#7!!!

You heard it here first: Tim Keller’s book, The Reason for God, will be listed as #7 on the NY Times Best Seller List (Non-Fiction) next week. Since its release Feb. 14, it entered the list at #18, then #11, then last week again at #11. I thought it plateaued, and was grateful it made it that far up the list.

Lest you think I’m a crazed Keller groupie who’s simply giddy about the book climbing the charts (which may in part be true!), let me tell you why I’m totally jazzed about this news. In most newspapers nationwide, they only list the top 10 on the NY Times list. If you’re not in the top 10, it often goes unnoticed by the general reading public. But once it breaks the top 10, these general readers then notice a book in that list, it spikes more sales, and often drives it up more (hence, obviously, wider readership, often sustained). Herein lies my excitement: Keller’s book will now be #7, and will surely assure even greater exposure to the message of his book.

And precisely what do I take to be the book’s message? It is found in chapter 11, “Religion and the Gospel”, p. 181:

The Christian gospel is that I am so flawed that Jesus had to die for me, yet I am so loved and valued and that Jesus was glad to die for me.

And what genuine Christian cannot but rejoice at this message getting into many more hands, heads and hearts? Give praise to God!

~ by Michael L. Johnson on March 13, 2008.