BOOK REVIEW: A Taste of Heaven

A Taste of Heaven
R.C. Sproul

Title: A Taste of Heaven
Author: R.C. Sproul
Publisher: Reformation Trust
Year: 2006
ISBN: 1-56769-076-9
Binding: Hardcover
Pages: 173
Reading Level: 2.0
Price: $15.00


Josh Gelatt’s Review: "Worship...is far too important to be left to personal preferences". This statement, made in the first chapter of Sproul's book on worship, sets the tone for the entire discussion that follows. R.C. Sproul offers the Christian community a mini-theology of worship. He convincingly argues that far from standing back and allowing us complete freedom in how we choose to worship, God in fact preciously defined worship for the Old Testament believer. The author challenges his readers to ask the question: “If God Himself were to design worship, what would it look like?” The answer is simple: “We’re not left to speculate on the answer to that question, because vast portions of the Old Testament text are specifically devoted to a style and practice of worship that God Himself ordained and established among His people.” While recognizing the inherent discontinuity with the New Covenant, Sproul still sees operative principles at work.

The several chapters of the book cover a wide range of issues related to worship. Worship is something which demands the entirety of the believer (living sacrifices) and involves three elements: offerings of praise, offerings of prayer, and offerings of sacrifice. The middle portion of the book is an extended discussion of the sacraments (Lord's Supper and Baptism) and their relationship to worship.

The book includes three chapters on baptism, the last one being a defense of infant baptism. In this chapter Sproul gives what is perhaps the most irenic and charitable disagreement with believer's baptism currently in print. He fairly portrays the Baptist point of view and carefully outlines his rationale for padeobaptism. Frankly, these three chapters alone are worth the price of the book. Yet, although this last chapter was very helpful it did seem out of place. It's significance to worship wasn't readily evident and if he had simply omitted this chapter the flow of the book would have been smoother and more focused.

Sproul then challenges the worshipper who is bored with worship. They are bored, he insists, "because they have no sense of the presence of God". Only when we understand that worship is an encounter with the risen Christ will ours hearts be set ablaze. To achieve this understanding, Sproul believes we must allow our whole person to enter into worship. Thus, the last section of the book argues for utilization of all five senses (following what Sproul believes to be an Old Testament model). This section was fascinating, but far too brief and ends somewhat abrubtly.

Overall, this volume is an excellent overview of the basic biblical principles of worship.