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The Joy Project: An Introduction to Calvinism, with Study Guide
True happiness is not found. It finds you.
We think of our chase for joy as a fundamental right—and it’s no surprise. By nature we are pleasure-seekers, though chronically unsuccessful at finding the type of joy that will endure for more than a passing moment.
But what if long-lasting joy isn’t found at all? What if the deepest and most durable happiness breaks into our lives, overcomes our boredom, and ultimately finds us? What if true joy is out of our reach, but reaches for us?
(This updated edition includes a study guide for each chapter.)
We think of our chase for joy as a fundamental right—and it’s no surprise. By nature we are pleasure-seekers, though chronically unsuccessful at finding the type of joy that will endure for more than a passing moment.
But what if long-lasting joy isn’t found at all? What if the deepest and most durable happiness breaks into our lives, overcomes our boredom, and ultimately finds us? What if true joy is out of our reach, but reaches for us?
(This updated edition includes a study guide for each chapter.)
96 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2015
50 people are currently reading
587 people want to read
About the author
Tony Reinke
16 books696 followersTony Reinke hosts the popular Ask Pastor John podcast and serves as the Communications Director for desiringGod.org. He has authored five books including *12 Ways Your Phone Is Changing You* (2017). He lives in the Twin Cities with his wife and their three children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
December 14, 2015
Loved the Calvinism presentation. This story is not only true, but beautiful. The five points become five acts in a magnificent story.
Very different presentation of the doctrines of grace that engages the heart just as much as the head. Worth a read.
Very different presentation of the doctrines of grace that engages the heart just as much as the head. Worth a read.
January 8, 2016
Tony Reinke is easily one of my favorite modern authors. This book was not at all what I expected, but I finished it thoroughly encouraged. Reinke provides an accessible discourse on TULIP. It was surprisingly fun and easy to read, and a good refresher on the doctrines of grace. Would recommend:)
January 9, 2016
Wonderful! Reinke explains the doctrines behind TULIP from a different angle that will bring joy to all who read it. A perfect book to start the year!
December 15, 2015
Great book & an easy read overall! Views Calvinism through the lens of joy. Walks through TULIP, extremely helpful, encouraging, & convicting.
God is sovereign and doesn't need man and yet God has chosen to create, redeem & glorify for man's joy and His glory. Man's joy is ultimately found in the presence of God being near! Man's joy is God, and God's glory is man's joy being found in God Himself!
God is sovereign and doesn't need man and yet God has chosen to create, redeem & glorify for man's joy and His glory. Man's joy is ultimately found in the presence of God being near! Man's joy is God, and God's glory is man's joy being found in God Himself!
June 16, 2016
First sentence: How much of your life is driven by the desire for joy? Well, all of it. We know we need joy like we need food and water. How we get joy is something of a mystery, and most of us are content to leave that mystery unsolved. We simply want to experience the joy we desire. Joy is real, but joy is also elusive.
Premise/plot: Reinke introduces readers to the JOY PROJECT asserting that "someone else is more concerned for your joy than you could ever be." And that someone is GOD himself who "has been planning your joy since before you were born." Unlike man-made happiness projects or joy projects that depend on you--your lists, your plans, your ambition, your gumption, your whatever--the real path to joy is to be discovered in Scripture. Reinke writes, "The Joy Project is the heartbeat of Scripture. Neglect the Bible, and you neglect God’s Joy Project, and you neglect your own joy." So when he talks about the "JOY PROJECT" what is he talking about? He's talking about a little something called the DOCTRINES OF GRACE.
He then introduces readers to TULIP. Each will get its own chapter.
My thoughts: I LOVE this little book. I really do. I think Reinke did a great job of speaking clearly and honestly. He makes some great points in each chapter. He challenges readers to think and reflect.
One point he made early on was asserting that, "The greatest hazard we face is not intellectual atheism—denying that God exists. Our most desperate problem is affectional atheism—refusing to believe God is the object of our greatest and most enduring joy." I think it's a valid point and definitely food for thought. He continues, "Sin is not merely wrong doing; sin is essentially wrong adoring. Sin is the fastening of our hearts on any good, treasure, or security in life that replaces the good, treasure, and security of God. This is the chief question of life. This is the chief determination of our joy. This is the misstep that sends us down the rabbit hole, where we find ourselves lost atheists in the core of our being... Our root problem is not that we break commandments; our problem is that we ignore God. Ignoring the beauty of God is the essence of total depravity. It’s what makes the depravity so holistic— we cannot begin to imagine how any real sense of pleasure or joy can be found in our Creator! To us sinners, God is only a boring obstacle to our pleasure. This dynamic is what makes our depravity total." How many Christians really think of sin as wrong adoring?!
