Dug Down Deep: Unearthing What I Believe and Why It Matters

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Dug Down Deep: Unearthing What I Believe and Why It Matters

4.15 of 5 stars 4.15 · rating details · 796 ratings · 98 reviews

What will you build your life on?

With startling transparency, Joshua Harris shares how we can rediscover the relevance and power of Christian truth. This is book shows a young man who rose quickly to success in the Christian evangelical world before he realized his spirituality lacked a foundation—it rested more on tradition and morality than on an informed knowledge of Go...more

Hardcover, 256 pages

Published January 19th 2010 by Multnomah Books (first published January 1st 2000)

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Mar 19, 2013 Robin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: own

Dug Down Deep : Building Your Life on Truths That Last

Joshua Harris

From the Publisher: What are you going to build your life on? Dug Down Deep is systematic theology like you've never seen it before. Readable. Relevant. Powerful. As best-selling author Joshua Harris shares his own journey from apathetic church-kid to student with a burning passion to truly know God, you'll be challenged to dig deep into the truths of God's word. With humor, conviction and compelling insight Dug Down Deep covers...more

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Feb 27, 2013 Michael Boling rated it 4 of 5 stars

Joshua Harris, pastor and author of the bestselling books I Kissed Dating Goodbye and Why Church Matters tackles a much deeper and arguably more relevant topic of discussion in his latest effort appropriately titled Dug Down Deep. The thrust of the discussion in Dug Down Deep is the need to passionately pursue and understand the foundational doctrines of not just the Christian faith, but more importantly the truths found throughout Scripture. He saliently notes "what we think about God - what we...more Joshua Harris, pastor and author of the bestselling books I Kissed Dating Goodbye and Why Church Matters tackles a much deeper and arguably more relevant topic of discussion in his latest effort appropriately titled Dug Down Deep. The thrust of the discussion in Dug Down Deep is the need to passionately pursue and understand the foundational doctrines of not just the Christian faith, but more importantly the truths found throughout Scripture. He saliently notes "what we think about God - what we understand about his character and his attributes - shapes our understanding of every other doctrine and even life itself." It is this doctrine of God, known as theology that permeates this book. Interspersed with the discussion of various topic of theological importance are stories from Harris' own life and experiences that really bring to life the importance of studying and understanding all facets of Scripture and inculcating those truths into every aspect of our life.

This book, despite its subject matter is accessible and useful for both layman and scholar alike. While not arguably as scholarly as other systematic theology tomes by the likes of Charles Hodge, Norman Giesler, Millard Erickson, or Wayne Grudem, it is a highly valuable enchiridia on the more foundational elements of Christian doctrine. To that end, Harris is highly successful at bringing to light in an accessible and poignant manner the necessity to grasp what it is we say we believe. Harris saliently notes "The Bible is much more wonderful and dangerous and radically life transforming than a mere book of instructions...The Bible presents itself as a living communication from a personal God to the human race - more specially to you."
Scripture is much more than simply a book with good advice for moral living sprinkled with some really interesting stories than seem at times rather fairy tale rather than actual historical fact. As Harris notes, the Bible is "not just a relic of an ancient religion." He goes on to stress that "Without the Bible there is no saving knowledge of God. Without the Bible we would not know or understand the meaning of the Cross and Resurrection." Such statements certainly bring the reader full circle to the true importance of ensuring one's foundation is planted firmly in the truths of Scripture, a process which Harris cogently notes must happen by digging into the bedrock of not just a cursory knowledge of Scripture, but conversely, by penetrating into what have for too long been labeled as the arena of the scholar. All believers are called to study Scripture, to ponder what is says, to allow the Holy Spirit to renew us through the power of God's word.

Far too many Christians have allowed themselves to be spiritually inept. This is largely due to the perception of theology being the vocation of those with a "comb over" or who spend their lives locked up in a library full of large, dusty books. Harris rightly reminds us from the outset of his book that "We're all theologians. The question is whether what we know about God is true." Dug Down Deep brings what many have thought as simply "nerdy" unknowable theological abstract facts into the realm of accessibility of even the newest believer. For those who have walked past the rather thick systematic volumes available only to those with a subscription to Christianbook.com's Academic Resources catalog, Dug Down Deep is a breath of fresh air. Harris' approach to the topic of biblical doctrine is salient, cogent, and filled with personal application. This is and will continue to be a valuable resource for those who long for something deeper in their walk with God and who want to dig deeper in order to discover the vast richness of God and His word.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." (less)

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Dec 09, 2012 Renee rated it 4 of 5 stars

In his new book, Joshua Harris delves into the importance of salvation through Jesus Christ. As I read the book especially in the first few chapters, I found myself tabbing pages to go back to for reference. Not only does he provide personal stories from his life and family's life, but he backs up each situation with either a scriptural reference or a simple, necessary need for God.

