This is a book review for Joshua Choonmin Kang's book, Deep-Rooted In Christ: The Way of Tranformation.
The book title caught my eye, though I had not heard of Joshua Choonmin Kang, the pastor of Oriental Mission Church in Los Angeles, California. However, he is one of the many people endorsed by Richard Foster.
I enjoyed this book very much. It's focus on being deep-rooted in Christ resonated well with where the Lord has taken me in my walk. It reminds me of Ephesians 3:14-21 and John 15. Writing from the perspective of the contemplative tradition, Kang shows how the various spiritual disciplines can come together, along with the work of the Holy Spirit in us, to form Christ in us and to root us deeply in Christ.
You can look at the table of contents to get a sense of the message it has (see the link to Amazon.com). I found the book to be an easy read, which was good as a devotional. It is not exactly a how-to book, but then it connects the spiritual disciplines with the process of being rooted in Christ. In some ways it is very practical. I suspect it is one of those books I will have to read a few times.
I am struck by how Kang writes from experience, not just intellectual knowledge. He reflects on the ways of God and the person who God wants us to be. This can be both exciting and challenging, as we fall short of the goal. Tranformation is a process, and this book is about that process.
At one point he reflects about the wilderness. "Where does God devleop a servant? In the wilderness." (p. 73) "In the desert those who have trusted only in themselves and others learn to put their faith in God. The Word of God and the Holy Spirit are the teachers. Yes, the curriculum is devoted to suffering, but that's where the lambs become lions. That's where ordinary people become extraordinary men and woment of God." (p. 74)
I highly recommend this book, and being deep-rooted in Christ is very much a part of what it means to practice Christ.
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