Another great point: "If we deceive ourselves, it is only inevitable that we will also deceive others."
Reinke also knows how to effectively quote others. This is a Tim Keller quote: “The doctrine of original sin is rude. It is the most incomprehensible of all the doctrines, and yet without it, we become incomprehensible to ourselves.” And here is a gem by John Piper, "If we want to go deeper in our experience of God’s grace, this is an ocean of love for us to enjoy. God does not mean for the bride of his Son to only feel loved with general, world-embracing love. He means for her to feel ravished with the specificity of his affection that he set on her before the world existed. He means for us to feel a focused: “I chose you. And I send my Son to die to have you.” This is what we offer the world. We don’t horde it for ourselves. And we don’t abandon it by saying, all we have to offer the world is God’s general love for all people. No, we offer this. We offer a full and complete and definite atonement. We offer Christ. We don’t say, come to a possibility. We say, come to Christ. Receive Christ. And what we promise them if they come is that they will be united to him and his bride. And all that he bought for his bride will be theirs. All that he secured with absolute certainty will be their portion forever." Not everyone he quotes is a believer, but, all quotes ultimately challenge readers to fully believe the truth.
Since many, many people struggle with the "L" of Tulip, I thought I would share this little list:
Premise/plot: Reinke introduces readers to the JOY PROJECT asserting that "someone else is more concerned for your joy than you could ever be." And that someone is GOD himself who "has been planning your joy since before you were born." Unlike man-made happiness projects or joy projects that depend on you--your lists, your plans, your ambition, your gumption, your whatever--the real path to joy is to be discovered in Scripture. Reinke writes, "The Joy Project is the heartbeat of Scripture. Neglect the Bible, and you neglect God’s Joy Project, and you neglect your own joy." So when he talks about the "JOY PROJECT" what is he talking about? He's talking about a little something called the DOCTRINES OF GRACE.
These doctrines of grace are not the deep space of Scripture; rather, they are its major constellations: bright, burning signs of God’s sovereign and saving activity. The story is so wonderful, so captivating, that it must be told and retold.
God has written our joy into a script and what he planned for us we can hardly imagine. The Joy Project is the boldest and subtlest story ever told. It will shock you, then it will bewilder you, and then it will plunge you into an ocean of divine love. It is a drama told in five acts.
He then introduces readers to TULIP. Each will get its own chapter.
TOTAL DEPRAVITY is not just badness, but blindness to beauty and deadness to joy. UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION is how God planned, before we existed, to complete our joy in Christ. LIMITED ATONEMENT is the assurance that indestructible joy in God is infallibly secured for us by the blood of Jesus. IRRESISTIBLE GRACE is the sovereign commitment of God to make sure we hold on to superior delights instead of the false pleasures that will ultimately destroy us. PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS is the almighty work of God to keep us, through all affliction and suffering, for an inheritance of pleasures at God’s right hand forever.
My thoughts: I LOVE this little book. I really do. I think Reinke did a great job of speaking clearly and honestly. He makes some great points in each chapter. He challenges readers to think and reflect.
One point he made early on was asserting that, "The greatest hazard we face is not intellectual atheism—denying that God exists. Our most desperate problem is affectional atheism—refusing to believe God is the object of our greatest and most enduring joy." I think it's a valid point and definitely food for thought. He continues, "Sin is not merely wrong doing; sin is essentially wrong adoring. Sin is the fastening of our hearts on any good, treasure, or security in life that replaces the good, treasure, and security of God. This is the chief question of life. This is the chief determination of our joy. This is the misstep that sends us down the rabbit hole, where we find ourselves lost atheists in the core of our being... Our root problem is not that we break commandments; our problem is that we ignore God. Ignoring the beauty of God is the essence of total depravity. It’s what makes the depravity so holistic— we cannot begin to imagine how any real sense of pleasure or joy can be found in our Creator! To us sinners, God is only a boring obstacle to our pleasure. This dynamic is what makes our depravity total." How many Christians really think of sin as wrong adoring?!