Dug Down Deep is a bold declaration of faith displaying how God meets you where you are. One passage I personally i...more

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Nov 12, 2012 Heather rated it 4 of 5 stars

In his latest book, Joshua Harris challenges the all too familiar habit of playing church and urges Christians to return to the rock of theological study that can make a walk with God more meaningful.
Dug Down Deep is a brave and successful attempt at proving the need for orthodoxy. Joshua Harris delivers theology in language that is understandable and easily applied. He provokes the habitual Christian to lay aside the title of “Christian” and dig deeper to the heart of what they believe about Go...more

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Mar 20, 2012 Jimmy Reagan rated it 5 of 5 stars

How would you like to read a book on systematic theology that you could enjoy, learn from, and constantly forget that you were reading a book on theology? In this volume that is exactly what you will get. There's real depth here but it's sprung on you subtly. The cumulative amount of doctrine taken in will surprise you by book's end. In our day when Christians would rather face an IRS audit than read a book on systematic theology, this book has great potential. In fact, I don't think large theo...more How would you like to read a book on systematic theology that you could enjoy, learn from, and constantly forget that you were reading a book on theology? In this volume that is exactly what you will get. There's real depth here but it's sprung on you subtly. The cumulative amount of doctrine taken in will surprise you by book's end. In our day when Christians would rather face an IRS audit than read a book on systematic theology, this book has great potential. In fact, I don't think large theology books are read by anyone outside the categories of pastor or scholar, and probably few pastors have read such a work in years. This book will allow you to think of the great subjects again.

Mr. Harris can write. There's no question about that. When he uses the example of rumspringa from the Amish world in chapter one to lure us in, I was caught a third of the way in. We realize the gap between what we say we believe and what we do is often helplessly far apart. This could be because we have never really grasped what the Bible is saying to us as we have imagined we have. Another hint: Jesus Christ is part of the answer no matter what the question is.

I loved how he used his story and the earlier story of his father to tell this story. That's how he pulls it off. The story is captivating and doctrine woven through it. When you finish the story, you think, wow, that was interesting. Then as you think about it, you find yourself wrestling with the greatest doctrines.

He begins with the doctrine of the Bible as a foundation to decide our beliefs. He reads well and is never superficial. From there he makes us face the doctrine of Christ. Next he carefully draws a realistic picture of the depths of the tragedy of sin in us. How our age needs this discussion! We forget how badly we need Jesus because we haven't fully comprehended the mess we are in.

In chapter 7 the chapter is as good as its catchy title: "How Jesus Saved Gregg Eugene Harris". I think you will find it quite similar to the story of how Jesus saved you. There's no overt Calvinism in the chapter though you suspect he believes that regeneration precedes your putting faith in Christ. Still, the chapter was thought-provoking. In his chapter on the Holy Spirit I was absolutely shocked that he, to some degree, looked favorably on speaking in tongues. Had the few sentences that spoke of that been deleted, you would find an exceptionally balanced presentation of the doctrine of the Spirit.

The book works on every level. He even addresses common misunderstanding that are driving the Christian world and how they don't quite mesh with God's Word. As a pastor, I found the book personally rewarding. It was review, it was more perspective, and it seemed to suggest dozens of sermon ideas. Beyond that, I recommend Christians every where read this book and mine its treasures.

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 . (less)

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Nov 08, 2011 Sunflower rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-book-reviews, waterbrook-multnomah

Explaining why we believe, what we believe, seems to be a pretty daunting task for anyone and in Josh Harris's book, "Dug Down Deep: Unearthing What I Believe and Why it Matters", Josh shares a personal, emotional filled book, of moving from a faith based on just knowing enough to go through the emotions, to having a faith, filled with a deeper understanding of why he is a follower of Christ, why he believes what he believes, and why we need to go beyond the Sunday-Church attendence, and move in...more Explaining why we believe, what we believe, seems to be a pretty daunting task for anyone and in Josh Harris's book, "Dug Down Deep: Unearthing What I Believe and Why it Matters", Josh shares a personal, emotional filled book, of moving from a faith based on just knowing enough to go through the emotions, to having a faith, filled with a deeper understanding of why he is a follower of Christ, why he believes what he believes, and why we need to go beyond the Sunday-Church attendence, and move into a deeper understanding of what it means to be a christian.

Truth is, manner, have a superficial understanding of Christian doctrine, maybe barely read the bible, other than on Sunday and would have a hard time explaining or even defending their faith, and in "Dug Down Deep: Unearthing What I Believe and Why it Matters", we meet someone who struggle with those very same issues, who lived a life that many would consider, "just on the surface" and takes us on a layman's understanding of discovery, awakening and growth.

This is a wonderful and powerful book, that I would personally recommend to anyone, who wants to live a more authentic faith and its written in a non-complicated, non-academic, we're not the only one to feel what we feel,way that in a world where the church is becoming an empty shell for many, and more are just walking away from the faith, unearthing the reasonings behind why-many of us, simply don't understand basic doctrine as well as we think we do.

"Dug Down Deep: Unearthing What I Believe and Why it Matters" is hard hitting in an emotional way; This is a pastor who shared a common background like many Christians, who probrably live a faith that is just enough, but never deeper than that and for him, Joshua Harris, searched for a deeper reason why and understanding.

He shows too that we don't have to have theological degrees, go to seminaries, but simply read God's word, the Bible, and many of the books, he shared he read, is available to everyday people as well, but the simple truth, is that as we will see in, "Dug Down Deep: Unearthing What I Believe and Why it Matters", many times, we take being a Christian for granted, until the hard questions come our way.

