Saints: Becoming More Than "Christians"

Thank you in advance to the publisher for providing a complimentary copy to review. All words are my own in this review and a positive review was not required.

“Saints: Becoming More Than Christians” is one of those books that I didn’t know what to expect from. I am still new to books such as this. And, this was definitely a stunning read. The cover is striking, yet simple. And, being a hardcover, this is sturdy – much like the bible.

This is not a “self-help” per say in the way that it lacks worksheets and “goals” for those kind of books.

This isn’t a book you read once and shelve either. This also wasn’t a “can’t stop turning the pages” kind of read either. This is a book that the reader carefully reads and sorts through. I did enjoy it as I read it.

This is a book to come back to for re-affirmations and to continue to forge good, healthy, habits, and become what God expects. It is a bedside table kind of read or one that you keep close to you.

Using scripture (and sometimes humor) as examples, Bevere explains how God has set in motion what he wants us to be – and what tools we can use to be that person. One example is “Saints” where Bevere states that is someone thinks this is a book about “Saints”, he won’t feel offended if the reader sends the book back where it came from.

The author points out that by no means is this book or the words in it is meant to be about perfection. It is about devotion, obedience, along with finding the wonder and glory in every moment. And, he makes excellent points.

According to Bevere’s book, the term “Christian” is only used three (3) times to describe the “followers”. Yet, “Hagios” (the Latin term for Saints) is mentioned sixty (60) times.

Bevere explains that we have mistakenly applied the word to people of the halo-wearing group. And, that the term “Christian” seems a cheap way to refer to the followers of God and Jesus Christ.

Bevere notes that humans in pursuit of a life apart from God, have stripped him from their lives and are not living the God-infused life they should, which is the source of life. Part of this is because they are terrified of dependence on God, or someone else.

One passage that struck some harmony with me regarded finding “heaven” while living. He states that heaven could be defined by “peace, joy, togetherness, forgiveness, love, mercy, and wholeness in our lives”. And, we can have that now.

Bevere’s writing style is casual, almost as if he is talking with the reader at a coffeehouse or in their home. This is a journey and not a weekend workshop. This is meant to grow over a lifetime.

Recommended for those who want to take their spiritual relationship with God and Jesus a step further (farther).

In the book Saints, new author Addison Bevere, writes about this ancient word and attempts to show what it means. Bevere writes: “While the identifier Christian is used only three times in Scripture, hagios—translated as "saints"—is used over sixty times. According to HarperCollins Bible Dictionary, hagios "refers to those whose relationship with God is maintained through faith in Jesus Christ."”
I found Bevere’s thoughts on idolatry made me think. He writes: “To worship something is to draw life from it, and there is no true life apart from God. Humankind’s undoing has always been our worship of self—our favorite idol. Our modern world is still very much in love with this idol. In fact, our Western culture celebrates and glorifies self-worship. This is why idolatry is deeply intertwined in the systems and pursuits of our world and undoubtedly alive and well today. Is it any wonder that Jesus’s call to life requires us to deny our self and follow in his self-sacrificing love? A new way of life made possible only by both his example and his Spirit?”
While Bevere has some good thoughts, I felt the book rambled and diverged from its focus regularly. I would recommend this book but realize that the book is more about general Christian living. I received a copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I'll be honest, when I first saw the cover of "Saints", I made the assumption that it would be a compendium of revered figures in Church history. Then I saw the subtitle, "Becoming More Than 'Christians'", and decided to investigate further. I was sufficiently intrigued to request it for review, and I am glad that I did! Rather than a tedious monologue, I discovered an engaging and stimulating call to return to our first love, Jesus.

With "Saints", Addison Bevere sets forth a timely exegesis of what that term actually means within the Bible's context and how we can and should strive to apply it to our lives so that it becomes ingrained into our identity. As Bevere explains, saints are those who have faith in Christ and are in a continually-deepening relationship with God through Him; "a saint is someone who brings a future reality into the present." As a language buff, I appreciate how he expounds upon the semantics of the Bible's use of the term "saints" over "Christians." Furthermore, I find his open acknowledgement and explanation of seemingly contradictory facts or statements in certain Bible passages, such as those relating to fearing the Lord and also not being afraid, wise; as such, I would recommend this book to nonbelievers, especially those with an agnostic bent.

Bevere is in tune with today's society and its Gospel needs, accurately pinpointing some of the most prominent areas of spiritual dearth and pointing readers toward the source of abundance: Jesus. He makes it clear that while nothing can separate us from God's love (Romans 8:38-39), we can separate ourselves from God's grace because “Pride is the grace blocker.” I love how he progresses from the Old Testament to the New Testament because so many focus only on Jesus in the New Testament. "Saints" is truly where the rubber meets the road of our faith journey, and I recommend it to anyone who wants to take their faith in Christ to the next level. Onward and upward!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Every once in awhile, I come across a book that blows me away with its depth, truth, and new information. Addison Bevere's Saints was one such book.

I knew Addison had my number when he started talking about becoming a true Saint, or hagios. Yes, Jesus calls me a saint because I know Him, but I've never *felt* like one. Like Addison with his Michael Jordan nesting doll, I never felt like I was unlocking everything life in Christ had to offer. Surely there had to be more than getting "saved," walking an aisle, being baptized, and then spending the rest of my life trying to be what my own idea of a good Christian is, right? (That idea influenced by factors including church, my interpretation of the Bible, other Christian authors, Christian authors/leaders calling each other false teachers, you name it). Ugh. Aaaargh.