If our greatest problem— our total depravity— is our failure to treasure God, then our greatest need in life is to come alive to God’s beauty. This is the work of regeneration. Regeneration is the infusion of God’s life into my spiritual deadness so that I can now behold his resplendence. It’s exactly what we need for God’s Joy Project to take root in us. In sin, our reason loses its way because its compass is not pointed toward God. In sin, our will and desires go off course because they have no captain at the helm. Grace fixes the compass and sets our course, putting our reason, will, and desires on a fixed course toward God and toward genuine joy.
Another great point: "If we deceive ourselves, it is only inevitable that we will also deceive others."
Reinke also knows how to effectively quote others. This is a Tim Keller quote: “The doctrine of original sin is rude. It is the most incomprehensible of all the doctrines, and yet without it, we become incomprehensible to ourselves.” And here is a gem by John Piper, "If we want to go deeper in our experience of God’s grace, this is an ocean of love for us to enjoy. God does not mean for the bride of his Son to only feel loved with general, world-embracing love. He means for her to feel ravished with the specificity of his affection that he set on her before the world existed. He means for us to feel a focused: “I chose you. And I send my Son to die to have you.” This is what we offer the world. We don’t horde it for ourselves. And we don’t abandon it by saying, all we have to offer the world is God’s general love for all people. No, we offer this. We offer a full and complete and definite atonement. We offer Christ. We don’t say, come to a possibility. We say, come to Christ. Receive Christ. And what we promise them if they come is that they will be united to him and his bride. And all that he bought for his bride will be theirs. All that he secured with absolute certainty will be their portion forever." Not everyone he quotes is a believer, but, all quotes ultimately challenge readers to fully believe the truth.
Since many, many people struggle with the "L" of Tulip, I thought I would share this little list:
In all these ways (and others), joy springs from Christ’s blood for the elect. In its concentrated form, here’s what Christ’s joy looks like:
*Jesus found exuberant delight in the Father’s plan to save the elect.
*Jesus desired that his joy in the Father, through the Spirit, would overflow in the lives of God’s children.
*Jesus died to redeem the elect, to become their High Priest, and to guarantee their eternal flourishing.
*Jesus’s blood defeated every ultimate impediment to the joy of God’s chosen.
*Jesus’s blood purchased for the elect the promised joys of the new covenant.
*Jesus’s blood purchased the Holy Spirit, opening an eternal fountain of eternal joy in the life of the elect, which is the joy of Christ in them.
Understanding the depths of these concentrated truths will take an eternity of study, reflection, and worship.
February 7, 2023
Estamos nos afastando da verdadeira alegria que habita em Deus e na plena satisfação nEle, e estamos nos agarrando a uma casca vazia de alegria que nos é entregue pelo pecado.
February 1, 2016
Tony Reinke. The Joy Project. Minneapolis: Desiring God, 2015. 122 pp. $8.99
Every human being searches for happiness. No one is exempt. The Creator of the universe has hardwired human beings to be joyful. Tony Reinke makes this argument the centerpiece of his excellent book, The Joy Project. The thesis is simple and breathtakingly profound: “Making glad worshipers out of spiritually dead sinners is the grand design of God’s Joy Project.”
Reinke’s undergirds his thesis by making a case for historic Calvinism. He refers readers back to the Synod of Dort where the doctrines of grace were systematically spelled out by our theological forefathers. What grew out of the Synod was the well-known acronym, TULIP. The author puts the five points of Calvinism on display in vivid terms:
- TOTAL DEPRAVITY is not just badness, but blindness to beauty and deadness to joy.
- UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION is how God planned, before we existed to complete our joy in Christ.
- LIMITED ATONEMENT is the assurance that indestructible joy in God is infallibly secured for us by the blood of Jesus.
- IRRESISTIBLE GRACE is the sovereign commitment of God to make sure we hold on to superior delights instead of the false pleasures that will ultimately destroy us.
- PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS is the almighty work of God to keep us, through all affliction and suffering, for an inheritance of pleasures at God’s right hand forever.
The author proclaims, “Our eternal joy will flourish when we are the objects of God’s sovereign grace. So the remainder of the book is devoted to unpacking the doctrines of grace (otherwise known as the five points of Calvinism). Critiques of Reformed theology will no doubt be drawn to Reinke’s winsome approach, an approach which is drowning in grace and Christ-saturated joy. Folks who are already convinced of Reformed theology will walk away with warmed hearts and drawn to the heart of the Savior.