What I love about this book is that, he really shares about basic principles about doctrine that is scriptural strong and helps both new Christians, the "mature" Christian and even the "Growing" Christian, how to have a stronger foundation, but also see how that, no one is perfect and like many, often just don't understand their faith, beyond the Sunday School teachings or the weekly sermons, but if asked to explain, not many honestly can explain the basic doctrines/theology as Joshua Harris discovers.

From "Dug Down Deep: Unearthing What I Believe and Why it Matters", Joshua Harris, shares, "The doctrine of Scripture teaches us about the authority of God's Word. Scripture must be the final rule of faith and practice for our lives. Not our feelings or emotions. Not signs or prophetic words or hunches."

This is a book that will encourage you...challenge you...provoke you to ask yourself...what is it about Scripture that you really know and will have you re-searching, reading, re-learning and digging deep into Scripture to understand, why and what it is you believe.

****Thank you to WaterBrook Multnomah for the opportunity to read and review this amazing book**** (less)

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Oct 19, 2011 James rated it 3 of 5 stars

I am not a big fan of Joshua Harris. I haven't read his book on dating (more accurately not dating) or anything he's written on relationships and marriage. I did read his book on the Church ("Stop Dating the Churc"h re-titled as "Why Church Matters"). I found it mediocre and insensitive to where people are coming from when they are ambivalent to church. I also found him theologically narrow.

So I was surprised that Harris's book on doctrine and theology was something I actually enjoyed. In this b...more

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Sep 29, 2011 Alissagraham rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book was a refreshing and honest approach to theology, orthodoxy and doctrine that draws the reader in and takes them on a journey to understand why it is important to know what you believe.

Joshua Harris is a compelling writer who uses much life experience to illuminate doctrines found in Scriptures- or should I say that he uses the scriptures to illuminate a lot of life experiences. This is what really drew me in to the book. Having grown up in similar circles, hitting many similar notes a...more

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Sep 01, 2011 Aaron rated it 4 of 5 stars

My full review is available at Blogging Theologically:

Joshua Harris first really came on my radar about four years ago (around the same time I discovered a love for sound doctrine). The first thing I ever heard was his talk, “A Humble Orthodoxy” on the Resurgence podcast, and I was blown away. I’d heard of I Kissed Dating Goodbye, but only because people I knew made fun of it (they thought at the time that not dating was just ridiculous).

What impressed me about him as a communicator and pastor w...more

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Mar 09, 2011 Natalie Wickham rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: christian-living, theology

Ever since Josh first announced that he was writing this book, I’ve had it on my wish list. I finally treated myself to an Amazon order one day and had this wonderful book read within a week! My introduction to Josh’s writing came years ago when I was a subscriber of his New Attitude magazine. I have read several of his other books and was especially interested in this one because it promised to be a closer look at his background and “the story of how [he] learned to dig into truth and build [hi...more

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Jan 27, 2011 Matthew Robbins rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction

What comes to your mind when you hear the word “theology”? Do you picture a pastor? A PhD locked away in a sea of 1,000 page books? Does the word excite you or fill you with a sense of dryness? Do you think of vibrant, living faith or an academic, intellectual faith that fails to connect to “real life”? Do you just want Jesus without the baggage? Do you even care about theology?

If you’re answers to those types of questions are negative, Pastor Joshua Harris has written a book for you. Honestly,...more What comes to your mind when you hear the word “theology”? Do you picture a pastor? A PhD locked away in a sea of 1,000 page books? Does the word excite you or fill you with a sense of dryness? Do you think of vibrant, living faith or an academic, intellectual faith that fails to connect to “real life”? Do you just want Jesus without the baggage? Do you even care about theology?

If you’re answers to those types of questions are negative, Pastor Joshua Harris has written a book for you. Honestly, Dug Down Deep is for everyone, but especially for those Christians either new to the faith or those who’ve never really considered their beliefs carefully to see what they believe and why they believe it. Throughout his accessible yet theologically stout book, Harris combines biography with systematic theology to show readers why theology matters and examines some of the basic theological tenants of the Christian faith in energetic and poignant ways. Through Harris' conversational yet authoritative tone, theology is truly removed from the “ivory towers” and brought to the street, where these eternally-significant doctrines intersect with time through the medium of our lives.

What makes this book so powerful is the way in which Harris is able to illustrate the ways his blossoming love for theology affected his life. The writing is lively and engaging. There is absolutely no staleness to these doctrines. They come alive through his stories. For example, his story of his father’s Christian conversion forcefully demonstrates how Christians are saved by faith. In discussing the atonement, Harris shares a story of a dream he had that moved my emotions to love that doctrine more. And my favorite chapter, on sanctification (how we become more like Christ over time), removes the jargon from the doctrine as Harris uses cartoons (yep) to literally illustrate things.

Additionally, the last chapter on "Humble Orthodoxy" is stellar. Simultaneously fantastically convicting and powerfully motivating.

I recognized so many similarities between Harris' "discovery" of theology and my own. I am thankful God has given me a love for theology, a love of knowing Him. My generation is one that seems in large part to be slowly discovering the beauty of theology. We love God, but realize we need to know Him first. After all, everyone is a theologian. As Harris says, “The question is whether what we know about God is true.”

