I love Scott Saul's books. They are enjoyable to read while also providing valuable teaching. I appreciate very much his biblical based teaching.

Excellent read that challenges your thinking and perspective to a more gospel centered approach. Highly recommend.

4.5 stars. A Gentle Answer is a challenging, encouraging, and timely read. In a world that often feels divisive and as tensions rise in 2020, Scott Sauls leads readers to both the "why" and the "how" of giving a gentle answer. He discusses blessing our betrayers, forgiveness, receiving criticism, doing anger well -- and more.

Saul’s timely analysis of how Christians should respond is so important. A gentle answer does not mean weakness or timidity, but rather how to speak to other image-bearers when they are wrong, when they hurt you, when you are angry, when you disagree. In an age of “us against them” politics, we need this book.

As many other reviewers have stated this book on gentleness is timely in the present climate. Sauls book is beautifully written. I found it possessed a gentle tone - it wasn't pushy or preachy but with gentleness outlined with examples from the Bible, his own experience and others, how adopting a different posture demonstrates the agape love of Christ within us.

Sauls addresses the chestnuts of anger, criticism and forgiveness having already presented how Jesus demonstrates his gentleness towards us through befriending the sinner, reforming the Pharisee and disarming the cynic prevalent in all of us.

There are only seven chapters and each ends with a few questions of reflection.

My only comment is that this fruit only comes from being transformed internally through the work of the Holy Spirit (Romans 12:1-2). Willpower won't be successful in the long term and transformation takes time and is driven by the Holy Spirit (not ourselves) and it would have been a wonderful way to end the book with some practical exercises on how to start such a process of transformation.

I received an early ebook version of the book from the publisher via NetGalley with no expectation of a favourable review.

In A Gentle Answer, Scott Sauls offers his scriptural insights and his ministry experience as he invites readers to explore a crucial question for this era:

“What must happen in and around us so that we become the kind of people who offer a gentle answer?”

When we are attacked on Twitter, maligned in our mom-group, or even criticized by family members, we are stepping onto ground Jesus walked–but he walked it gently and without sin. His gentleness set him apart from from the Roman Empire, the Jewish religious elite, and the Greek intelligentsia of his day. His words brought peace, pardon, unity, truth, hope, light, and joy to the world.

Made Great by Jesus’s Gentleness

Just as God’s kindness draws our hearts to repentance, it is his gentleness that makes us great. I’m challenged to explore the gentleness of Jesus as a way of being in the world. Scott Sauls invites his readers to consider behaviors and mindsets that characterize gentle people who give gentle answers:

Gentle people put “indicatives before imperatives.”
(Okay, you knew I couldn’t resist a point with a grammatical overtone…)
Jesus focused on who people could become by his power–the indicatives.
Our tendency is to focus on the imperatives–the list of rules for right behavior. This mindset is best exhibited in Jesus’s handling of the woman caught in adultery.
“Neither do I condemn thee; go and sin no more” (indicative before imperative) is radically different from “Go and sin no more so that you will not be condemned.” (imperative before indicative) It is scandalous to accept people before their behavior changes, but Jesus practiced a scandalous grace, evidenced in gentleness.
Gentle people recognize that all is gift–even hardship and persecution.
Gentleness should not be confused with “being nice.” Martin Lloyd Jones described well the sacrifices of a following life:
“I gave up nothing; I received everything.”
Gentle people know when to get angry and how to do it without sinning.
When Mother Teresa stood before the gathered dignitaries at the National Prayer Breakfast in 1994, she “channeled her own God-given anger by boldly and courageously speaking against the termination of image-bearing children in the womb.” (1236) The tiny woman spoke gigantic words to challenge an entire culture, and she wasn’t worried about how they landed. Righteous anger fights for shalom, God’s all-consuming, all-redeeming peace.
Gentle people care for their neighbors.
“Jesus came to turn his enemies into friends, his friends into family, and his family into joyful participants in his mission.” (509) His gentleness sent him into hostile territory with a peace treaty called the gospel. As his followers, we can, by grace, welcome criticism (even if it is unjust), because we are more concerned about our character than our reputation. Then, based on self-awareness of our own twisted motives, we can forgive, when our caring for others results in our being treated badly or misunderstood.

Armed with a gentle answer, following Jesus’s example, we can stand out as different in a world thirsty for his refreshing presence.
Many thanks to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book to facilitate my review, which is, of course, offered freely and with honesty.

