‘Help!’ Booklets Edited by Dr. Paul Tautgers

‘My Baby Has Died; I Have Breast Cancer; Someone I Love Has Cancer; Someone I Love Has Been Abused; My Marriage Has Grown Cold; My Toddler Rules The House; My Spouse Has Been Unfaithful; He’s Struggling With Pornography’.

This series of booklets, of which more are promised, is very helpful and of a high standard overall. It focuses on specific issues, but these are discussed in a wider context of general scriptural principles and teaching; such as, trusting in God at all times; viewing all things as under His control; identifying sins for what they are, and, as such, against God primarily; the role and relevance of a local church in pastoral issues; the importance of one’s relationship to the Lord. Biblical ways forward and answers are explored with relevant references, usually quoted, and thoughtfully applied. For instance, on the issue of pornography, advice and guidelines are given based on Colossians chapter 3; on the issue of marital infidelity, bitterness, forgiveness and dealing with one’s own sins are also considered. At the end of each booklet, there are ten personal application projects suggested. The gospel message is presented integrally as part the argument of each one. The booklets are generally suitable for unbelievers. A short bibliography is provided.

Obviously, one is not going to agree with everything. However, the tone of the books is also something that can be commended. The authors are coming alongside in a positive way and are speaking out of their own experience. The underlying theological perspective of Day One Publications is Reformed. This, however, only intrudes in any significant way in one of the books, the one dealing with the death of the unborn and of infants. Here the doctrine of election is considered and the author concludes that ‘all children before they reach the state of moral awareness and culpability … are graciously saved … by God and are counted as elect by sovereign choice’. Some readers may be unhappy with the odd sentence here and there in others; in one we are told that the reader ‘could [reviewer’s italics] be one of those people for whom Christ died’ if he ‘comes to salvation in Jesus Christ’ – yet, 1 Peter chapter 3 verse 18 is quoted a few lines previously.

[Our thanks to Bryan Charles, Appledore, England, for this review]