The Joy Project could be viewed in many ways as the cliff notes for John Piper’s best-selling book, Desiring God. Tony Reinke should be commending for articulating the doctrines of grace in such a creative way, without losing any doctrinal punch. I recommend The Joy Project to anyone ready to be captivated by sovereign grace. Readers will certainly discover that joyful Calvinism is the only kind of Calvinism.
Download a free version of this book at http://www.desiringgod.org/books/the-... (http://www.desiringgod.org/books/the-...)
Every human being searches for happiness. No one is exempt. The Creator of the universe has hardwired human beings to be joyful. Tony Reinke makes this argument the centerpiece of his excellent book, The Joy Project. The thesis is simple and breathtakingly profound: “Making glad worshipers out of spiritually dead sinners is the grand design of God’s Joy Project.”
Reinke’s undergirds his thesis by making a case for historic Calvinism. He refers readers back to the Synod of Dort where the doctrines of grace were systematically spelled out by our theological forefathers. What grew out of the Synod was the well-known acronym, TULIP. The author puts the five points of Calvinism on display in vivid terms:
- TOTAL DEPRAVITY is not just badness, but blindness to beauty and deadness to joy.
- UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION is how God planned, before we existed to complete our joy in Christ.
- LIMITED ATONEMENT is the assurance that indestructible joy in God is infallibly secured for us by the blood of Jesus.
- IRRESISTIBLE GRACE is the sovereign commitment of God to make sure we hold on to superior delights instead of the false pleasures that will ultimately destroy us.
- PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS is the almighty work of God to keep us, through all affliction and suffering, for an inheritance of pleasures at God’s right hand forever.
The author proclaims, “Our eternal joy will flourish when we are the objects of God’s sovereign grace. So the remainder of the book is devoted to unpacking the doctrines of grace (otherwise known as the five points of Calvinism). Critiques of Reformed theology will no doubt be drawn to Reinke’s winsome approach, an approach which is drowning in grace and Christ-saturated joy. Folks who are already convinced of Reformed theology will walk away with warmed hearts and drawn to the heart of the Savior.
The Joy Project could be viewed in many ways as the cliff notes for John Piper’s best-selling book, Desiring God. Tony Reinke should be commending for articulating the doctrines of grace in such a creative way, without losing any doctrinal punch. I recommend The Joy Project to anyone ready to be captivated by sovereign grace. Readers will certainly discover that joyful Calvinism is the only kind of Calvinism.
Download a free version of this book at http://www.desiringgod.org/books/the-... (http://www.desiringgod.org/books/the-...)
March 9, 2016
I got this free ebook from. desireGod.org :)
They offer a lot of free Christian eBooks for us to read. Check them out now! :)
When I first read the few chapters of this book, it totally struck me from the outside in. I honestly find joy in being productive, in doing a to do list and accomplishing them. I find joy mostly in the little things but I admit it's not always easy to find joy in the midst of tough circumstances that comes in my life.
The author tackled about a topic he called "The Joy Project" originally the TULIP principle. He dug deeper into the subject in every chapter and explained them through the help of the Scripture. The real joy comes from God and we are free to have it if we let the Holy Spirit work in us.
This book is a real eye-opener of God's unconditional love for us. In Him and only Him we can find the real and everlasting joy.
They offer a lot of free Christian eBooks for us to read. Check them out now! :)
When I first read the few chapters of this book, it totally struck me from the outside in. I honestly find joy in being productive, in doing a to do list and accomplishing them. I find joy mostly in the little things but I admit it's not always easy to find joy in the midst of tough circumstances that comes in my life.
The author tackled about a topic he called "The Joy Project" originally the TULIP principle. He dug deeper into the subject in every chapter and explained them through the help of the Scripture. The real joy comes from God and we are free to have it if we let the Holy Spirit work in us.
This book is a real eye-opener of God's unconditional love for us. In Him and only Him we can find the real and everlasting joy.
January 6, 2019
Easily one of the best introductions to Calvinism I’ve read. Written in a conversational style that’s full of explanation and light on the five dollar theology vocabulary.
As an introduction, it doesn’t dive deep into objections, but seeks to explain the basic concepts and centers them around God’s joy. This keeps it away from dogmatic infighting.