Pastor Sauls confronts a timely topic in this age of outrage. The forward by Ray Ortlund notes that "this generation is the first to turn hate into an asset." Sauls does not call us to be passive in the face of evil. However, the call to righteous anger is often misdirected. Sauls calls us to grow thicker skin, to do anger well, to receive criticism graciously and to forgive those that deserve our hatred.
The most powerful chapter deals with lessons that Sauls learned from his mentor, Tim Keller, regarding response to criticism. Keller was often criticized by people who not only did not know him but mischaracterized his positions. He always looked for a kernel of truth in the criticism so that he could grow from the confrontation. Likewise, seminary professor Jack Miller would respond to critiques by telling the person, "You don't know the half of it. I am much worse than you think I am, and so are you."
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Pastor Sauls confronts a timely topic in this age of outrage. The forward by Ray Ortlund notes that "this generation is the first to turn hate into an asset." Sauls does not call us to be passive in the face of evil. However, the call to righteous anger is often misdirected. Sauls calls us to grow thicker skin, to do anger well, to receive criticism graciously and to forgive those that deserve our hatred.
The most powerful chapter deals with lessons that Sauls learned from his mentor, Tim Keller, regarding response to criticism. Keller was often criticized by people who not only did not know him but mischaracterized his positions. He always looked for a kernel of truth in the criticism so that he could grow from the confrontation. Likewise, seminary professor Jack Miller would respond to critiques by telling the person, "You don't know the half of it. I am much worse than you think I am, and so are you."
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A Gentle Answer captures many aspects of a culture permeated by outrage and political division, and it calls for followers of Jesus to actually follow Him by embracing Spirit-led empathy, honesty, courage and love. Scott’s passion, painstaking attention to detail and reverence for scripture make for a book that is both challenging and inspiring.

“The world does not thirst for a religious imitation of it’s often-outraged self.”

In these deeply divisive times where Christians are often identified as a political party not as followers of Jesus, and we are known more for what we are against than who we are for, Scott Sauls reminds us that “every person bears the image of God and is a carrier of the divine imprint. Because of this, every person is entitled to being treated with honor, dignity and respect.”

In “A Gentle Answer” Sauls asks us to take a good look at our Christianity, recognize our own sin and embody Christ’s sacrificial love “to stand for all the world’s weak, vulnerable and oppressed.” Christians are not meant to be complacent or comfortable. This book is a wake-up call to who we are as Christians and who we are meant to be - to each other and the world.

Scott Sauls is a voice for Biblical Christianity in our day that is needed, and vital. His clarity on who Jesus is and what he is really like, and how the follower of Jesus is to be like him through the power of the indwelling Spirit, is a much needed message in our day. The timeliness of this book cannot be overstated. We need to understand what a gentle answer is, and how the Gospel, understood and applied, is the fuel and power to give one to people we may otherwise just dismiss or right off. Thank you Scott Sauls for your love Jesus and his church, and for helping us to pursue him with passion and zeal, that he would be seen in how we live our lives in a culture of rage and anger.

In a time when we're all beginning to draw lines in the sand this books illuminates that, in so doing, we decide to make foundations of sand.

Like reading the first chapterss of Romans for the first time this book was convicting both of my sins of (c)omission and of my judicious and self-righteous heart. Scott Sauls applies the Gospel to us as individuals and shows how God, in Jesus, extends grace that we may become vessels of grace to others. I cannot recommend it enough.

This book came out at such an opportune time given today’s climate and the current events happening around us. It challenged me in my thinking and the way in which I respond to others with different views from my own. It continually pointed me back to Jesus’s gentle nature of forgiveness and the life-giving way that he interacted with those around him. As a passionate person, I can become overzealous in my discussions of hot topics. I was convicted by Pastor Sauls’s words, “If our messaging and not our message is causing turmoil, we need to examine ourselves and question whether our ethics and demeanor line up with our faith.”

With part of the title being “Our ‘Secret’ Weapon in an Age of Us vs Them,” I had expected the book to focus a bit more on the political climate of our times, however, it was more individually directed. I do wish more time had been devoted to navigating current social issues to affect change while exhibiting a Christ-like demeanor, and I loved His quote, “When ‘love your neighbor’ takes a back seat to American partisanship, when the protection and advancement of our own rights and privileges take precedent over the needs of the least of these, spiritually and socially sensitive people can find it difficult to get on board with versions of Christianity that look, smell, and talk more like Uncle Sam than like Jesus Christ.” I realized that the examples and approaches that he writes about can be implemented in both individual day-to-day interactions as well as on a larger scale.

Overall, it was an impactful read and will lead to personal growth. I highly recommend it.

We quietly but clearly create to circles of people - the good guys and the bad guys. Not surprisingly, we put ourselves in the circle with the good guys and everyone outside of that circle are bad guys. Our culture (and our sinful hearts) tells us to fear, resist, and even defeat "them" in order finally find the fullness of life.

Scott Sauls offers us a glimpse of a different way to approach life - instead of thinking about the world as "good guys and bad guys," he calls us to see that we are all sinners in need of grace. Biblically, there aren't "good guys," Bad guys," and God - there's only God and people in need of grace. And the way forward isn't going to be found in sinners defeating other sinners - it's going to be found in sinners being won over by the God who defeated their sin with love. The way to find the fulness of life, then, isn't by defeating those who are different from us but by following our savior on the path of love and gentleness.

