Sarah Young’s Husband Defends His Wife’s Book from Denomination Investigation: ‘The Jesus Calling brand has ministered to millions’
The husband of a prominent Christian book author defended efforts by the Presbyterian Church in America’s annual convention to investigate his late wife’s book, insisting it has born “good fruit” for millions, despite being actually fit for the trash heap.
Yesterday, the PCA did the Lord’s work by approving a resolution investigating the impact and influence of Sarah Young’s egregiously awful book Jesus Calling, setting the stage for it to be potentially banned.
Published in 2004 by the now-deceased Sarah Young, a member of the PCA, Jesus Calling has 45 million copies in print. It is one of the most recognizable devotional books in recent history. It has spawned a multitude of spin-offs, all the while being one of the most dangerous books released in the last twenty years for its espousal of mysticism, speaking for God, extra-biblical assertions, automatic writing, and rejecting the sufficiency of the scriptures.
Passed by a vote of 947 in favor to 834 opposed, the resolution would have the Committee on Discipleship Ministries, which is “charged by the Presbyterian Church in America with the task of equipping and discipling the churches of the denomination” to investigate further and report back on the book’s “appropriateness for Christians in general,” to “outline its reasons for withdrawing the book from its inventory previously and not offering it for sale since.”
Offering a defense of his wife’s book and brand, which mainly consisted of pointing out all the accolades it has garnered rather than its fidelity to scripture, Stephen Young offered:
Speaking against this motion, teaching Elder Stephen Young Nashville; missionary with Mission to the World. Last year the late PCA Pastor Tim Keller was awarded the Pinnacle Award by the ECPA- Evangelical Christian publishing Association- for his contribution to influential Christian books. This April my late wife Sarah Young was honored to be the seventh recipient of the same award.
The Jesus Calling brand has ministered to millions of people around the world. In 2013 Jesus Today was the ECPA Christian book of the Year. Jesus Always was the Christian book of the year in 2018.
Sarah was a humble servant of Jesus who did not seek self-glory and prayed for her readers to know and deeply love the only Savior Jesus Christ. Her writings drew the reader to Jesus, to trust Him, worship Him, and love him.
Her writings do not add to scripture, but explain it. She would stand with Martin Luther and declare that her conscience was captive to the word of God. A majority of the PCA family and friends have been positively impacted by Sarah’s books. Matthew 7:17 Jesus refers to a good tree that does bear good fruit for his glory.
Sarah is a sister in Christ and wife who delighted in the law of the Lord and in his law she meditated day and night. She was led to share her meditations with the world. I humbly ask that you join me in voting down these potentially divisive amendments and thank God for the good fruit that continues to be born through Sarah Young’s books. Thank you
