Based on John Owen’s Classic Text Communion with God, This Helpful Resource Answers the Question, “What Does It Mean to Be Friends with Jesus?”
In John 15, Jesus says, “I have called you friends.” But what does it mean to be friends with Jesus? In the early 1650s, theologian John Owen attempted to answer this question through a series of sermons, eventually compiled as Communion with God. The book is full of truths about having fellowship with God, but Owen’s work is often a struggle for modern readers to understand.
In Friendship with God, pastor Mike McKinley takes a key idea or insight from Communion with God and clarifies it for readers in each chapter, giving them practical guidance for how to develop fellowship with God—such as obeying the Father’s commands, acknowledgment of sin, and prayer. Perfect for new Christians or for those without a church background, this accessible resource offers an introduction to the God who “wants you to know him and be known by him.”
Author
Mike McKinley (MDiv, Westminster Theological Seminary) is senior pastor of Sterling Park Baptist Church in Sterling, Virginia. He is the author of a number of books, including Am I Really a Christian? and Church Planting Is for Wimps. He and his wife, Karen, have five children and live in Northern Virginia.
Endorsements
“Spectacular and exhilarating, but also inaccessible—John Owen can be like that. His view of the triune God is glorious, yet reading Owen is like climbing a mountain. But just as you can take a helicopter tour to see the marvels of a mountain range, so Mike McKinley lifts us up into Owen’s thoughts with easy-to-understand explanations to see the wonders of knowing the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This book will greatly help many fellowship more fully with God whose friendship, in Christ, is more than a brother’s. Highly recommended for all believers yearning to have a closer and richer life with each of the persons of the Trinity!”
Joel R. Beeke, President, Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary
“Probably no book has influenced my theological instincts more than John Owen’s Communion with God, but Owen is not always easy to read. Therefore, this small volume by Mike McKinley is a welcome gift. He ably conveys in an accessible and friendly way many of Owen’s key ideas from that book, inviting readers to consider the kindness of the God who desires to be in communion with us.”
Kelly M. Kapic, Professor of Theological Studies, Covenant College
“While thoughtful Christians will know that the doctrine of the Trinity is biblically true, fewer see it as the fountain of their entire Christian spirituality. But Mike McKinley ably shows how the triune God invites the believer into a deeply nuanced threefold relationship—a friendship even—with Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In McKinley’s capable hands, John Owen’s original (dense!) writing on these themes opens up and breathes, inviting every reader into the Trinitarian depths.”
Brian Kay, Pastor of Christian Formation, Walnut Creek Presbyterian Church, Walnut Creek, California; author, Trinitarian Spirituality: John Owen and the Doctrine of God in Western Devotion
“John Owen’s Communion with God proves that this titan of English theology was also a sensitive pastor and guide who wanted his listeners and readers to love the triune God fervently. Yet Owen’s style is complex and can be difficult for modern readers. Enter Mike McKinley, himself a seasoned pastor, who in this short book synthesizes much of the gist of Owen’s treatise. Full of choice quotes from Owen, trenchant observations, and provocative questions, McKinley’s overview will spur you on to communion, and indeed fellowship and friendship, with God!”
Shawn D. Wright, Professor of Church History, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary; coeditor, The Complete Works of John Owen
