Scot McKnight - Open to the Spirit: God in Us, God with Us, God Transforming Us

Frederick Dale Bruner once called the Holy Spirit the shy member of the Trinity. Scot McKnight draws on his learning and his life to help us know better the One who transforms and transcends mere human abilities.

J OHN O RTBERG , senior pastor of Menlo Church and author of Id Like You More If You Were More Like Me

This biblically rooted, honest, and impressively comprehensive account of the person and work of the Spirit should persuade all Christians everywhere of the need for more of the Spirit in our lives. It is exciting to have a book that brings together the Word and the Spirit, making such a persuasive case for the need of both and rooting it all in real life. It is a gift to the whole church.

Lucy Peppiatt, principal of Westminster Theological Centre

Reading Scot McKnights latest book evoked within me a renewed openness to the Holy Spirit. Combining his usual astute biblical and theological wisdom with his accessible and down-to-earth stories and personal anecdotes, he whets our appetites to live more responsively to the Spirit. He reminds us that when we live wide-open lives to the Holy Spirit, we step into Gods world of newness and re-creation. May the Lord who is Spirit use this book to reflect his glory among his people!

T REVOR H UDSON , Methodist minister in South Africa and author of eighteen books, including Holy Spirit Here and Now

McKnight has done it againhe has provided the church with a rich resource for personal and communal growth. Open to the Spirit provides a guide for exploration into how God communicates, indwells, and empowers Christians for lives of holiness and mission.

D R. S ARA B ARTON , Pepperdine University chaplain

In Open to the Spirit, the eminent New Testament professor and scholar, Scot McKnight, offers a breathtaking invitation to an interactive life with the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is often the most neglected member of the Trinity (unless you are Pentecostal or charismatic!). This book puts the Spirit front and center. As in all his works, Scot brings a balance of scriptural truth, sound theology, and practical application. I found this book particularly, of all of his, more focused on Christian spiritual formation and experiential transformation, which makes it an important book that should be required for seminarians, pastors, spiritual directors, and Christian educators. But then again, I cannot think of a single type of Christ follower who would not be blessed by this deep dive into life in the Spirit.

J AMES B RYAN S MITH , author of The Good and Beautiful God

The Hum of Angels: Listening for the Messengers of God Around Us

The Heaven Promise: Engaging the Bibles Truths About Life to Come

The Jesus Creed: Loving God, Loving Others

Embracing Grace: Discovering the Gospel that Restores Us to God, Creation, and Ourselves

Praying with the Church: Following Jesus Daily, Hourly, Today

The Blue Parakeet: Rethinking How You Read the Bible

Fasting

One Life: Jesus Calls, We Follow

The King Jesus Gospel: The Original Good News Revisited

Kingdom Conspiracy: Returning to the Radical Mission of the Local Church

A Fellowship of Differents: Showing the World Gods Design for Life Together

O PEN TO THE S PIRIT

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Scripture quotations marked ( KJV ) are taken from the King James Version.

Italics in Scripture quotations reflect the authors added emphasis.

Details in some anecdotes and stories have been changed to protect the identities of the persons involved.

This book is not intended to replace the medical advice of a trained medical professional. Readers are advised to consult a physician or other qualified health-care professional regarding treatment of their medical problems. The author and publisher specifically disclaim liability, loss, or risk, personal or otherwise, which is incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use or application of any of the contents of this book.

Trade Paperback ISBN9781601426345

Ebook ISBN9781601426369

Copyright 2018 by Scot McKnight

Cover design by Kristopher K. Orr

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Published in the United States by WaterBrook, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York.

W ATER B ROOK and its deer colophon are registered trademarks of Penguin Random House LLC.

The Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file with the Library of Congress.

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Almighty God, Unto whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify thy holy Name. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

T HE B OOK OF C OMMON P RAYER