A Quest for More: Living for Something Bigger Than You [Paperback]

Paul David Tripp (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 31, 2007

Paul David Tripp expertly traverses the deepest recesses of the human heart and compassionately invites fellow Christian travelers to journey with him into God s bigger kingdom. The author promises readers that they will be encouraged, excited, and motivated by hope as they learn how to set aside their little kingdom attachments which can expertly masquerade within the church as Christian activism, legalism, emotionalism, formalism, creedalism, and externalism; in favor of God s expansive and soul-freeing eternal quest. Tripp demonstrates though sound biblical principles how humanity is made by God to transcend far beyond the mere physical realm and is likewise created to be glory junkies; those whose visionary lives are governed by God s grand purposes rather than existing only within their narrow self-interested confines. Writes the author, It is a fundamental denial of your humanity to narrow the size of your life to the size of your own existence, because you were created to be an above and more being. You were made to be transcendent. Tripp then shows Christians how to transcend through daily, moment-by-moment, practical methodology that transforms individuals into the image of Christ. It is within this purpose-driven framework, this Quest for More, that Paul Tripp compels believers to see beyond the worldly deception of personal achievement, success, materialism, in order to break free from this ungodly fulfillment that is too easily satisfied with a mediocre walk with Christ. Instead the author invites committed sojourners to a life characterized by an unyielding passion that pursues God simply for the pleasure of His glorious company and in the process, affect eternal change in a hurting, hopeless world.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Wow! I was doing fine mowing the lawn in my little kingdom...until I read Paul Tripp s book and found that I had been mowing with a toy lawnmower and the grass was Astroturf. This is a book about the kingdom and your part in it. If you re satisfied with the toy lawnmower, stay away from this book. But if you really want more (and you know you do), this book could change your life. --Steve Brown, Author Professor at Reformed Theological Seminary, President of Key Life Network, Inc

Many people have read books about purpose or meaning in life, only to find their hearts were still restless, longing for something more. As you read this book, I suspect you will find yourself saying, Yes! That s it! This guy gets it! Paul David Tripp not only understands the longing of the human heart for something more, he skillfully leads each one of us to the above and more for which we were created. --Bob Lepine, Co-Host, FamilyLife Today

The kingdom of self or the kingdom of God: which will we pursue on a daily basis? Paul Tripp offers a compelling challenge to pursue God s with King Christ at the center! Then we will understand the purpose for which we were created. Then we will live a life that truly makes a difference. --Philip Graham Ryken, Senior Minister, Tenth Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, PA

About the Author

Prolific author and international conference speaker, Paul David Tripp, is president of Paul Tripp Ministries whose mission is to educate and equip today s Christian by combining in depth study of God s Word with practical life application. Tripp, also a pastor with over 15 years of pastoral ministry, is an adjunct professor at Westminster Theological Seminary and adjunct faculty member at the Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation in Glenside, Pennsylvania. He is the author of such best-selling titles as, Instruments in the Redeemer s Hands; War of Words; Age of Opportunity; Lost in the Middle, How People Change and Relationships: A Mess Worth Making. Tripp has been married for 35 years and has four grown children.

Product Details

• Paperback: 216 pages
• Publisher: New Growth Press; 1st edition (October 31, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0978556747
• ISBN-13: 978-0978556747
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #39,682 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Paul Tripp is the president of Paul Tripp Ministries (www.paultrippministries.org), a nonprofit organization, whose mission statement is "Connecting the transforming power of Jesus Christ to everyday life." This mission leads Paul to weekly speaking engagements around the world. In addition to being a gifted communicator and sought after conference speaker with Paul Tripp Ministries, Paul is the Executive Director of the Center for Pastoral Life and Care in Fort Worth, Texas, and has taught at respected institutions worldwide. As an author, Paul has written many books on Christian Living that are read and distributed internationally. He has been married for many years to Luella and they have four grown children.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Are you the king of wishful thinking?, November 13, 2007

By 

Mark C. Tubbs "mark-muzak" (Surrey, British Columbia Canada) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Quest for More: Living for Something Bigger Than You (Paperback)

There are few writers whose star seems to rise and rise as they turn out book after book. Paul David Tripp is one of those writers. Tripp has been positively prolific in the last few years, with three books either authored or co-authored in 2006 and 2007 alone. Every Paul Tripp book has become an instant classic in Reformed biblical counseling circles, and each release is anticipated more than the last. Tripp is not only a prolific writer, but a prolific worker. The various hats he wears include faculty member for both the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation and Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, pastor of Tenth Presbyterian's Center City initiative in the same city, and sought-after conference speaker under the banner of Paul Tripp Ministries. And this list only takes account of current activities; in the past he co-founded a church and a Christian school, as well as conducting a thriving, decades-long biblical counseling ministry. Did I mention he is a gifted, prolific writer? A Quest for More is his latest effort, and while it lives up to its expectations, it is bound to raise some eyebrows along the way. It is rife with quotable words and phrases, not to mention life-altering, paradigm-shifting observations. The challenge is therefore to select representative parts of the book for comment, and to let the actual book do the rest of the work.