You cannot love a God you don’t know. You cannot follow a Christ of your imagination. You can praise both of them until you’re blue in the face, but if you don’t know anything about them, you might not be praising someone who’s actually real. I can laud my wife’s brown hair and green eyes all I want, but she’ll be pretty upset because she’s blonde with bluish eyes. The same thing applies when dealing with God, and he’s given us descriptions of Himself and His Son in the Bible. This is the God you will meet in Harris’ book.

Maybe you are someone who values theology already. Maybe you still need convincing it’s utterly and completely relevant to your life. Maybe you're not even a Christian and are curious what we actually believe and why. Regardless of your situation, I cannot recommend this book enough.

Harris states the book isn’t intended to be a systematic theology, and it’s not. But it very well may cause you to want to read one and learn more about the God he loves.(less)

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Dec 21, 2010 Stephen Escalera rated it 5 of 5 stars

What are we basing our lives upon? Does our own Christian faith have a solid foundation? Are we "religious" simply because that's what we've been taught? Why do we believe what we believe? Do we even know what we believe?

These are the types of questions that Joshua Harris challenges us with in Dug Down Deep. In simple conversational tones, Harris takes the reader through his own journey of faith, uncovering what he believes and how he got there. He uses the parable of the wise man and foolish ma...more What are we basing our lives upon? Does our own Christian faith have a solid foundation? Are we "religious" simply because that's what we've been taught? Why do we believe what we believe? Do we even know what we believe?

These are the types of questions that Joshua Harris challenges us with in Dug Down Deep. In simple conversational tones, Harris takes the reader through his own journey of faith, uncovering what he believes and how he got there. He uses the parable of the wise man and foolish man (Luke 6:46-49) who built their houses on different foundations. The wise man "dug down deep" to a solid rock foundation while the foolish man did not. In the same way, Harris is encouraging Christians to do the same -- make sure we know what we believe and why in order to have our faith on a solid foundation. Writing part autobiography, part systematic theology, he discusses a few of the foundational doctrines of Christianity such as:

* God, focusing on his "imminent yet transcendent" nature
* Scripture
* Jesus ("God with a belly button")
* Salvation
* Sanctification
* The Holy Spirit
* The Church

Throughout the book, Harris focuses on the importance of doctrine/orthodoxy. He says, "I've come to learn that theology matters. And it matters not because we want a good grade on a test but because what we know about God shapes the way we think and live." (p.10)

The final chapter ("Humble Orthodoxy") was the best one and most convicting for me as it addressed the need not to simply know doctrine but to live it. As Harris puts it, "Do you want to keep your orthodoxy humble? Try to live it. Don't spend all your time theorizing about it, debating about it or blogging about it. Spend more energy living the truth you know than worrying about what the next guy does or doesn't know. Don't measure yourself by what you know. Measure yourself by your practice of what you know." (p.214)

The book is in no way academic nor is it meant to be. There are other and better books for studying the many facets of theology. Harris' aim is to stir up a desire to study these facets more, allowing them to permeate our lives and change the way we live. Once again, I'll let Harris himself explain the book: "Dug Down Deep is my reveling in theology in my own simple way--not too polished, sometimes awkward, less than scholarly, hopefully gracious and faithful. Even though these are deep truths, I don't pretend to be swimming in the deep end of the pool. I'm splashing in the shallow end. But if my splashing can inspire you to dive in, I will have succeeded." (p.33) Much of the theology Harris writes about will perhaps be obvious to many readers. But sometimes, we need to be reminded of the obvious in a simple, personal way in order for us to make it personal in our lives.

(Thanks to WaterBrook Multnomah for providing a review copy of this book.) (less)

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Feb 27, 2010 Amydeanne rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was really impressed with Joshua Harris’ new book, “Dug Down Deep“.

It starts off with a bang and grabs your attention. He was writing about the Amish and how they choose to stay in the church or not ( I suggest you read the first chapter off of the link below! It’s really wild!), and how it changed his ideas (and his wife’s ideas) on the Amish people. He relates it to his own childhood and how he grew up in a conservative Christian homeschooling family, but walked away from it in ways, and the...more I was really impressed with Joshua Harris’ new book, “Dug Down Deep“.

It starts off with a bang and grabs your attention. He was writing about the Amish and how they choose to stay in the church or not ( I suggest you read the first chapter off of the link below! It’s really wild!), and how it changed his ideas (and his wife’s ideas) on the Amish people. He relates it to his own childhood and how he grew up in a conservative Christian homeschooling family, but walked away from it in ways, and the excuses he used to justify his disobedience to God. He talks about how you can know the lingo of the church but not really know God. This part appeals to me as a Christian parent because it helps give me some guidelines in my parenting — but I’m off topic, because that’s not even the good part! Or even reason for the book.

Josh demystifies the terms of doctrine and theology for those of us who think they are bad words. He gives you their real meaning and how the search for God using these terms are inevitable. As he mentions at the end of chapter one, “We’re all theologians. The question is whether what we know about God is true.”