I do feel his discussion around limited atonement (Jesus does for specific people, not for a vague group or for everyone who would later choose him) was a little light.
He does discuss one objection to Christianity in general, “I don’t want/believe in a god who needs to be worshipped/adored/praised” the answer being that God doesn’t need our praise.
I bought it on a recommendation and heartily add my own recommendation now.
As an introduction, it doesn’t dive deep into objections, but seeks to explain the basic concepts and centers them around God’s joy. This keeps it away from dogmatic infighting.
I do feel his discussion around limited atonement (Jesus does for specific people, not for a vague group or for everyone who would later choose him) was a little light.
He does discuss one objection to Christianity in general, “I don’t want/believe in a god who needs to be worshipped/adored/praised” the answer being that God doesn’t need our praise.
I bought it on a recommendation and heartily add my own recommendation now.
December 28, 2015
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Saw this really great quote towards the end: “In Christ, the title to eternally unending joy is already yours. Christ is yours. Embrace God’s Joy Project—designed by the Father, paid for by the Son, applied by the Spirit—as work all accomplished to draw you into the joy of God.”
August 27, 2017
You can download this book for free from this site.
If you ask them, many persons will tell you that for them joy means : being healthy, having money, a successful career ,happiness for their children,doing what they like, vacations, houses, cars etc ; but there are few people that answers being with God . The Joy Project underlines what real joy is about and I am not talking about fleeting joys but the one that really counts and it is forever.
“True happiness is not found. It finds you.”
If you ask them, many persons will tell you that for them joy means : being healthy, having money, a successful career ,happiness for their children,doing what they like, vacations, houses, cars etc ; but there are few people that answers being with God . The Joy Project underlines what real joy is about and I am not talking about fleeting joys but the one that really counts and it is forever.
August 2, 2018
A great presentation on reformed theology. It answered questions I had about Calvinism prior to reading this book. I also loved that his main focus wasn’t to persuade you to become a Calvinist, but to show that this world truly does revolve around God’s glory and joy through Him!
February 23, 2016
This book provides a very accessible and relatable explanation of TULIP and Calvinism. Reinke explains these ideas with the compelling perspective of joy--something we all search for. He argues that we can never find joy or attain joy ourselves but rather that joy comes to us through the election and sovereign grace of God. He offers a perspective that was completely new to me, things that I was never taught even with being raised in church my whole life. I wouldn't call myself a true Calvinist, but I did come to understand their beliefs so much better through this book and I did end up agreeing with him more than I thought I would. The idea that we can not achieve joy on our own is not discouraging, it's relieving! God includes joy with his plan of grace and salvation. All we have to do is accept. He has done everything for us! Whether you're a Calvinist or not, that truth is both exciting and comforting. So if you're looking for an easy to understand explanation of Calvinism, or you're looking to find joy, I would recommend this book.
February 29, 2016
In The Joy Project, Tony Reinke shows us how the Doctrines of Grace are more than just the knowledge of how God saves some one. He shows us the practical implications of what God has done for those who believe in Christ , which leads to eternal joy, not the temporal joy of vain pursuits.
March 12, 2022
3.8 stars.
The Joy Project has one simple premise: that God has planned out this entire creation, all the events of history, the death and resurrection of Jesus for the sake of his glorification and our joy! It proposes Calvinism not as an oppressive, control-freak God playing with action figures on earth, but loving God who, because of his amazing grace, chose to align his glorification with our joy. Christian Hedonism, that God is more glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him, is shown to be a foundation for joy in our lives. Psalm 27 --> One thing I seek, to dwell in the house of the LORD for all my days. Psalm 16 --> The fullness of joy is found in his presence!!
It was mostly convincing to me. Our total depravity comes from the fact that our hearts desire sin.
One more quote:
Reinke does a really good job with his word choice and conciseness, so every sentence you feel like you are learning something new. My biggest critiques against his book were that my objections to Calvinism (namely under Irresistible Grace) were not fully answered how I hoped. Which I suppose is to be expected: this is an introduction after all. But this was a very worshipful book for me, and
The Joy Project has one simple premise: that God has planned out this entire creation, all the events of history, the death and resurrection of Jesus for the sake of his glorification and our joy! It proposes Calvinism not as an oppressive, control-freak God playing with action figures on earth, but loving God who, because of his amazing grace, chose to align his glorification with our joy. Christian Hedonism, that God is more glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him, is shown to be a foundation for joy in our lives. Psalm 27 --> One thing I seek, to dwell in the house of the LORD for all my days. Psalm 16 --> The fullness of joy is found in his presence!!
