In a society saturated with independence, self-actualisation and indulgent lifestyles, author KP Yohannan gives new emphasis to surrender and obedience as the true path to spiritual peace and healing in the second release of "Touching Godliness".
First published in 2008, the new release meets the widespread demand for an accompanying study guide for families, small groups and congregations. Readers of the first edition expressed a strong desire for the study guide in order to share its concepts with others.
"Just as the world has an abundance of food and clean water while people are dying of hunger and thirst, even so, as Christianity offers teaching and preaching like never before, people sitting in church pews yet lack the deep knowledge of God," said KP Yohannan, author and Gospel for Asia (GFA) founder and president. "They are suffering spiritual bankruptcy."
Yohannan offers the biblical alternative for spiritual bankruptcy that results in a balanced life: obedience and surrender.
"Touching Godliness" fills a need in the emerging emphasis on discipleship in the Body of Christ. "I was immediately drawn into this book by a keen awareness that here was a problem I had lived with for decades but never really addressed. Each new chapter was convicting but not condemning," said David Mains, author of 50-Day Spiritual Adventures used by over 50,000 churches and more than 5 million people.
"God's word tells us that righteousness is a gift; it cannot be earned," said Yohannan. "But godliness is not a gift. We must pay a price to touch godliness through a daily decision to die to self and embrace the cross. God calls us to learn godliness in the classroom of life among people as we sit on airplanes and buses, walk among our neighbors and labor at our factories or desks."
That classroom has been experienced by many readers of the first edition. "There are very few books that have so touched my heart and challenged me to live a life of complete surrender and submission to the Lord as 'Touching Godliness,'" a Gospel for Asia School of Discipleship student posted on Amazon.com.
"From the moment I read the introduction, I was drawn into a journey of life transformation. If you are looking for another self-help book, 'Touching Godliness' is not for you. But if you are looking to grow deeper in your walk with the Lord and understanding of his will, then you must read this book."
The first edition released in 2008 was distributed primarily to meet the discipleship needs of the GFA staff and field missionaries. Instead, the GFA family was stunned by the outpouring of reports from outsiders whose lives had been changed by the content of the book.
"God is doing a great work in my heart and my life, and 'Touching Godliness' has been a significant part of that. He has opened my eyes to desiring him first, pursuing him and having my will surrendered to his will," wrote another Amazon.com reviewer.
This broader audience's call for a study guide to assist them in sharing the book with others has resulted in a unique guide of pointed reflection that distills the essence of each chapter and action questions to help readers move beyond mere head knowledge to heart transformation.
"Christians today have the head knowledge of righteousness but lack the heart experience of godliness that can come only through release of stubborn, selfish lifestyles in favor of surrender and humility," said Yohannan.
With the online ease of ordering the hard-copy and E-book options, the second edition of "Touching Godliness" is expected to have significant impact for the Body of Christ.
Yohannan is a prolific writer with more than 200 books published in Asia and nine in the United States. His weekly "Road to Reality" radio programme airs on more than 900 radio stations in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
"The Body of Christ is at a crisis point. God wants to take us from superficial Christianity to a deeper walk with him by embracing the suffering of self-denial," said Yohannan. "Lord, prepare our hearts to touch your godly character."
Touching Godliness is available at www.gfa.org/touching-godliness
