Here and Now by Robby Gallaty: A Book Review

I listen to Robby Gallaty’s Discipleship Podcast pretty regularly, but I had never read a book by him. When the opportunity came to review Here and Now I jumped on it. Gallaty, the senior pastor of Long Hollow Baptist Church, makes the bold claim in this book that heaven is available to us today. He will explain what he means by that audacious statement throughout the book.

Many Christians are familiar with the concept of being saved from something in regards to salvation, but many aren’t quite as familiar with the concept of being saved to or for something. This is the concept Gallaty expounds upon in saying that heaven is available to us today. Gallaty says, “For many year, we have preached half the gospel by encouraging people to be saved FROM something—namely sin, wrath, damnation, and eternal punishment—and neglected the fact that we’re saved FOR something” (5).

If you’re unfamiliar with this concept then this book is an immediate recommendation for you. If you’ve viewed Jesus as fire insurance or a “get out of hell free” card then you need to read this book. If you’re already familiar with the idea that you’ve been saved for something and you know what that is then I would recommend this book to you for another reason.

Gallaty has an excellent knowledge of the history and culture of Israel in the biblical age. He uses this knowledge to make masterful connections from the Old Testament to Jesus. He shows how the Bible is unified and connected in a way that I’d never heard before. His showing how Jesus fulfills Old Testament themes is incredible and worth the cost of the book. You will finish this book with a greater appreciation for the Old Testament and a better understanding of its necessity. Gallaty brings unique insight here that I think would benefit every Christian reader.

One particular paragraph I found especially challenging stated:

In order to match Jesus’ message, we may need to change how we present the gospel. Instead of asking people if they want to go to heaven after death, what if we offer them heaven today? Not “you don’t want to go to hell when you die do you?” but “Don’t you want to experience life today?" (176)

We were meant for more than escaping this earth. We were meant to experience a full, exciting life in Jesus’s kingdom today. Robby Gallaty shows us the way in Here and Now. Whether you’re familiar with the concept of an already and not yet kingdom or it is brand new to you, you will benefit from Gallaty’s work in Here and Now.

You can pick up your copy of Here and Now on Amazon.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.