It was mostly convincing to me. Our total depravity comes from the fact that our hearts desire sin.
in light of this human tragedy called "total depravity", our true and lasting joy depends on some bold and divine infringement on our self destruction. 29No part of our hearts want God, and yet he changes our hearts to desire him and in that way experience joy!! Out of his own joy, God created, designed, fabricated this world for us to share his joy for the purpose of his glorification! How exciting is that!! And through his promises, we have promises of joy forevermore!
God's choice of you is a divine insurance policy of joy, underwritten by Christ's blood, unshaken by the trials and pains of life, ensuring your claim on joys forevermore. 104
One more quote:
our sin-dead souls have been sparked with new life in Christ, and we have seen the powers of the world to come: unspeakable glory-joy, the very presence of God!99That is good news! That is what we have now and what we will have forevermore!!
Reinke does a really good job with his word choice and conciseness, so every sentence you feel like you are learning something new. My biggest critiques against his book were that my objections to Calvinism (namely under Irresistible Grace) were not fully answered how I hoped. Which I suppose is to be expected: this is an introduction after all. But this was a very worshipful book for me, and
July 31, 2020
This is the best introduction to Calvinism I've come across so far. Reinke does an excellent job showing the beauty and wonder of the doctrines of grace in addition to their truthfulness. If you know someone who is interested in learning about Reformed theology, or you want to know more about it yourself, this book is a GREAT place to start.
January 3, 2024
True Joy
This is a very good book on Christian focus and being.
It is so short, but so powerful.
Highly recommend reading this one.
Reinke is one of my favorite Christian authors.
4.8/5
This is a very good book on Christian focus and being.
It is so short, but so powerful.
Highly recommend reading this one.
Reinke is one of my favorite Christian authors.
4.8/5
January 29, 2019
What a great book! I was afraid at first that it would be dry and hard to get into, when I saw that there's a new publication of it which says it's about Calvinism. But I really enjoyed it! At the end it says:
Download this book in three digital formats, free of charge, at desiringGod.org.
Download this book in three digital formats, free of charge, at desiringGod.org.
October 6, 2024
Read this in a Bible study at Church. Walks through why we believe the way we believe. Don't let Calvinism scare you it is simply an explanation of the Bible and finding joy of your salvation.
August 22, 2021
For those who hate Calvinism, don’t know anything about Calvinism, don’t know what to think, or who think they know about Calvinism. I’d recommend this as an intro to John Piper’s “Desiring God”, since they both revolve around the same theme: Joy. This edition includes a Study Guide in the back that actually has good group discussion questions.
Reinke emphasizes the purpose in God’s design by connecting our heads to our hearts. I noticed this disconnect in myself and still sometimes lean on my own “understanding.” I do believe there are a lot of “crusty Christians” out there and a lot come from the Calvinist tradition.
From the appendix:
“So, by all means, discover God’s sovereignty, embrace it, and rejoice in the fact that God has control of the universe, reigns over all evil, and navigates the course of our lives. Grasp this truth from the Bible. Stand on this truth with the joy of faith. BUT DON’T STOP HERE. Go deeper until you can see all this with your own eyes. Scripture reveals to us a Father who elected us to inherit his joy, a Son who purchased our joy for us, and a Holy Spirit who is now the presence of divine joy within us, applying the blood-bought joy of Christ to our hearts now and forever.”
Reinke emphasizes the purpose in God’s design by connecting our heads to our hearts. I noticed this disconnect in myself and still sometimes lean on my own “understanding.” I do believe there are a lot of “crusty Christians” out there and a lot come from the Calvinist tradition.
From the appendix:
“So, by all means, discover God’s sovereignty, embrace it, and rejoice in the fact that God has control of the universe, reigns over all evil, and navigates the course of our lives. Grasp this truth from the Bible. Stand on this truth with the joy of faith. BUT DON’T STOP HERE. Go deeper until you can see all this with your own eyes. Scripture reveals to us a Father who elected us to inherit his joy, a Son who purchased our joy for us, and a Holy Spirit who is now the presence of divine joy within us, applying the blood-bought joy of Christ to our hearts now and forever.”
