Kevin DeYoung, Just Do Something. Interview & Book Giveaway

For me, the best book I’ve read so far in 2009 is Kevin DeYoung’s Just Do Something: A Liberating Approach To Finding God’s Will. I recently interviewed Kevin about Just Do Something, and I’ve been given 4 free copies of the book to give away.

In a paragraph, how would you summarize the message of Just Do Something?

The message of the book is 1 Thessalonians 4:3.  This is the will of God: your sanctification.  God wants us to be holy.  He expects us to obey his Word, love Jesus and love others.  That’s it.  We should stop thinking passivity and inactivity are signs of spirituality.  God’s will is not a maze or a magic 8-ball.  He simply wants us to be obedient.

Though it’s a helpful book for all Christians, Just Do Something is especially directed towards twentysomethings. Why is this?

In my personal experience and in my interactions with plenty of college students and twentysomethings, I’ve found that most younger Christians wrestle with trying to find God’s will.  We have so many choices and opportunities that we don’t know what to do.  So we end up flailing after God’s will.  Choices are hard enough without thinking God has a hidden right answer for us.

Say a twenty-one year old recent college graduate catches this interview and decides to buy and read your book. What practical impact do you hope Just Do Something would make on such a person’s life?

I hope this book is freeing for young people.  We are focused on houses and careers and cars and spouses instead of focusing on holiness, purity, integrity, and maturity.  Following God’s moral will is harder to do, but also a lot simpler.  If we seek first his kingdom and righteousness we will be in the middle of God’s will.  I want young people to start making a difference now, start growing up now, instead of thinking they need an all-clear sign from God before taking a job or making a weighty decision.

What connection does the gospel have to the message of Just Do Something?

I see several connections to the gospel: 1) Christ died for our sins so we don’t have to live in fearful anxiety that we might screw up.  2) Christ has conquered death and the devil.  God has won.  So let’s go take some risks for God.  The worst that can happen is we get to meet Jesus sooner.  3) The gospel fulfilled God’s plan, demonstrating God’s providential reign over all things.  We don’t need to know the future, because know the One who holds it in his hand.

Did you grow up with this liberating understanding God’s will and decision making, or did this discovery come later for you?

I’m not sure where it came from, but I definitely had the traditional understanding of God’s will when I was younger.  I remember at seminary hearing a sermon on a Sunday evening, with about 45 other people there, about how God didn’t expect us to divine his will by our impressions.  This was a new concept for me, but made sense biblically, and sounded freeing.  Since then I started reading some good books on the subject and have been happy to live with more of a ‘just do something’ attitude.

Buy Just Do Something.

Or, if you’re among the first 4 people to get in touch with me and give me your contact information, I’ll send you a free copy.