristianity TodayCT Creative Studio Logologo_orgMegaphoneMenuMenupausePinterestPlayPlayPocketPodcastRSSRSSSaveSaveSaveSearchSearchsearchSpotifyStitcherTelegramTable of ContentsTable of Contentstwitter-squareWhatsAppXYouTubeYouTube