In a world that rejects theology, Josh has made theology interesting and relevant for today. I really like that Josh uses uncomplicated language because I have a hard time reading some theology books without finding it too dry or too hard to follow. He takes some of the great authors like Spurgeon and decodes it for us. I love books that make me feel like the author and I are chatting as opposed to me reading a book and trying to trudge my way through it.

This is a great read, and a heart-felt autobiography by Joshua Harris. It was interesting to read how he was so wrapped up in the evangelical lifestyle as a youth, yet didn’t really know God. Turning the pages of this book you can see his growth into a godly man. I have to be careful because a lot of it can end up on my quote pages. It was thought provoking to read about his transformation and how he “unearthed” the truth that he had before him all along. It is quite inspirational for those of us who have been Christians for a long time, and can be just as encouraging to those who are new Christians.

Joshua sums it up the best in his closing when he says “Being grounded on that rock doesn’t make you or me better than anyone else. It should make us aware of how dependent we are. It should humble us.”

Thanks to my friends at Multnomah for sending me a review copy!(less)

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Jan 20, 2010 Bob Hayton rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: christian-living, theology, reviewed, waterbrook-multnomah

In today's world, doctrine and orthodoxy get a bad rap. Many sincere Christians assume studying doctrine is primarily a waste of time. Doctrine usually leads to cold and dead religion, or else it promotes a divisive and bitter spirit that splits churches and wounds people. What really matters is one's personal relationship with God, and his love for fellow believers.

Joshua Harris would have agreed with this basic sentiment at one time. Dug Down Deep is the story of how he came to realize how imp...more In today's world, doctrine and orthodoxy get a bad rap. Many sincere Christians assume studying doctrine is primarily a waste of time. Doctrine usually leads to cold and dead religion, or else it promotes a divisive and bitter spirit that splits churches and wounds people. What really matters is one's personal relationship with God, and his love for fellow believers.

Joshua Harris would have agreed with this basic sentiment at one time. Dug Down Deep is the story of how he came to realize how important and even life-changing the study of the Bible's doctrine really can be. Harris invites the reader along as he explains what the basic doctrines (or teachings) of the Bible are and illustrates the impact they have had in his own spiritual walk.

Harris writes in a refreshing, open manner. He lets you into his life even sharing some of the dark secrets of his past. He shares the story of his father Gregg's conversion to Christ, as well as his own journey from a seeker-sensitive church youth group to being pastoral intern to C.J. Mahaney.

The book's readability helps it to communicate so effectively when Harris explains such doctrines as the sovereignty of God, sinfulness of man, substitutionary atonement, and the gospel of God's grace. It is the books focus on grace which most dramatically stands out. This is what drew Harris to the joy of knowing Bible doctrine, and it is worth quoting him at some length on this point.

...it was this message of the gospel of grace for which C.J. Reserved his greatest passion. Most preachers and zealous Christians I knew got fired up over what we needed to do for God. But C.J.'s greatest passion was reserved for exulting in what God had done for us. He loved to preach about the Cross and how Christ died in our place, as our substitute.

For someone who had practically been born into church, I found this surprisingly new. The deeper I delved into Christian doctrine, the more I saw that the good news of salvation by grace alone in Jesus, who died for sin—the gospel—was the main message of the whole Bible.

I suppose it might seem completely obvious that this is the center of the Christian faith, and yet it felt new to me. I began to see orthodoxy as the treasuring of the truths that point to Jesus and his saving work. Doctrine was the living story of what Jesus did for us and what it means.... (pg. 27)

As you can see, Harris' own story provides the perfect backdrop for illustrating how important it is to learn Bible doctrine. Harris argues that we need to dig down deep in order to build our lives on the rock of the solid Biblical teaching of Christ.

This book will introduce the young Christian to the glory of orthodox Christian doctrine. It will also encourage those who do know doctrine, to aim for a humble orthodoxy and see how such knowledge should fuel love and service for others. Dug Down Deep will be an easy read for anyone, but it packs a punch. It will challenge you to make sure you are building on a sure foundation. I recommend this book highly.

My thanks go out to WaterBrook Multnomah publishers for providing me a review copy of this book.(less)

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Jan 19, 2010 Pastoralmusings rated it 5 of 5 stars

Dug Down Deep
Josh Harris made a name for himself quite a few years ago when he wrote his book “I Kissed Dating Goodbye”. “Dug Down Deep” gives us his story both before and after he wrote that book. It is both an interesting biography as well as a new manner of presenting basic theology. It is a very good approach. I was pleased to read it.
Harris describes his carelessness in his life, his conversion, his pride, his humiliation, and the blessings that Christ used to bring him to where he is now....more

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Jan 18, 2010 Debbie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: christian, non-fiction

Dug Down Deep is God-focused, Scripture-based, and contains truths that can change your life. It's a book on the character of God and how a correct view of God will change how we live. It will bring that peace we're all longing for, the sense of profound wonder and awe toward God that we know we should have, and more.

So, yes, this is a book on theology, but, to use Joshua Harris' own words,

...Theology matters....because what we know about God shapes the way we think and live. What you believe ab

...more

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May 29, 2011 Ashley rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I mentioned I was reading Dug Down Deep, and at least three people immediately told me how great it was. I had high expectations for the book, and I’d say it fulfilled them.

