Need to Know: Your Guide to the Christian Life

by J. Gary Millar

Whether you are a new Christian, or have been for a while and feel in need of a refresher, or have been around church for years but things have only just clicked into place for you, this inspiring and practical book will give you the essentials—what you really need to know if you’re going to follow Jesus.

Gary Millar shows readers how letting the fundamental truths of the gospel take root in our hearts changes everything about the way we see God, ourselves and the world around us. He explores what this miraculous change on the inside looks like on the outside as we live our lives shaped around gospel priorities.

Packed full of warmth and wisdom, this book will set anyone up for a lifetime of living for Jesus. It's perfect for giving to new Christians and makes a great gift for baptisms or confirmations. Mentoring questions are included for each chapter, so it's also an ideal resource to use in one-to-one discipleship with younger believers.

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Christianity, Christian Living, Faith, Theology, Discipleship

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2020

About the author

Gary has been the Principal of Queensland Theological College in Brisbane, Australia since the start of 2012. After studying chemistry in his home city of Belfast, Gary moved to Aberdeen in Scotland to study theology, before completing a D.Phil at Oxford on Deuteronomy. Gary worked as a pastor for the next 17 years in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland and was involved in both church revitalization and church planting, before moving to Brisbane to lead the team at QTC.

Gary travels widely throughout Australia and beyond, seeking to encourage local churches. He is also the co-founder and Chair of The Gospel Coalition Australia.

Reviews

[Alex]

Great, encouraging little book that gives practical advice on how to honour Jesus with your whole life. Presented the gospel clearly and faithfully in language that was accessible, and made constant reference to relevant bible passages to do so.

"When I was a young Christian... I desperately wanted to get to the point where being a Christian was easy and I didn't need to put in the hard yards anymore. I imagined a future where I didn't struggle with sin, where church always felt happy and comfortable, where the daily disciplines of Bible reading and prayer took no self-discipline at all... in other words, I wanted to reach a point where I was so mature I could "coast".
[But] living for Jesus doesn't work like that - instead, the Christian life is about a long obedience in the same direction.
We will never be able to coast this side of the grave - but one day, when we receive that crown, there will be no more hard yards left."

[Ben Smart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent primer on the Christian life. Clear, engaging, short (a big win in my books!), and practical. This book gives you an excellent summary of what it actually means and looks like to follow Jesus. This will be my new go-to book for giving to new Christians.

[Bill Forgeard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant. As advertised, an ideal book to give to new Christians, or anyone taking their Christian faith seriously for the first time. Readable, encouraging, gospel-focused, covering a really good selection of important topics and some good pointers for further reading. Recommended.

[Andy Huette · Rating 3 out of 5]

A simple introduction to the basics of Christian faith. Could be a useful guide for discipleship. Short and easy to read.

[Matthew Hodge · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good basic introduction to the Christian faith for someone who might be starting out on their journey.

[Rob Patterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

With any relationship, I find starting off on the right foot can be hard to do. You could say that when it comes to relationships I’m a hoarder of expectations that I really don’t want to be parted from. And if I’m honest, most of them are useless. They really don’t help at all.

But expectations can be helpful if they’re the right ones. They will guide me to growing in knowledge and appreciation and respect of the other. They will help me to find my place in the relationship so that it - and I - can thrive.

That’s what Gary Millar has attempted in this book. He’s “Marie Kondoed” my clutter to the bare essentials. So I’m left with what I need for understanding the Christian life - as one of God’s precious children.

The first chapter explains this point really well. Christianity is not primarily a worldview but a relationship. Such an important place to start! I don’t find the Ikea illustration in the Introduction a particularly helpful way into this point but the point is still well made. We are made for eternal loving relationship with our triune God.

From there Millar goes on to explain that this relationship is lopsided. It’s not and never will be a relationship between equals. So to sort out how we move forward from here he urges us to look to God.

From there a simple and compelling set of set of principles fall out. Knowing God reveals the Gospel to us, us to ourselves and life living in light of that Gospel. But “knowing God” for eternity is the central point around which everything else is organised. And I can’t express how important a point this is.

Obviously I’m being brief to avoid spoilers but I will say this. Chapter 4 is a really important chapter. It contains thoughts around hardship/suffering and growth in holiness. I see where he’s going but almost feel that these are 2 big points that could benefit from their own air. It’s a short book so having their own chapters wouldn’t really be felt.

Regardless, this book manages to shoehorn priceless insights on the Christian life into only 117 pages. Yet it has all the important stuff - the right things are there and the wrong things aren’t. And this all in the packaging of an easy to read style mean it’s a breeze to read.

So pick up a copy and if you’re a new Christian, read it to start you relationship with God on the right foot. Or, if you’re a mature Christian, use it to declutter the rubbish you’ve begun to hoard along the way. But either way I’m sure you’ll find the simplicity invigorating. I know I did!

[Declan Ellis]

Put simply, Need to Know is a short explanation of what it means to live your life in light of the Gospel, which is the good news of Jesus Christ. Pitched at people who are new to Christianity, or people who have grown up in a church but are starting to take things more seriously, this book succinctly explains the principles that underpin what we believe. It doesn’t really try to raise any new ideas, but just attempts to explain how to live as a Christian in simple terms. Kind of like a modern-day "Mere Christianity", but without the funny examples, and ethical basis.