This book is practical, insightful, readable, and both challenging and encouraging. I highly recommend it!

I was privileged to receive and an advance reader's copy from the publisher so that I could read it before publication.

“Jesus calls his followers to something better and more life-giving than oppositional postures. Armed with a gentle answer, modeled and provided by our gentle Savior himself, it is time we got about the business of mending our fractured world with a presence that is less combative and more gentle and kind. The flourishing of our witness depends on it, and the good name of our Savior is worthy of it.”
This succinctly summarizes the charge that Scott Sauls gives us in this deeply impactful book. He shines the light of the gospel into those areas of our heart and mind and soul that react in ways contrary to the message and love of Christ. There were countless times I was cut deeply by the searching questions and poignant truths that Scott illuminated here. And yet the book lives up to its name – while the revelation of our own short-comings as Christ-followers is unflinching, the answer Scott provides us is truly a gentle one.
Through bringing fresh insight to the lives of many biblical characters (Peter, Paul, Nathaniel and Judas, are just a few but are among the most memorable) and relatable examples from our current times, Scott shows us the alternative to “us vs them” that is not only possible, but intended, through the transforming grace of Christ.
This is a book I will be revisiting again and again as I seek to grow.
There’s too much good to quote it all but I’ll leave you with this – a summary of the truth that Scott guides us to throughout the book – and it just so happens that each thing he mentions is something I need God to work on in my life!: “We must become settled in the truth that whatever Jesus asks from us, he has already done for us. Only then can we grow thicker skin, do anger well, receive criticism graciously, forgive all the way, bless our own betrayers, befriend our fellow sinners, resist our inner moralist, disarm guarded postures, and anything else of the sort. At the cross of Calvary, he confronted our violence with his nonviolence, our hostility with his forgiveness, and our wrath with his gentle answer.”

If your read Irresistible Faith then this is a must read. Scott Sauls, without making it a "how to" book, has shown us again how we as Christians forget at times who we are and how we should live. Phariseeism, anger, bitterness and being unforgiving does not present an welcoming invitation to our churches ot to Christianity as a whole. Get it and read it. You'll be glad.

This is an amazing word for our world. It’s well written and scripturally based. A great word on how believers should respond to discord. Scott Sauls isn’t afraid to speak the truth but in such a way that you don’t feel judged.

I’m a good person. I am mindful of where I buy my goods. I actively seek to be anti-racist. I consider myself a feminist. I work with the youth group at my church. I volunteer in kids Sunday school. I attend to community group and Sunday service every week. I have lots of righteous anger towards many of these things and was reading this book to help Others with their us vs. them hearts. You know, those conservative republican family members who were blind to the injustices in our country. Those friends who think Jeff Bezos earned his worth. Everyone who thinks America needs to be great again.

And then, reading this book, a part of my heart changed.

Scott showed me myself in characters I'd never before connected with. I found myself in the pridefully praying Pharisee rather than the earnest tax collector. I saw myself as someone who hates Zacchaeus rather than the wee little man in the tree. It hurt, but it was a surgical pain--one that I knew was for my benefit.

While I knew in my head that we are all sinners, what I never put together before A Gentle Answer was that God doesn't draw his line there. He doesn't mark people as good or bad, as Scott points out, he sees us as proud and humble. And boy, am I proud of how "gracious" and "merciful" I am. Realizing this, it's helped me view those I disagree with in a new light--one that makes me less prone to disassociate them from their humanity and identity as image bearers of God.

Now, this book doesn’t call us to sit and mitigate the importance of #MeToo or #JusticeforGeorgeFloyd. It calls us to speak out with love. Not to demonize the other side and call names and turn them into monsters. We can disagree and argue against people while recognizing they are as loved and cherished by God as we are. This is not an out but a new plan of attack. It’s an effective way forward because as we all know and hate to admit, no one has ever changed their mind because someone argued and called them names and made them feel less than.

In the book, Scott states "When something brings meaning to our lives, our enjoyment of the thing is made most complete when we share it with others" (27). And so, it's in light of this that I recommend this book to anyone who finds themselves taking a side, whatever that side may be.

(I was provided an ARC by the publisher, but I got to write all of the words of this review.)

Timely Advice For Those Who Would Change The World
Like most people I have often dreamed about someday doing something that would make the world a better place. In his new book "A Gentle Answer," Scott Sauls points us to God’s way of doing just that. By loving and accepting those we encounter each and every day. Responding with “a gentle answer” just like Jesus did/does for us.

I appreciate Sauls' gentle words and wisdom. This book is greatly needed at this time and am hopeful that even though the book has been released on blackout tuesday, it will touch many people.