February 9, 2017
Tony Reinke beautifully takes us through what he describes as "God's Joy Project." Also know as the 5 points of Calvinism, or, TULIP. Each chapter is a drama in five parts, culminating in the final destination for all believers: joy. Mr. Reinke does a great job of balancing exegeted Biblical texts with works throughout the church ages. Each chapter is meant to draw you into deeper meditation and joy over our great salvation. Definitely recommended to the seasoned and the curious believer if they want to gain a deeper joy in God's work of salvation.
"By [God's] own initiative, and by his own inventiveness, and by his own design, which unfolded in Christ, God has sovereignly orchestrated—from the beginning of time—our joy. He gives us joy. The triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—conspired together to fill us with happiness! Now this point gets us to the heart of God's Joy Project."
"By [God's] own initiative, and by his own inventiveness, and by his own design, which unfolded in Christ, God has sovereignly orchestrated—from the beginning of time—our joy. He gives us joy. The triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—conspired together to fill us with happiness! Now this point gets us to the heart of God's Joy Project."
March 2, 2016
This book is about finding joy. The author has you focus on what God wants for you. He looks at the idea that God is full of joy and wants to pass that onto His children. People look for joy in things or positions rather than in God. God has given every believer everything they need. The ultimate gift is salvation, so every believer should have ultimate joy in knowing this and knowing that God has much more in store for the believer some day.
The one thing I did not care a lot for is that the author writes with a strong emphasis on Calvinism and the Puritan beliefs. Other than that the book is a good read and will encourage you to be filled with God's joy.
The one thing I did not care a lot for is that the author writes with a strong emphasis on Calvinism and the Puritan beliefs. Other than that the book is a good read and will encourage you to be filled with God's joy.
January 15, 2016
It was good. I should have taken better notes as I read it so I could be more specific in my review. Certain sections I felt were communicated very well and I highlighted several good insights. But overall I feel like the extreme focus on our own joy just didn't work well for me. There were many times when I'd finish a section and think "I'm not sure any of that meant anything. Just fluff words."
It was a nice quick read. I thought the author's way of writing it in the style of acts in a play worked well and his parallels with David Foster Wallace's writings were cool.
It was a nice quick read. I thought the author's way of writing it in the style of acts in a play worked well and his parallels with David Foster Wallace's writings were cool.
January 2, 2016
Wonderful short book on the joy to be had, it's actually God's purpose, in the doctrines of grace. Reinke walks through the tenets of Calvinism, The Joy Project, and how they are meant to give us rest in God's love for us and Christ's finished work. The destination of the book, and the doctrines of grace, is a simple gratitude toward God that guides our life and hope for eternity.
Read and be encouraged by God's purpose and plan.
Read and be encouraged by God's purpose and plan.
March 8, 2016
Tony Reinke is one of the most gifted writers of our day as his writing style is clear and very interesting! His book Lit, how to read christian books is one of my favorites!! "The Joy Project" isn't quite up to the caliber of Lit, but it is still a great read! Mr. Reinke looks at the heart of reformed theology in light of our joy! He shows how TULIP the acronym for the truths found in God's Word are where we relish in the treasures found in Christ!
November 1, 2015
I found this book an interesting way to explain the gospel - as God's "Joy Project". Also, thankful for the very understandable explanation of TULIP in it as well. I think the last verse in the book (Jude 1:24-25) sums up my takeaway pretty well. Overall, a good read, but I don't know if it was too memorable.
March 16, 2016
In this book, Tony Reinke tells the story of the intrinsically happy God and His "conspiring" to give us joy. This is the story of how God saves His people. Reinke shows from the Bible how God is devoted to giving us true joy and how we can also rejoice in the knowledge of what God does for us to accomplish our salavation and give us everlasting joy.
October 26, 2015
This was a great little book about what has commonly been called the five points of Calvinism. Reinke presents the doctrines in a fresh and life-giving way, directly tying each doctrine to our joy in God and God's desire for us to have intense joy in him. Excellent work.
December 19, 2015
This was an interesting read with a great take on TULIP and some wonderful things to think about. The main thing that kept me from rating it higher was Reinke's writing style and word choices which often got in the way for me.
October 14, 2015
Very interesting and a different kind of book.
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