Overall, it does a good job of laying out the doctrines, the beliefs, that are central to Christianity and explaining how they impact on our lives. It’s systematic and well-structured in its approach. It starts by exploring who the God of the gospel really is, then tackles how the gospel shapes our life, our identity, our personal growth, our relationships, and our outlook on the world. It’s also very accessible, particularly as it thoroughly explains the Christian jargon that it uses, rather than just tossing around long words. The book uses examples - such as social media, that are both easy to understand and relatable for young adult readers. The way it uses the Bible is also commendable, and hopefully, readers will walk away from this book with a deeper understanding of popular Bible verses. Personally, despite the fact that not a lot of the teaching in the book was new to me, I found that added clarity to what I already believed and did a great job of reminding me why I should be living for Christ every day.

[Wyatt Brandt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Need to Know is now my go-to book to give or read with new believers. I'm impressed by how Miller manages to present deep theological truths in such an accessible way. It's refreshing to find a book that doesn't compromise depth for clarity.

What sets this book apart is its balance of doctrine and practicality. Miller has a gift for taking complex concepts and making them digestible without watering them down. The core message of the Gospel shines through every chapter, and the practical applications feel genuinely useful rather than merely theoretical.

Need to Know is theological yet approachable, deep yet clear, and most importantly, it bridges the gap between biblical truth and everyday life. I don’t recommend it only for new believers. It was refreshing for me as it made me take a good look at the Christian life with fresh eyes.

[Christian Barrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Need to Know is a refreshing book for any Christian. Whether you’re a babe in the faith or an old sage I would encourage you to read this book. For the older Christian you will be reminded of the simplicity and beauty of the gospel message and the glory of our great God. The young Christian you will get an intro into some questions that you have, but either were to afraid to ask or didn’t know how to ask. This book is written with the intention of showing Christians how to live out a gospel centered life, which I think Gary Millar does extraordinarily well. I would recommend giving this book to any new believer as it will wet their tongue in some theology. Also, it will help them see the glory of God and why a life lived for Him is a life worth pursuing.

[Troy Solava · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a 4-5 star book for its brevity and gospel centrality! It hits on the major priorities of the Christian life: knownjng God, Bible/prayer, the church, repentance, etc. and all priorities are grounded in the gospel.

These are hard to rate because this book is not comprehensive. It doesn’t give much advice on how to read the Bible or pray, etc. But at the same time, its simplicity and clarity is beneficial to new Christians. This is a book I would give to a new believer. Helpful!

[Tom Pountain · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this read, it stimulated it me in my own relationship with God. However, I struggled to think it would be the first book I'd put in the hand of an unbeliever. Some ideas felt quite abstract and there was a lot of dead theologians :) perhaps better suited for a demographic I'm less familiar with.

[John Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Succinct explanation of the gospel and how it transforms our whole being and every aspect of our lives. The author balances exposition with helpful and easy to understand applications. The book includes questions for each chapter so it can be used in a disciplining relationship or for personal reflection.

[Tom Heasman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Been looking for one simple book to give new Christians for years, and never found the right thing. This is it. Really good. Readable, engaging, helpful personal stories. Wondered whether it could do with a section on serving/giving in the church chapter.

[Will Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid introduction to the Christian faith. It covers the basics in a brief, Christ-centered way.

It took a few chapters to get going. I wasn't really engaged until chapter 3 where, for me at least, it seemed to pick up and find its footing.

[Pat O'Keeffe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this with someone at church and we've both really enjoyed it. Simple and clear, without at all being simplistic or condescending. I particularly appreciated the first chapter which introduces the triune God and union with Christ.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent for young Christians. I appreciate the call to remember Jesus and how Gary highlights the importance of the church for gospel-shaped living. The Christian life is simple but difficult, and this is a helpful guide for what that life is like.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful, compact, and easy to read book about the basics of living the Christian life. Ideal for new believers, this book is a great resource to give away or to walk through in a one-on-one discipleship environment (to this end, the book includes a list of "mentor questions" at the end).

[Lyra Thompson]

I had to read this for a class. There were some great messages in it, but it wasn’t super helpful for me personally because I’m already solid in my faith and beliefs. There was also a small theological issue I had with it.

[Ben · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic resource. Theologically strong. Simply and winsomely written. A solid foundation for new believers. A sound tune-up for all.

[Kathryn King · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were some nuggets in here that had me think deeply, but it wasn't enough to warrant a higher rating. Its goal was to be short and give an overview. It did that.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read at any stage of Christian life. So refreshing and couldn't put it down!

[Derek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, practical introduction they can be given to a new believer, especially if not raised in a Christian setting. I'm not always a fan of informal tone, but that may just be my preference

[Adam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gary covers a lot of ground helpfully and insightfully. Really good.

[Ricardo Ramos · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is essential for any new believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is short, but it touches in the fundamentals needed to get a thirst of the Holy Bible.

[Jennifer Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading some “new to being a Christian” books to pass on to a friend! This one is short and covers good stuff.

[Alex Gaidai · Rating 5 out of 5]

A primer for new believers, gets to the heart of the main things. It’s easy to follow, addresses most topics in a popular, contemporary way. Something that I would recommend to a new believer.

[Andy Garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great little primer on the Christian life! I read with a high school student and it was very helpful.

[Derrick Kenyon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book to read with new believers.

[Adnil · Rating 2 out of 5]

It had a lot of good reminders in it...but over all it kind of dragged on. Author repeats himself too much too.

[Jessie Wong · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a short and punchy book that as the title suggests, teaches on things we 'Need to Know' as christians. Although I may not have learnt anything particularly new, it was nice to have a reminder of things that we often forget, what the gospel is and how we live a gospel shaped life with others and in the the current world we live in. I would recommend reading this for new christians and also old because we will always continually need help remembering Christ this side of eternity.