Tripp is spot on when he says the book defies categorization. Some reviewers may be tempted to allocate this book to the purpose-driven category, and it is, in the best sense of the word. But "it is not enough to determine to have purpose," says Tripp. Not simply a book of practical principles founded upon truth propositions, it bares Paul Tripp's heart for authentic kingdom living. He labors long and hard to mark out the borderline between the `big sky kingdom' of God and the personal, destructive, little kingdoms we build to rival the big kingdom, intentionally or not. Astute biblical counselor that he is, Tripp says no-man's land doesn't exist between the two kingdoms. You are either living for God or for yourself. Frighteningly, you can think you are living for God when you are in fact living for self. Throughout the book Tripp unpacks many practical (`functional,' in Tripp's terminology) ways in which we live for one kingdom or the other. After setting up the controlling idea of big kingdom (God) versus little kingdom (self), he weaves in analogies of civilization, costume, shrink wrap (believe it or not), jazz, and romance, just to name a few. It takes a gifted communicator to translate these concepts into productive illustrations, but Tripp accomplishes what he has set out to do in every instance. The chapter colorfully entitled `The Costume Kingdom' is the highpoint of the book, in which Tripp relentlessly exposes ways and means Christians use to conduct little kingdom business under the guise of big kingdom living. This scrutiny of this chapter leaves no place to hide, setting the tone for the rest of the book, exhorting the reader to expansive, tireless big kingdom living.

Nevertheless, some eyebrows will be raised in the course of reading this book. Two chapters in particular will appeal to quite diverse audiences. The chapter that will resonate most with one segment of readers will likely discomfort another segment of readers, and vice versa. The two chapters in question are those entitled `Loneliness' and `Anger.' The former revolves around a metaphor of romance depicting certain aspects of our relationship with God, with whom "we are meant to be madly in love." Such an approach is ever so slightly Eldredge-esque and will aggravate the crowd that rails against Jesus-is-my-boyfriend worship music, but in all fairness only this one chapter hinges on the concept of the sacred romance. But equally disturbing to the crowd that loves Jesus-is-my-boyfriend music will be a later chapter describing the narrative of Scripture as a perpetual battle between two types of anger: the holy, righteous anger of the big-kingdom-building God and the unholy, unrighteous anger of humanity intent on building its individual little kingdoms of one. Tripp notifies us that we are not to live devoid of anger altogether; rather, we are to properly practice anger in line with God's passions and purposes: "You see, if you are living for the big kingdom you will be angry [along] with God, rather than at God." Fortunately for both segments of Tripp's readership, the book rounds out with a picture of our future hope, that of eternity with Christ, and an epilogue portraying a young man named Zach who possesses an imitable propensity for kingdom living.

Since one of the side benefits of reading is scanning footnotes, endnotes and bibliographies for further reading, it bears mentioning that Tripp does not quote from conventional sources. Apart from Scripture, Indian theologian Vinoth Ramachandra features most heavily early on in the book, and Blue Like Jazz author Donald Miller's influence is felt later, although responsibly mediated by Tripp.

And so we come to the question of who should read this book. At the beginning of one chapter Tripp tells a story about a retreat during which he spoke about faith. He asked for a definition of faith, which someone defined as believing, which in turn someone defined as trusting, which in turn someone defined as having faith. Tripp uses this story to underscore his concern that "we Christians tend to talk in a coded, quasi-biblical language that can cloud understanding as much as benefit it." Tripp is not advocating a wholesale data dump of theological language but is appealing for a discerning sensitivity between helpful and unhelpful language when speaking about the things of God. Happily, Tripp applied this concern when composing the book, so we are left with a book that will greatly aid new believers as well as challenge lifelong believers. Readers both new to Christ and mature in Christ are invited to add their own names to the list in Chapter 7 of those biblical figures who unwittingly shrunk their lives to a fraction of God's transcendent glory. The application of this exercise is universal: we are all guilty of shrinking our lives to the size of our wants, desires, and perceived needs.

Reading the Paul Tripp corpus in chronological sequence is an exercise in continuity. Thought processes that were only seminal or hinted at in earlier books are regularly brought to full fruition in successive books. Therefore, while I would heartily recommend this book to begin your journey with Dr. Tripp, I would equally recommend any other Paul Tripp book. I am certain A Quest for More will leave you wanting more - of Paul Tripp's writing, of big kingdom living, and most importantly, of Christ its king.

