Fantastic book, insightful & inspiring!

David's storey is challenging & inspirational. A must listen book! Whether single, married, straight, gay or anything else this book has something for everyone.

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A really helpful memoir of a life of discipleship

David's story is told with a depth of honesty that's disarming and rare. Without making the mistake of resorting to cold rationalism, David allows his story to become a biblical theology of experience. This is a generous gift from David.

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A must read

Found David’s journey to Christ very inspiring touching and challenging. Jesus desires for ALL to experience His love, unfortunately the church has set barriers that keep people from encountering Christ.
My takeaway is that let everyone come to know and experience the love of Christ, Each of us will continue on a imperfect journey of transformation into His image while we are on earth. Only in heaven will our bodies become perfect.

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Edifying and honest

David’s life story and testimony to Jesus is told with a refreshing honesty. It has helped me to clearly understand how to represent Jesus in these times. People should be treated with dignity regardless of their sexual orientation.
As a single heterosexual christian women I found the book to be so encouraging. I have had very few conversations about my singleness, and therefore celibacy, in my 25year christian journey. It’s not a life I chose but a circumstance I found myself in. The scriptures quoted echoed those that have anchored me over the years… Jesus is enough and David’s response to Gods leading does not deny the struggle, which I found really honouring, of David, and the LGBTQ community, and singleness.

Thank you David for such sharing your journey.

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A deeply human book

Davids Bennetts honesty and reflection is refreshing. It is seldom that Christian authors bring a genuinely eye opening perspective, but this is such an instance. His love for the LGBTQI+ community and God is so clearly shown throughout these pages. I can promise you that you will be touched and challenged by David’s story and reflections. “A war of loves” is a deeply personal book, revealing the challenges and nuances of the human experience. I could not have predicted how fascinating and candid the book was going to be. David Bennetts story inspires utmost respect. I warm heartedly recommend this book!

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David is the real deal!

Having met David several months ago, and now having read his book, I have been deeply impacted by his honesty, by his theology and by the touch of God upon him.

As a hetrosexual married Christian leader, this book hit many of my prejudices head-on. Particularly in the final two chapters, David nails truth that not only exposed some of those prejudices in me, but which has actually helped me to realise that sins that I have judged members of the LGBTQI community for in the past are actually more present in myself than I would care to admit.

The underlying theme of this book (hence the title) is that when we experience a true revelation of the love that God has for us, all other loves and desires become secondary. God's great desire for us all is that we would each encounter His love in such a way that it would inspire and even drive us to lay everything else down for it. As with the parable of the man who sold everything to buy the field in which lay the greatest of all treasures, David is living proof that when we choose to lay down our human dreams and desires, and instead pursue a life of sacrificial love for God, that manifests itself in faithful obedience, we can experience a depth of love that truly satisfies us and that many never find.

This book is full of grace AND truth. Not the misunderstood kind of grace that people take as a license to do what they want, but true grace which gives us the power to live a holy life that is pleasing to God.

David's example has challenged me to the core and I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who genuinely wants to know how to effectively minister to people living in a broken world.

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A challenge to head and heart

David is incredibly open and honest about his own journey into a relationship with the God who loved him enough to die for him. His insights and experiences have helped me think more carefully about the issues he's had to deal with. He places before me a challenge about how much I am really ready to give to the One who gave His all for me and what I really understand about what He offers me. Thank you for this challenge to my head and my heart.

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An honest account, but with some reservations

This is a book well worth reading, full of honesty and insight into a journey into discipleship. It poses questions about our own journey, and just how committed we are to Christ.

There's a risk that this book be seen as a template for other LGBT people to follow, especially since the path he followed will be pleasing to many in today's church.

Rather, it is a personal journey with something for everyone entering into a serious relationship with God. David relates considerable levels of dialogue between himself and God: ultimately he heard Him and followed the calling He wanted David to follow. Our callings may be different - we ALL need to listen and respond. Sadly, LGBT people tend to be singled out for criticism, when few in the church respond appropriately. Maybe it's a way of deflecting from our failings. Romans 2 is helpful in this respect!

There were a few points in the book which seemed less charitable. David seemed to denigrate less charismatic forms of worship - it may not be for him but people respond to the opportunity to worship in many different ways. He also condemned - by name - some Christian scholars who disagreed with his own conclusions on same-sex marriage. This was unhelpful and rather missed the point I feel. Everyone is drawn into a personal relationship with God and - in the Reformed tradition - through the Holy Spirit we can all come to an understanding of what God expects of us through Scripture. That might be hard for some people, but who said discipleship was easy?

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So Challenged….

What a story, I loved how David tells his story & struggles with such authentic honesty.
His story has made me think so deeply about the way the bible and its truths speak into my life, I’ve been so challenged about how my own faith needs to deepen. This book has helped me to understand ways in which I as a heterosexual married woman I can support and love those with a similar story to David’s.
David I doubt you’ll ever read this review but thank you for sharing your story so vulnerably & honestly, I’m sorry the church hasn’t done better. Stay close to Jesus, he’ll never let you down.
Highly recommended read.

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An important voice for the church to hear

a very challenging, thought provoking and inspiring story of a journey to live for God

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