Presence Driven Reverend Paul Ellis challenges Christians to live not only purpose-driven but “presence-driven” lives to reach the full potential of their calling.
Drawing from the lives of Bible greats like Adam, Jonah, King David, Esther, and more, Ellis teaches the importance of having the presence of God in our lives. He states, “You can have purpose without presence, but you cannot have presence without purpose.” Ellis encourages readers “to have passion for the Lord…His Word… and His presence” and “to apprehend God; [sic] and everything that He has for your calling, destiny, legacy, and life.”
Using the Bible as his only source, Ellis works his way through some of its most well-known stories, paraphrasing, embellishing, and modernizing archaic characters to help readers connect with his message. For example, Ellis writes of King David: “The Drifters were playing their song ‘Up on the Roof’ on David’s radio as though they were welcoming him to this rooftop encounter.”
Ellis isn’t playing around with his message though. His points are thought-provoking and full of conviction. Through the story of Ruth, he teaches that “we have mastered the art of dodging individual responsibility and accountability”; through Samson we learn that “as the presence moved away…so did his ability to discern good and evil,” and through Jonah we see that “disobedience always leaves the disobedient and all who are in relation to them emptied, battered, broken….”
Beautifully written and smart, Ellis’ book touches the hearts of believers and challenges them to seek more than just purpose. Perhaps more modern-day examples would have added to his teaching and brought the concepts forward into the present-day. However, his insight is powerful and deeply thought-provoking.
Christians interested in living life to its fullest, leaving a legacy and making a difference in the world will find Ellis’s teachings fresh and inspiring.
Also available in hardcover and ebook.