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What 'Purpose Driven Life' should have been...very helpful and humbling, January 30, 2008

By 

Erik Raymond "IrishCalvinist.com" (Omaha, NE USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Quest for More: Living for Something Bigger Than You (Paperback)

Let me first say that if you are a Christian this is one of those books that you think you should read but really don't want to. Let's face it, most of us do not enjoy being confronted, challenged, and shown that we are wrong. It is much more appealing to our fallen natures to be affirmed and pacified rather than admonished and exhorted. However, for the believer we should be pursuing a life that is centered on the glory and exaltation of God rather than the shameful preservation of self. A Quest for More, by Paul Tripp, is a tool to deflate your pride, recalibrate your life, and increase your love for the God of grace.

The book pivots on a universal problem, we are living for the glory and kingdom of ourselves rather than the transcendent glory and kingdom of God. [Let me just say to all of my dispensationalist friends, he is not talking about the literal physical kingdom but the universal, sovereign reign of God over all things. So, please don't check out and dismiss this book because of terminology, the blessing far outweighs personal preferences here.]

Tripp writes, "In a fallen world there is a powerful pressure to constrict your life to the shape and size of your life. There is a compelling tendency to forget who you are and what you were made for. There is a tendency to be short-sighted, myopic, and easily distracted. There is a tendency to settle for less when you have been created for more. There is something expansive, glorious, and eternal that is meant to give direction to everything you do. And when you lose sight of it, you have effectively denied your own humanity."

He goes on to caution against a wrong mindset that this is all about adding more stuff to your list and instead says it is about injecting your list with transcendent purpose: "It is about living for a greater kingdom than the kingdom of my life, my family, and my job. And where do I live for this greater kingdom? In my life, in my family, and in my job! This book was not written to call to you to stop doing everything you have been doing or to start doing a bunch of new things. Rather, it is a call to do what God has called you to do with a vision that is as broad and deep as the glory of God."

With these marching orders, Tripp sets out dissect the readers' lives by demonstrating ways that we "shrink our lives to the size of our lives". He couches the discussion in biblical theology, starting with the fall (which is worth the price of the book), and working through the horrific implications of being self-consumed, pursuing self-righteousness in accordance with self-authority and at the end of the day, claiming self-worship. I was thankful for Tripp's penetrating analysis into `church life' where, regrettably, small kingdom living too often prevails. His antidotes that open each chapter and fill the book are extremely practical, well-suited, and very understandable. Additionally, Tripp's fluid, clear, and descriptive writing style make this book a double blessing as he stamps his teaching on various everyday items that you will encounter and think of his lessons (jazz music, gardening, shrink wrap, movies, etc..). I can't drive down the street, open up my fridge, talk to my kids, serve at the church, or call someone on the phone without wondering what kingdom I am living for...this is real life change, folks, and it is good.

One of the most helpful chapters was "The Shrink Dynamic", here is a quote that summarizes what he is saying, "Sin Causes fundamental changes in the `molecules' of my heart. No longer is my heart driven by a deep-seated love for God. No longer is my heart motivated by a genuine care for others. No longer do I carry around a sense of responsibility for the surrounding created world. No longer is every decision I make shaped by a clear sense of what is morally right and morally wrong. No longer is everything I do shaped by joyful and thankful worship. The DNA of sin is selfishness, and it shrinks the size of my universe to the size of one. Sin creates the ultimate shrink dynamic. It causes all of us in some way to shrink the size of our lives to the size of our lives. Sin shrinks my motivation, zeal, desire, care, and concern to the contours of my life. In the shrunken kingdom of self, there is no functional room for God or others. It is humbling, but spiritually essential, to admit that sin has shrink-wrapped us all."

Tripp's answer to this problem is to live a "Jesus Focused Life". This life is filled with a hatred of sin, a desire to forgive, and a jealously fervent pursuit of the glory of God. In the last chapter Tripp includes a most helpful characterization of what this type of living looks like. This chapter is a fitting capstone to his work throughout the book.

In many ways this book is what The Purpose Driven Life should have been. It is radically God-centered and man-humbling. In A Quest for More, Tripp serves Christians well in his examination of the biblical x-rays and the explanation of the proper path of big kingdom living. I am not going to act like this book doesn't hurt, it does. I have found myself talking to myself quite a bit, but it is this type of biblically informed post-game analysis that helps me to audible when I am in the moment and live for the right purpose and King (I can't help it, this is Super Bowl week).

This book has jumped into the top 10 for me personally that I will return to regularly. I cannot commend it to you enough.

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Life Changing Read!, January 19, 2008

By 

Dara Jones (Dallas) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Quest for More: Living for Something Bigger Than You (Paperback)

This book is well laid out in bite size chapters. I have found it to be challenging to my comfortable,complacent christianity. That said, it is not another "get busy for christ" book. If it was, I would have thrown it in the trash. Instead, I would describe it as a book that invites you to know and love God and to be part of his larger purposes out of your love for Him. This is an amazingly inspirational book, you'll be glad you took the time to read it.