Dug Down Deep isn’t your typical book of theology. Joshua Harris presents basic but important truths, in simple, relevant terms. This book is great whether you’re a new Christian or just need a refresher. I found both things I’ve heard before that I should remember, and a few new ways of seeing things.
He also backs up what he...more

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Jan 12, 2012 Marcus Lynn rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: christian-thought

I first heard about Joshua Harris over a decade ago when he wrote his book on dating. It didn’t really register on my radar. But then I saw a short book called “Stop Dating the Church!” I read it in one night and was re-inspired to proclaim the truth about Christ’s Bride, the Church. His book became an impetus for my own sermon series. So I was more than excited when I saw this book.

It’s not “Stop dating the Church!” It’s broader in that Harris tackles a variety of important theological truths f...more

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Jan 20, 2010 Molly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: book-review

If you are Christian and a believer, then you must check this book out. If you aren't a Christian and believer but you have questions, you must check this book out and read how Joshua Harris dug down deep and found faith in a way that you can too! This book was a great one, with Joshua Harris explaining theology of things taught in the Bible and that all you have to do is dig down deep in order to find your faith, and learning the workings of God's heart and mind and what He wants us to do. He u...more

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Jul 07, 2011 Kaity-Jane Culbertson rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

I have read several books from numerous people in the Harris clan, so I knew to expect a great, thought-provoking book when I picked up Dug Down Deep by Joshua Harris. I was not dissapointed in the least! While the long chapters made it a bit difficult for picking up and putting down throughout the day, I was amazed and absolutely loved the depth of this book.

The main point of this book is understanding what we believe and why we believe it. Harris reminds us of the parable of the two men who bu...more

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May 05, 2010 John Gardner rated it 5 of 5 stars

"We're all theologians. The question is whether what we know about God is true."

So begins the first book from Joshua Harris to hit the shelves in almost five years. Those familiar with his previous books and magazines will recognize his winsome and engaging writing style, but the content is very new for him. "Dug Down Deep" tackles some weighty theological issues in a simple, accessible way... something not easily accomplished!

Rather than approach theology from an academic perspective, Harris dr...more

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Jul 23, 2011 Kurt rated it 5 of 5 stars

I love this book. Harris uses a gentle style, reminiscent of his friend Donald Miller, to walk the reader through a thoroughly Biblical systematic theology. He uses many personal stories about his family members and his own struggles, but they don't feel indulgent because they always connect directly to the theological concepts he is trying to illustrate. What I particularly like about this book is that Harris is someone who shot to fame in Christian circles with "I Kissed Dating Goodbye," and r...more

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Nov 19, 2011 Tim Chaney rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book was surprisingly good to me. I expected it to be a good read and informative, but I was surprised by just how enjoyable it was. Harris also wrote at a greater depth concerning issues of theology than I expected. Granted he does not go real deep in his theological discussion and engages in almost no debate with differing views. But he does give a very basic, clear, and gracious overview of basic doctrinal truths. This book is not meant to be a text book or even a short overview, rather...more

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Jul 30, 2011 Debi rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was an excellent book of back to the basics of doctrine. Written in an easy-to-read style, the doctrines of God, salvation, church and others are covered. It wasn't just a list of dry facts, but truths that are important to the Christian life. The ending chapter wrapped it all up with how to make these truths a part of our lives and have them affect how we live.

quotes that impacted me
"...theology matters...what we know about God shapes the way we think and live. what you believe about God's...more

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Dec 30, 2010 UofM621 Minnett rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book was so helpful for me. Josh is very transparent about how God has worked in his life to bring him to an appreciation of doctrine. Josh uses a very readable almost storybook-like approach to bring across fundamentals of the Christian faith. The last chapter on humble orthodoxy was one of the most practically helpful things I have read of late. How do we hold tenaciously to truth but not get stuck up about it and all judgmental? On pg. 222 Josh writes, "There's a fine line between conten...more

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Jan 21, 2010 Margaret rated it 5 of 5 stars

"What is God like and how does he speak to me? What difference does it make that Jesus was both human and divine? How does Jesus's death on the cross pay for my sins? Who is the Holy Spirit and how does he work in my life? With grace and wisdom, Harris will inspire you to revel in the truth that has captured his own mind and heart. He will ask you to dig deep into a faith so solid you can build your life on it. He will point you to something to believe in again." This excerpt from the book jacke...more "What is God like and how does he speak to me? What difference does it make that Jesus was both human and divine? How does Jesus's death on the cross pay for my sins? Who is the Holy Spirit and how does he work in my life? With grace and wisdom, Harris will inspire you to revel in the truth that has captured his own mind and heart. He will ask you to dig deep into a faith so solid you can build your life on it. He will point you to something to believe in again." This excerpt from the book jacket pretty much sums it up!

I have about 20 pages left to read but I can honestly tell you that what I have read has opened my heart to receive all that Jesus has for me and to give HIM all that I have in me. I certainly have a new perspective and I must say, a new attitude.

While I have always had faith that there is a God, that Jesus died for me and that His Holy Spirit dwells in me, I did not have a complete understanding. It hurts me that I have been so cavalier about the sacrifice that Christ made on the cross for me... FOR ME! I have a much better understanding and I can no longer make excuses.