Saints lets me know that there is indeed more. There's so much packed into it, in fact, that to try to elucidate everything I learned and liked about it would take me days. So I will simply say, I'm still digesting the idea that God's holiness does not mean I have to attain a human version of perfection, but to embrace His "otherness." Just because I cluck, it doesn't mean I'm still a chicken who's going to get pulled out of the sky and told to go back to looking for worms. A proper understanding of sin and "sin no more" can be one of the most freeing things ever. So too, a proper understanding of grace means I can soar higher, be more, than I ever believed possible.

I do wish Addison had included some more practical steps on handling this new information, and/or practical examples of what this Saint life looks like when juxtaposed with how most Christians try to attain it, but miss it. Maybe if there had been some discussion questions or journaling or something--but maybe that's coming out in a "study" version of the book? I hope so. Anyway, it's a lot to sink your teeth into, but well worth the read--or second or third read, as the case may be. I have a feeling I'll need to reread it to digest some more.

Austin Bevere explores what it means to be a saint, a word commonly used to describe followers of Christ in the New Testament. It is a word with a rich meaning and context—not the perfection and elitism often ascribed to it today—and it offers an incredible invitation toward understanding God-given purpose, identity, and love more fully. A challenging, insightful, uplifting, wise exploration, this book left me full of hope and with a lot to ponder.

I received a complimentary copy of this book and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

This was a pleasant surprise of depth. I was hoping it would be good. Going in I figured it was going to be an enjoyable, simple read about our identity in Christ. I was pleasantly surprised to find a meatier dialogue of who we are in Christ. It reminded me of a friendlier version of a Tozer classic, meaning that Bevere covers the theology and Scripture of what it truly means to walk as a Saint, but also weaves his own personal stories and some contemporary references that add to the depth instead of water down the writing.

In his book Saints, Addison Bevere reminds the reader of who they already are in Christ. He lays down the premise of what was won for us at the cross and through the life of Christ, and now is ours to grow into, not try to gain. Christianity is not try harder so that we can become Saints, but we are saints let us walk more and more in our truest identity. I would recommend this read to anyone looking for a solid read on what it means to be a follower of Christ. This book does a great job covering Scripture, theology, and practicality of walking as a Saint.

*** I was given a copy of this book from Revell Publishing for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

What does it mean to find the good life, the abundant life Jesus promised? Addison Bevere explores this question by taking us through what it means to be saints. The good life, paradoxically, is found in death - both through Jesus’ death and sacrifice, and through our dying to ourselves. That death allows us to find life in God, to be remade into the people He made us to be: people who look and talk and act like Jesus. Our identity as saints means we can live out our eternal identity now, bringing His kingdom and His holiness to our world and the people around us.

This book is challenging and convicting, tackling familiar topics like fear of God, sin, and holiness in a fresh, insightful way. It leans much more heavily on Scripture than on the author’s personal stories, which I appreciate, although I enjoyed his stories and the glimpses of his life. I really enjoyed the study of this "old-fashioned" word, saints, and how learning what it means gives us a new perspective on basic, familiar gospel truths. This book is thought-provoking and encouraging - a book I think every Christian would benefit from reading!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you, Revell!

Author Addison D. Bevere is clearly an inspired and very talented writer and engaging storyteller. Saints Becoming More Than “Christians” is his encouragement to shed our Old Self for Our New Self in Jesus. He breathes new life into the ancient term ‘Saint’ and challenges readers to aspire to the role within their current lives. The good life is not something we find, but something we become.

Saints is packed full of insightful bible references, explanations, and personal stories. Bevere sheds light on many common Christian themes. Most concepts are presented with excellent clarity, although I couldn’t follow all the explanations, particularly the ‘fear of God’.

To describe the experience of reading Saints, I’ll begin with what it is not. It’s not purely academic, but it’s also not a practical guide to making changes in your life. It’s not a light read that you can breeze through if you really want to absorb the message.

Saints is a heady but impressive compilation of inspired concepts and ideas that can encourage Christians to consider leading their lives in alignment with God. However, it falls short of a ‘how-to’ application, limiting its impact on everyday life.

I rated this book at 3.5/5 stars on my review website but rounded up to 4/5 stars on sites that don’t allow half stars.

How this book affected me:
I was really looking forward to reading Saints but it was not as I imagined or hoped it would be. I was more impressed by Mr. Bevere’s writing style and his grasp of the religious concepts than any new takeaways that I can apply to my life and relationship with God. The subtitle promised Becoming More Than “Christians”, but I felt let down by that promise.

Who would enjoy this book:
Readers who enjoy apologetics and academics might enjoy this book. Anyone looking for insight into Christian concepts might enjoy this book. Those who are targeting a specific area of change in their lives would be better served by finding a book more in line with the change they desire.

Our Christian Book Reviews:
The book reviews at Finding God Among Us focus on Christian books - adult and children, fiction and nonfiction. We're proud to be included in the Top 50 Christian Book Review Bloggers. I chose to read an ARC from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. This review is my honest opinion.

I am never satisfied with letting my faith be nothing more than a religion, and neither is this book. This is not a book that will let you stay the same, it is a book that is going to challenge you, influence you, and push you to become more in Christ. I have read the Bible many times, and know some stories by heart, but this book was able to show me that I still do not know the full story. Read this book and find out why we are called to be SAINTS