Decisions, Decisions: How (and How Not) to Make Them

David Swavely has put together the most thorough book on Biblical decision making that I have read. He summarizes much of what is said in Garry Friesen's excellent work: Decision Making & the Will of God: A Biblical Alternative to the Traditional View. But Friesen's work is a much larger book and (I believe) no longer in print. Swavely emphasizes the Bible as the primary and only inerrant source of guidance and then properly places wisdom second and desires third as additional means of guidance. His insight that counsel happens at all three levels (rather than as a separate source) is very valuable. I was especially thankful to see Swavely place the steps of guidance within a relationship with God: walking in the Spirit, recognizing God's sovereignty, and praying for wisdom and providence. Too many writers act as if guidance and decision making for a Christian is simply a matter of following steps or checking boxes. Swavely puts it all these ideas together in a extremely valuable diagram. I've used his diagram on Biblical decision making many times with others. They comment on how easy the chart is to recall and use. Like others who have written reviews on this book, I do not share Swavely's view on the complete cessation of supernatural gifts and guidance. The two chapters on this subject use the common arguments for cessation and (in my opinion) the common fallacies of exegesis. This detracts from the book, but the author's main point is to place God's Word as the primary and only objective source of guidance. As with any book, the reader must separate the bones from the meat as they consume. With only that one caution, I would recommend this work above all others for readability, insight, and usefulness.

The following review is by Dr. Rick Horne (even though it probably says my name above!). I cut and pasted it here with Rick's permission from the Barnes and Noble page, so the top review wouldn't be the bad one below!!). Dave S. Here's Rick's review of the book: Great resource for youth workers on this topic!! Decisions, Decisions How (And How Not) To Make Them, by David Swavely cuts through sentimentality and clinical detachment and summarizes sound biblical teaching about this subject in a practical and sensitive way. The balance he achieves is noteworthy in a field that tends to err by stressing existential matters such as feelings and impressions or more dispassionate uses of the Bible's principles as a cold formula for decision-making. The personal element is very present. The Bible's principles are also the clear framework for real people to make real decisions. This book will be helpful to any exploring the Bible's counsel for discerning among options in front of them. But it is also a significant resource for youth workers. In a world that bombards our young people, in and out of the church, with the message to go with their feelings, David Swavely gives youth workers a resource to help young people with their own solid decision-making.

Decisions, Decisions by Dave Swavely is an excellent book with much food for thought - food that is very important and helpful for running our lives well. If you want to make much better decisions in your life, especially decisions that honor and glorify God, then this book is a must read. Life can be very difficult sometimes, and we need all the help we can get. The book consists of two halves. In the first half, Swavely discusses many wrong ways in which many Christians(Xtns) go about making decisions. In the second half, he discusses how we ought to go about making decisions. First Half: The books basic contention is that all too often Xtns make decisions about X or Y in life on the basis of inner promptings, sudden senses of peace during prayers, still small voices speaking to them, feelings, impressions, etc. These subjective means of making decisions are wrong according to DS - if they are made without any regard to what Scriptures say or if they are given more authority than Scriptures. Note, Swavely is not saying that these decision making factors are completely to be disregarded. He is saying that Scriptures must speak first, and if these things happen to be there supporting what Scriptures have said, then great. Otherwise drop them. In this first half, Swavely also discusses the sovereign will of God and the revealed will of God, and finally the doctrine of Providence. I found this stuff to be a bit heady, and difficult to understand. He should have given more examples. Second Half: The second half of the book is concerned with how to go about making right decisions. For this Swavely outlines a 3 tiered approach: 1. See what Scriptures say, 2. think about the dictates of wisdom, and 3. the "dictates" of desire. Swavely's suggestion is that we first consult the Scriptures and see what they have to say. If Scriptures give direction, then go with what they say. Also - if what Scriptures say seems to contradict what circumstances, feelings, inner promptings, burdens, apparent wisdom, and personal desires say - then go with what Scriptures say instead. Scriptures are primary. Ideally however wisdom and desire will hopefully also support what Scriptures have to say to you. Sometimes however, Scriptures will not readily give you direction. Or it will not be readily apparent to you from your reading. Then you need to do some thinking and see what wisdom has to say. If its not readily apparent from Scriptures, and you have been praying about it, then go with what wisdom says. Moving on one step further, if its neither apparent from Scriptures or from wisdom, then follow your desires. Desire is the tie breaker. Your desires are often the means by which God gets things accomplished in your life. (Philosophical aside: Desire is central to a theory of free will known as compatibilism, which I believe to be biblical. Very interesting.) All that said, I would now like to move to some criticisms of the book: 1. I really wish Swavely gave m

