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The Vow: How a Forgotten Ancient Practice Can Transform Your Life
In his first release since the best-selling There is More to the Secret, Ed Gungor challenges the church to return to authenticity and community. Over and over again in scripture Christians are encouraged to "make vows to the Lord" (e.g., Psalm 76:11). Is it possible that making vows-- intentionally inserting various Christian practices into our lives-- would have great value to 21st-century Christians? What if we thoughtfully and publicly articulated vows before God and those we love? Would it help our lives take on the tone of the eternal? Has something been lost in the openness of the 21st century? The answer is yes!
Gungor "Vow-making is an old trail that was very familiar to the ancients who have gone before us, but is virtually unknown for we moderns. As I have wandered down this path, it has been both intriguing and empowering, and, on another level, just plain dangerous. But I really think it's leading somewhere. That's the why of this writing."
Gungor "Vow-making is an old trail that was very familiar to the ancients who have gone before us, but is virtually unknown for we moderns. As I have wandered down this path, it has been both intriguing and empowering, and, on another level, just plain dangerous. But I really think it's leading somewhere. That's the why of this writing."
- GenresChristian
236 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 17, 2022
Perhaps the advice we need these days!
Gungor offers a way through some of the issues of our times by exploring the vow as a grace commitment to grow.
Managing to carefully avoid the idea of a vow being a demand, he shows how we can find and explore grace by making stronger commitments to God. Our times thrive on a lack of commitment, but perhaps this is part of our problem, that we are so unintentional about so many things.
This is a fun and easy read that manages to explore a subject beset with the possibility of generating guilt. Gungor creates none of that, rather he entices the reader to think more intentionally about the grace, mystery and personhood of vow-making.
Filled with practical advice, humour, and structures of how to go about this (and two helpful appendices), I’d recommend this to church goers who need a little more intentionality to their spirituality. (As an aside it would make good reading along side the works of Pete Scazzero and Rich Villodas).
Gungor offers a way through some of the issues of our times by exploring the vow as a grace commitment to grow.
Managing to carefully avoid the idea of a vow being a demand, he shows how we can find and explore grace by making stronger commitments to God. Our times thrive on a lack of commitment, but perhaps this is part of our problem, that we are so unintentional about so many things.
This is a fun and easy read that manages to explore a subject beset with the possibility of generating guilt. Gungor creates none of that, rather he entices the reader to think more intentionally about the grace, mystery and personhood of vow-making.
Filled with practical advice, humour, and structures of how to go about this (and two helpful appendices), I’d recommend this to church goers who need a little more intentionality to their spirituality. (As an aside it would make good reading along side the works of Pete Scazzero and Rich Villodas).
August 4, 2011
The premise of this book is to make vows to God in regards to things that help us to experience His grace. In other words, if you spend time in solitude praying and it lifts your spirit and you feel that the direction of God is more easily determined in your life due to that time of solitude then Gungor would suggest that you vow to spend time everyday in solitude praying.
Gungor makes this clear that vows are not scripturally mandated, but they can be a large benefit to the Christian life. I would have to agree. Since reading this it has been the back of my head to make some sort of short term vow that could possibly help my experience the grace of God in my life on a daily basis.
I am not sure what it is that I will vow, I will probably have to spend some time "taste testing" different spiritual disciplines to see what God uses to communicate grace to my soul.
Anyways, the book is a very well written and thought out description of the benefits of making vows and how to do so appropriately. To be honest the book does begin to drag a little bit towards the middle. It seems to be a little to repetitive and I think he even uses the same analogies twice to describe the same thing in both accounts. I am not sure if he was hoping people would forget about the analogies, but like an ugly kid going around the second time on a carousel...I remembered.
This book is worth the buy, or at least the read if you want to borrow it. I think that Gungor takes a lost spiritual discipline and breathes fresh life into it.
As for me, I just need to figure out how to a)find the right vow for me, and b) get that ugly kid off of the carousel.
Gungor makes this clear that vows are not scripturally mandated, but they can be a large benefit to the Christian life. I would have to agree. Since reading this it has been the back of my head to make some sort of short term vow that could possibly help my experience the grace of God in my life on a daily basis.
I am not sure what it is that I will vow, I will probably have to spend some time "taste testing" different spiritual disciplines to see what God uses to communicate grace to my soul.
Anyways, the book is a very well written and thought out description of the benefits of making vows and how to do so appropriately. To be honest the book does begin to drag a little bit towards the middle. It seems to be a little to repetitive and I think he even uses the same analogies twice to describe the same thing in both accounts. I am not sure if he was hoping people would forget about the analogies, but like an ugly kid going around the second time on a carousel...I remembered.
This book is worth the buy, or at least the read if you want to borrow it. I think that Gungor takes a lost spiritual discipline and breathes fresh life into it.
As for me, I just need to figure out how to a)find the right vow for me, and b) get that ugly kid off of the carousel.
August 20, 2011
I feel like this book was written out of order. There were a lot of things toward the end I wish he had placed near the beginning. At times I wanted to give up, and wouldn't have gotten to some of the best parts if I had.
I feel like there were parts where he made a strong case but didn't need to, and other places where I wish he had made more compelling arguments.
Nothing terribly earth-shattering. Some good points, but not terribly compelling. Good concept, but mediocre execution.
I feel like there were parts where he made a strong case but didn't need to, and other places where I wish he had made more compelling arguments.
Nothing terribly earth-shattering. Some good points, but not terribly compelling. Good concept, but mediocre execution.
November 1, 2014
Challenged by this book. Love the way vows express ones love for more of God. Will put into practice and make this more than just another book I read.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews