Dug Down Deep is a great way for Protestants who are perhaps somewhat familiar with doctrine and the study of theology, but who are ready to take it to the next level and go beyond getting their feet wet to wading around for a bit. Pastor Joshua Harris provides an interesting guided tour into the main principles of the Christian faith. He does so by using personal examples, humor, plenty of straight from Scripture passages, and quotes from a variety of other Christian and contemporary authors.
A number of times throughout the book I found myself marking pages because I loved how he summed up so succinctly something I’d also experienced in my faith journey. There are nuggets of wisdom throughout which certainly provided a new angle even for those who are already pretty well-versed in church doctrine.
He includes a fascinating chapter about his father’s life and conversion, and Harris masterfully weaves the importance of personal sanctification, a focus on God, a study of Jesus Christ that goes beyond warm fuzzy feelings, and a clear call to go out and evangelize the world. The study guide is very thorough and though-provoking.
In some ways, I found myself going a bit beyond what was on the page, because I’ve read other books that delve into Scripture and doctrine with many similar conclusions, except in the end the formerly Protestant preachers (such as Jeff Cavins and Scott Hahn) found themselves at home in the Roman Catholic Church.
I’d recommend Dug Down Deep especially for nonbelievers and Protestants alike who want to learn why doctrine is an important part of history and theology that deserves a place in Christian churches.