Joshua Harris breaks it down so that the newest of Christians to the most mature, will have a complete understanding of how much Christ sacrificed for us and what our response should be. He explains the nature of God, His Son and the Holy Spirit in such detail, that there is no doubt that he is the Holiest of Holies! He provides scriptural references as well as insights and passages from well known Christian Pastors and theologists. Most importantly, he explains away all of the excuses and lies that belong in the world, not in the Christian life. There is no perfect Christian but there are many who are striving to live a life similar to Jesus. I highly recommend this book to help you answer some of the questions you might have on your path to having a truly fulfilling relationship with Jesus.

Love and Blessings!
Margaret

This was book was provided for review by WaterBrook Multnomah. Please visit their site to find out where to purchase this book.
http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/catalo...(less)

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Sep 06, 2011 Liz rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: all Christians

Shelves: to-review, christian-living, christian-doctrine, non-fiction, spiritual-discipline

I enjoyed reading the testimony of Joshua Harris as he talked about his teenage years in a mega church youth group and his lack of being grounded in correct doctrine. The premise of his book is to help the reader understand that we need doctrine, and we need right doctrine in order to live in a way that's pleasing to God. If our doctrine is wrong, we'll live wrong.

Harris writes about some of the basic doctrines of the Christian faith, but he does it in a simple way so the average reader can gras...more

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Jan 19, 2010 Amy rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

I was so excited to have the opportunity to read and review Joshua Harris' book DUG DOWN DEEP: UNEARTHING WHAT I BELIEVE AND WHY IT MATTERS because it sounded like a book I really need to read right now. I believe one of the problems with Christianity today is that many Christians simply go through the motions without really thinking about why they are Christians. It is so easy for those of us who were raised in the c...more This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

I was so excited to have the opportunity to read and review Joshua Harris' book DUG DOWN DEEP: UNEARTHING WHAT I BELIEVE AND WHY IT MATTERS because it sounded like a book I really need to read right now. I believe one of the problems with Christianity today is that many Christians simply go through the motions without really thinking about why they are Christians. It is so easy for those of us who were raised in the church to simply "go along" with Christianity because that is our personal tradition. In order to truly grow as Christians, we need to really dig down to the bedrock of our faith and ask the tough questions about why we believe what we believe. This is the problem that Harris addresses in his book.

Harris shares his own personal journey of faith with his readers while explaining his views on the importance of church doctrine. I tend to be very strict about my books. I don't really believe in writing in books or dog-earing pages. However, with this book, I got my pencil out and started underlining because there were so many ideas and points I wanted to go back to. Harris also talks about certain books that have been important in developing his faith that I will definitely want to add to my own reading list. I especially liked Harris' chapter entitled "God with a Bellybutton" where he looks at the significance of Jesus who Jesus is and why that is important. Harris challenges us all to really look at our faith and why we believe what we believe. We cannot simply operate from a basis of comfort. To grow as Christians, we have to understand why we believe and what that really means. Otherwise, it is just empty tradition with an impersonal God.

BOTTOM LINE: Highly recommended. This book really opened my eyes about how much work I need to do in my own faith life. I cannot just walk around saying that I'm a Christian like I would say I am a brunette or a Texan. It has to mean more than that and I have to know why. Christian faith has to be an active and evolving thing and this book helps to pinpoint areas of study and contemplation. (less)

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May 16, 2010 Sally rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction, theology-ministry-church

In Harris' earlier books I was put off by his casual, cool-dude narrative voice, but either I'm getting less picky or he's getting less 'hip', because I liked this book! I found his anecdotes and personal sharing to be winsome and sincere without trying too hard. And his careful examination of foundational truths gives a good overview for non-theologically-minded readers. This is the kind of book I could hand to someone without having to worry about putting them off or putting them to sleep! Fin...more

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Dec 07, 2011 logankstewart rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: christianity, ebook, from-publishers, own, nonfic, 2011-read

This isn't a book on systematic theology proper. It's more like a mixtape of biblical truth that I've found personally significant. Dug Down Deep is my reveling in theology in my own simple way--not too polished, sometimes awkward, less than scholarly, hopefully gracious and faithful. Even thought these are deep truths, I don't pretend to be swimming in the deep end of the pool. I'm splashing in the shallow end. But if my splashing can inspire you to dive in, I will have succeeded.

In 1997, Joshu...more

This isn't a book on systematic theology proper. It's more like a mixtape of biblical truth that I've found personally significant. Dug Down Deep is my reveling in theology in my own simple way--not too polished, sometimes awkward, less than scholarly, hopefully gracious and faithful. Even thought these are deep truths, I don't pretend to be swimming in the deep end of the pool. I'm splashing in the shallow end. But if my splashing can inspire you to dive in, I will have succeeded.

In 1997, Joshua Harris broke into the scene with his book on dating, appropriately titled I Kissed Dating Goodbye . I'd heard of it, but never had a desire to read it, nor anything else by this author. As I saw it, he was one of those Christian authors that wrote on one and only one subject matter, and it just happened to be one I was uninterested in. However, back in September I requested a copy of Harris' book on systematic theology called Dug Down Deep, primarily because of the book's style. Harris chose to tackle the subjects through transparent memoirs (as opposed to exhaustive biblical analysis), and I thought his journey sounded interesting.

