Truths That Transform: Christian Doctrines for Your Life Today

by D. James Kennedy

Book by Kennedy, D. James

Genres: Christianity

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1974

About the author

Dennis James Kennedy was an American Presbyterian pastor, evangelist, Christian broadcaster, and author. He was the senior pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, from 1960 until his death in 2007. Kennedy also founded Evangelism Explosion International, Coral Ridge Ministries (now known as D. James Kennedy Ministries), the Westminster Academy in Fort Lauderdale, the Knox Theological Seminary, radio station WAFG-FM, and the Center for Reclaiming America for Christ, a socially conservative political group.
In 1974, he began Coral Ridge Ministries, which produced his weekly religious television program, The Coral Ridge Hour, carried on various networks and syndicated on numerous other stations with a peak audience of three million viewers in 200 countries. He also had a daily radio program, Truths That Transform, from 1984 on. During his lifetime, Coral Ridge Ministries grew to a US$37-million-a-year non-profit corporation.
In 2005, the National Religious Broadcasters association inducted Kennedy into its Hall of Fame.

Reviews

[Christa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent overview of theology and doctrine. Concise, readable and covers more than the normal Calvinistic TULIP. I especially enjoyed the chapters on adoption, perseverance of the saints, and the Holy Spirit. This book would serve as a great tool to help those who might feel intimidated by theological lingo. Kennedy breaks down crucial doctrines in a very understandable way, yet he gives a thorough enough explanation to leave one with a fairly solid understanding of these doctrines. Wonderful book for new believers or for believers who haven't been exposed to deep theological preaching.

[Larry LaFreniere · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first read this more than twenty years ago. It is still the best, simple introduction to Reformed Theology that I have ever read. It is practical and at the same time profound.

[Anthony M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Author tackles many topics including the sovereignty of God: “How big is God?”; author says people have shrunk His size and made Him out to be what they fashion Him to be, that he’s a limited God, and should be the God of their life; but the God of the Bible is omnipotent and holy; the third attribute is the personality of God, a person who is infinite, who has the attributes of mercy, love, justice, wisdom, righteousness, goodness, and truth; the view of the Bible is not fatalist, but declares that, to a point, man is free to do what he pleases, though he ought to do what he should; he cannot because he is bounded by sin. Why? Because man’s heart and mind are depraved (original sin); but God controls all things, including the acts of men, and only God can change the human heart; he rules righteously.
• Does man have free will?
• What is Predestination and how does it differ from Fatalism?
• This author is a Calvinist: he believes that only the “elect” will go to Heaven, and that these “elect” were chosen before the creation of the world. I am not a Calvinist, so I had a lot of issues with what the author was saying.
• How does Christ and Christianity compare to Animism, Shintoism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Confucianism, Judaism, and Islam? There is no comparison. He is superior in all ways.
• What is true repentance? Author says repentance alone does not guarantee salvation. Repentance appears many times in the Old and New Testaments: Noah, the Prophets, John the Baptist, Jesus.
o Repentance cannot simply be saying, “I’m sorry, I confess.” One must turn away from sin and return to Christ. One must genuinely have a change of heart, otherwise returning to Christ is not possible.
• Faith is the key that opens the door to the Christian life. The supreme object of faith is Jesus.
• Other topics: justification, sanctification, adoption, good works