Sarah Bowling: In Step with the Spirit

Sarah Bowling, In Step with the Spirit: Infusing Your Life with God’s Presence and Power (Chosen Books, 2017), 240 pages, ISBN 9780800798451.

Sarah Bowling is the daughter of the Rev. Wallace and Marilyn Hickey. She joins her mother as a co-host and Bible teacher on their worldwide daily television program, “Today with Marilyn and Sarah”. She was educated at Oral Roberts University, the University of Missouri, and Denver Seminary. Sarah founded an international nonprofit organization to provide resources for children in need called Saving Moses. She and her husband, Pastor Reece Bowling, also co-pastor Orchard Road Community Center and live near Denver Colorado with their three children.

This book was written to provide a practical guide to navigate the Christian life. She provided some really good contemporary metaphors in this book that our modern-day culture can relate to. Bowling wrote a lot about her relationship with the Holy Spirit and she spends a great deal of the book discussing her own experiences and how the Holy Spirit has taught her how to live everyday by his leading. She also talks about things that could hinder the Spirit’s work in our lives. She stressed that the Holy Spirit is relevant and necessary for all Christians to navigate the Christian life. Bowling offers reassurance of the Holy Spirit’s desire to be part of our every circumstance. I really enjoyed the prayers and discussion questions that were at the end of each chapters, they helped me to focus on the theme presented in the chapter. She gives some biblical examples that were fresh. I particularly appreciated her take on Thomas and how his doubt disappeared when he encountered the supernatural, risen Christ. She shared that it is encountering the supernatural Holy Spirit that will erase our doubts also.

This book seems to assume that the reader has a basic understanding of Holy Spirit doctrine already. There was much said about having a relationship with the Holy Spirit, but little said about how to be filled and baptized with the Spirit. I think that this book would be good for a person that already has a relationship with the Spirit, but not so much for someone who has not had any background in the doctrine of the Spirit. I just feel that the teaching about the Holy Spirit should include all that the scriptures have given us so that we can get a clear and accurate understanding of who the Holy Spirit is.

I did have a conflict on page nineteen where Bowling wrote that the Holy Spirit helps us to be our best self. I believe the Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit forms Christ in us and it is that transformation that needs to take place, not just an improvement of self (Romans 6:6, Galatians 2:20, Philippians 2:13). The Holy Spirit is truly our heavenly helper, but his help is to eradicate the works of the flesh and to produce the character qualities of Jesus in our lives.

I could really sense her teaching gift coming through in the second half of the book, which I gleaned much from. She has a wonderful way of using the Bible to teach spiritual truth. Overall, I think this is a good book that could be uses in a small group study for those who have a knowledge of the Holy Spirit already.

Reviewed by Robert Bushman

 

Publisher’s page: http://bakerpublishinggroup.com/books/in-step-with-the-spirit/385470

Tags: bowling, sarah, spirit, step

Category: Fall 2017, Spirit