In some ways, this book could have been written by Donald Miller (author of Blue Like Jazz, Searching for God Knows What, and several other books), as the tone of the author was very reminiscent. Harris begins Dug Down Deep with a thought-provoking question: what are you building your life on? He then goes on to talk about Jesus' parable in Matthew 7, comparing the man who built his house on the sand with the man who built his house on the more solid foundation: rock. Harris argues that building on the rock takes work, it takes some digging, but in the end, after the wind and the rain and the storms, the house remains standing. He explains,

In the past I thought the point was simply that being a Christian is better than not being a Christian. And I suppose on a very rudimentary level, that is what it means. But I never thought about the specifics of what digging down to the rock represents.

This was the impetus for the book. He grew up in the church and found himself lacking any biblical depth. He was familiar with theology, doctrine, orthodoxy, and the like, but at the same time, they meant very little to him. They were just old sounding words that old people used. For the remainder of the Dug Down Deep, Harris opens up with humbling honesty, explaining how he came to understand certain elements of theology. Some of the essays included are about the Father, the Son, the Spirit, the Word, sanctification, justification, the church, orthodoxy, and a few others. And if you're anything like me, some of those words sound boring (i.e., orthodoxy), but Harris points out (reasonably) that they shouldn't, and he explains why.

Knowledge doesn't have to be dry and lifeless. And when you think about it, exactly what is our alternative? Ignorance? Falsehood? We're either building our lives on the reality of what God is truly like and what he's about, or we're basing our lives on our own imagination and misconceptions. We're all theologians. The question is whether what we know about God is true.

When I finished Dug Down Deep, I had several passages highlighted and underlined. The chapter on sanctification is definitely worth the read, as I found it thoroughly fascinating and incredibly awe-inspiring. Another recommended chapter is the last one, where Harris writes on humble orthodoxy, bringing home the point of how crucial it is to remain humble in our lives. This is something I think many of us should read and take to heart, as pride is ever so subtle and we must be on guard. These are just two of the eleven chapters presented in the book, and all are well thought out and stimulating.

Dug Down Deep is a very accessible book. It offers deep thoughts and unfathomable truths about God and His character, but Harris attempts to explain them as clearly as he can. I think the book would be a great tool for new believers, but I think the impact would be even stronger with those who've walked with God for a while, especially the ones that have grown frustrated with their fellow believers or their own faith. Really, the book is relative even to those outside of the fold, those that have questions about life's journey and the roads we travel on. Overall, I really enjoyed Joshua Harris' Dug Down Deep. Maybe it's where I'm at in life, but Dug Down Deep resonated with me. I found it encouraging and refreshing, and I think it's a book that many people could read and get something out of it.

---
FTC Thingy: This book was provided to me free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I received no goods other than the ebook, and had I been offered any other goods (like, say, chocolate chip cookies) I would have been tempted to take the bribe. Nevertheless, I wasn't offered, nor did I ask. As such, the opinion expressed in this review is entirely my own and has in no way been affected by my lack of receiving free, home-baked chocolate goodies.(less)

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About Joshua Harris

Joshua Harris lives outside Washington, D.C., in Gaithersburg, Maryland, where he's a pastor at Covenant Life Church. His greatest passion is preaching the gospel and calling his generation to wholehearted devotion to God. Each January he leads a national conference for singles called New Attitude.

More about Joshua Harris...

Books by Joshua Harris

I Kissed Dating Goodbye: A New Attitude Toward Relationships and Romance

Not Even a Hint: Guarding Your Heart Against Lust

Stop Dating the Church!: Fall in Love with the Family of God

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“I especially loved the Old Testament. Even as a kid I had a sense of it being slightly illicit. As though someone had slipped an R-rated action movie into a pile of Disney DVDs. For starters Adam and Eve were naked on the first page. I was fascinated by Eve's ability to always stand in the Garden of Eden so that a tree branch or leaf was covering her private areas like some kind of organic bakini.

But it was the Bible's murder and mayhem that really got my attention. When I started reading the real Bible I spent most of my time in Genesis Exodus 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings. Talk about violent. Cain killed Abel. The Egyptians fed babies to alligators. Moses killed an Egyptian. God killed thousands of Egyptians in the Red Sea. David killed Goliath and won a girl by bringing a bag of two hundred Philistine foreskins to his future father-in-law. I couldn't believe that Mom was so happy about my spending time each morning reading about gruesome battles prostitutes fratricide murder and adultery. What a way to have a "quiet time."

While I grew up with a fairly solid grasp of Bible stories I didn't have a clear idea of how the Bible fit together or what it was all about. I certainly didn't understand how the exciting stories of the Old Testament connected to the rather less-exciting New Testament and the story of Jesus.

This concept of the Bible as a bunch of disconnected stories sprinkled with wise advice and capped off with the inspirational life of Jesus seems fairly common among Christians. That is so unfortunate because to see the Bible as one book with one author and all about one main character is to see it in its breathtaking beauty.” — 16 people liked it

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