Running Head: BOOK REVIEW
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4MAT BOOK REVIEW OF THE GREAT COMMISSION TO WORSHIP BY
DAVID WHEELER AND VERNON M. WHALEY
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Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................ 3
Abstract ...................................................................................................................................... 3
Concrete Response .................................................................................................................... 5
Reflection ................................................................................................................................... 5
Action ......................................................................................................................................... 6
References .................................................................................................................................. 7
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Introduction
‘The Great Commission to Worship’ by David Wheeler and Venom M Whaley
offers an in-depth insight into the interconnected association that exists between
evangelism and worship. In fact, this association is believed to be the core foundation
relating to the fulfillment of the Great Commission. The enriching book shows that the
Great Commission and Great Commandment are of paramount importance to God so it
is not right to say which is more important than the other. All the chapters that have
been incorporated in the book present a series of life questions. These questions have
been presented to encourage the readers to reflect on various aspects of their life
(Wheeler & Whaley, 2011).
The paper basically presents a review of the book “The Great Commission to
Worship”. The review has been categorized into a number of sections namely the
abstract which summarizes the content of the entire book, a concrete response relating to
a personal experience in life, a reflection on any question that has been raised by the
authors, and the actions that I am likely to take in the future after reading this book.
Abstract
The book by Wheeler and Whaley asks a simple question to the readers on what
is more important in life, the Great Commission and Great Commandment. Even though
the answer to the question is quite straightforward as both are extremely vital, there
exist certain issues that must be resolved (Wheeler & Whaley, 2011, p 6). The book
has been written with the intention to address these simple questions. In addition to this,
the authors have also made a sincere attempt to articulate the biblical mandate which
can help an individual to be a “Great Commission Worshipper.” A total of twelve
thought-provoking chapters have been presented which can make a reader stop and think
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about how to become a sincere biblical worshipper. One of the major highlights of the
book is the honest approach of the authors (Wheeler & Whaley, 2011, p 5).
The book acts as a great motivation for all the Christians who have tremendous
faith in Jesus to comprehend the interpretations relating to evangelism and worship. This
is because both of these elements have a key influence on how much one obeys and
respects the Great Commission.
Both worship and evangelism blend with one another perfectly. But in case, an
individual has any kind of misconception about these concepts, the authors have said
that it is better to address the same sincerely. “One of the contributing factors is that
evangelism is taught as an individual choice rather than a biblical command. This is
misleading and dangerous in reference to the Great Commission.” (Wheeler & Whaley,
2011, p 13) The simple statement shows that evangelism can vary from one individual
to another which increases the chances of misconceptions. They have stated that one
must avoid misconceptions so that the true message and words of the Lord can be
understood.
In order to make sure that the concept of evangelism is understood, the proper
attitude of an individual plays a critical role. In case a person acts arrogant or superior,
he will fail to understand the message of God. “The key to effective evangelism is a
well-prepared, obedient, loving and humble heart for God. A “know it all” and “cocky”
attitude will always hinder the effectiveness of evangelism.” (Wheeler & Whaley, 2011,
p 15) The authors have touched upon various vital elements which people ignore in
their life which makes them father from the Almighty. Throughout the book, Wheeler
and Whaley have dispelled common myths relating to evangelism and worship.
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Concrete Response
While reading the book, there was a specific personal memory that came into my
mind instantly. While the discussion was going on “Preparing Our Hearts” I realized
that the Almighty is the one who knows what the best thing is for us. The incident that
came to my mind was when I was giving my Standard X final exam, the student sitting
before me had got notes so that he could cheat in the exam. After he had finished
copying from the paper, he was urging me to take the note from him so that I could
write the exact answers to the questions. Even though for a moment I was tempted to
listen to him but then I realized that I had studied really hard and such a step would
adversely impact my learning outcome. So I did not pay any attention to him and
continued writing answers as per my own knowledge and learning. Before the answer
papers were submitted, a surprise check was conducted and the student who had the
notes was caught cheating and his paper was rejected. I knew God had helped me to
make the right decision and saved me from committing a major mistake. If I would
have no control over my temptation then I could have been caught with the notes.
In the book, the authors have rightly stated that God has his own ways of
perfecting one and all. His ultimate intention is to help others so that they can refine,
improve and sharpen their talent and ability. There are times when he puts one to test to
check how well one has understood his message and words (Wheeler & Whaley, 2011,
p 58). The life experience that I have highlighted came to my mind as I was reminded
that God was preparing me to identify the difference between the righteous path and the
wrong path.
Reflection
After reading the book, I can say that it has been an eye-opener for me in many
ways. Initially, when I started reading it, I was not very comfortable with writing. One
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of the reasons could be the extremely sincere and honest tone that has been used by the
authors. But gradually I was able to read between the lines. The book contains abundant
information that a Great Commission Worshipper can use in his day to day life. Before
reading the book, my personal understanding relating to the concept of evangelism and
worship was not completely accurate. But once these elements were covered in the
book, I was able to understand these elements at a personal level. For instance,
previously, by the term “worship” I used to think that every Sunday Christians visit the
Church and worship the Lord. But the book made me realize that a person who is
sincerely able to worship Jesus is committed to obeying each and every command of the
Lord (Wheeler & Whaley, 2011). By reading the book – ‘The Great Commission to
Worship’, I came to realize that worship is the ultimate foundation on which the
concepts of evangelism and discipleship have been established. Thus by merely going to
the Church, every Sunday one cannot be said to be a worshipper of the Lord. He must
have the commitment and dedication to obey the message that has been shared by Jesus
Christ.
Action
After reading the book and gaining a better insight into the concepts of worship
and evangelism, I have decided to take a number of actions and make suitable changes
in my life.
Firstly, I intend to invite two of my close friends to a get-together and share our
beliefs on Christianity. These individuals are really good but they seem to have lost the
connection with Jesus. Even though they visit the Church every Sunday with me, they
seem to be really distracted and lost. While talking to them I feel that they do not
understand the exact meaning of worship. It is necessary to share the message of Jesus
Christ with them so that they will also be able to form an intimate bond with the
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Almighty. Before reading the book, I was not sure how to extend the necessary help
and support to these close friends. By after reading the book, I think I can help her by
reading the Gospel and sharing our views on all the themes. By having a one-on-one
discussion on the words of Jesus Christ, we will be able to know how well we have
been able to understand the message of Christ.
The next action that I intend to take after reading the book is to visit the local
orphanage on a regular basis and read gospel with the kids who are interested in
Christianity. The kids will have the liberty to take part in these sessions and learn about
the message of the Lord. I would make sure that these sessions would not be mandatory
as it would obviously discourage the kids to learn the true meaning of the message of
Jesus Christ. By interacting with children at a young age and allowing them to actively
participate in these sessions; I want to spread the message of the Lord in the sincerest
manner. This approach would be extremely vital not just for the kids but also for me.
This is because we would get the opportunity to understand the message that Jesus
Christ has shared with mankind.
These are the key actions that I want to take after reading the book. The steps
will help me to spread the message of the Almighty with others and extend the proper
help and support that they deserve. This action will help me to act as a link so that the
individuals can strengthen their association with Jesus.
References
Wheeler, D., & Whaley, V. M. (2011). The Great Commission to Worship: Biblical
Principles for Worship-Based Evangelism. B&H Publishing Group.