Author Dave Swavely has written a very helpful book concerning a topic which all believers must confront on an almost daily basis: how to make godly, biblical decisions. A particularly valuable aspect of the book is the helpful distinction which it makes between God's sovereign will and His moral will. His sovereign will cannot be thwarted by our decisions (Rom. 8:28)--whether good or bad, godly or ungodly. God alone is in control of history and works all things after the counsel of His will (Eph. 1:11). "[W]e should not try to make decisions by finding out what God has planned in his sovereign will; rather we should concern ourselves with the revealed will of God in the Scriptures. But although the sovereignty of God has no direct bearing on the activity of decision making, our understanding and acceptance of it is essential to our attitude in the process of decision making."[1] This sovereign will of God is hidden in His secret counsel and all attempts by us to find it out are doomed to frustration and even dangerous-as they lead us into subjective means of decision making which go beyond that which God has revealed. Although we cannot determine the sovereign will of God, we are held responsible for that which God has revealed-His moral will. One of the theme verses for this book, Deuteronomy 29:29, recognizes this distinction: "The secret [things belong] to the LORD our God, but those [things which are] revealed [belong] to us and to our children forever, that [we] may do all the words of this law." The subtitle of the book, "How Not to Make Decisions," calls attention to one of the most valuable aspects of the book-identifying common, even popular ways in which Christians frequently make decisions. The importance of discussing how not to make decisions is seen in the division of the book into two halves, with the discussion of decision making pitfalls occupying the first half of the book. Most readers will find themselves smiling wryly (or perhaps even frowning) as they read this section and recognize some of their own decision making foibles along with many others which will be frequently heard in any group of believers. It is our view that a particularly valuable contribution of this book is its identification of common decision making practices which lead to confusion and result in great damage, both individually, and to the body of Christ at large.[2] As the author notes, not all will agree with his cessationist position.[3] Yet even charismatics will find this book helpful because it establishes the clear priority of Scripture as the foundation for understanding and following God's will. And non-charismatics will come to see numerous ways in which their decision making reflects charismatic theology-even though they may not have been aware of it. The recommended process of biblical decision making is summarized by a helpful chart (p. 141) which establishes a "line of freedom" based on the Scriptures. On one side of the line,

Life is made up of seemingly endless decisions. We face decisions every day of our lives - some are as minor as what to wear or what to eat, while others may be huge, impacting our lives or the lives of hundreds or even millions of others. As Christians it is crucial that we understand Biblical principles on how to make decisions that will honor and glorify God. It is to this subject that the book Decisions, Decisions is dedicated. The book approaches the subject matter first from the perspective of how not to make decisions. To illustrate how not to make decisions the author, Dave Swavely, uses several phrases and ideas that are in common use in Christian circles and shows how they do not follow Biblical foundations for decision-making. Among the ones he discusses are: "I flipped a coin," "God gave me a sign," "God told me," and "God opened all the doors." To begin the discussion he examines revelation and shows how God's revelation to us is sufficient and complete in the Scripture. To seek God's will in certain ways, such as through signs and wonders, is futile, for God no longer operates in such ways. Similarly, to put our faith in random verses of the Bible or flips of a coin are to deny our responsibility to make decisions on our own. After several chapters outlining how not to make decisions, all of them based on things you have heard from Christian friends or may have said yourself, he turns to an examination of the Biblical principles of making godly decisions. He first examines the prerequisites of making Biblical decisions. These are walking in the Spirit, recognizing God's sovereignty and praying for wisdom and providence. Without these prerequisites we cannot expect to be able to make godly decisions. When these prerequisites are in place he outlines four aspects of decision-making. The first key to making Biblical decisions is Scripture. Scripture rules supreme over any of the other principles. The Bible bears on every decision we make, either directly or indirectly. For example, any decision relies on motive, and the Bible has much to say about motives. Also, the other three principles of decision-making are drawn from the Bible. While the Bible does not describe exactly what to do in any given situation, it does tell us everything was absolutely need to know in order to make a proper decision. Scripture points us in the direction of the right decision, even if it does not tell us exactly what we must do. At this point the author teaches that provided an option is not absolutely forbidden by Scripture, we would not sin by taking that option. We are given freedom in Christ to decide whether or not to proceed. So we may now be faced with two decisions: first, should we or should we not do it and second which of the options should we take. The second key to making Biblical decisions is wisdom. He defines wisdom as "a knowledge of Scripture and the ability to apply that knowledge in your life." Wisdom is tied to Scripture since Scr