BOOK REVIEW | A Heart Aflame for God

By James Jeffery



How does a Christian deepen in their relationship with the Triune God and undergo spiritual formation as a Reformed believer? Has God prescribed particular practices for our growth in Christ? In A Heart Aflame for God: A Reformed Approach to Spiritual Formation, Matthew Bingham offers important critiques, encouragements, and exhortations to 21st century evangelicals. Overall, the book offers a compelling Reformed framework for Christian maturity grounded in the Word of God, and informed by the Reformers and Puritans. 

Bingham’s work speaks into a context which Joel Beeke captures well in his endorsement:

“In our current historical moment, rife as it is with digital noise, doctrinal shallowness, and irreverent worship, some professing Christians have moved away from the biblical faith in search of ostensibly soul-satisfying alternatives. Turning to denominations like Roman Catholicism or Eastern Orthodoxy, many crave the stillness, theological intricacy, and spiritual gravitas that are promised by those traditions but that, when weighed in the balances, are found wanting.”

Whether one uses the term “spiritual formation” or “Christian piety,” Bingham seeks to instruct and encourage believers in the means God has given us to grow in the gospel. In contrast to many other church traditions, Reformed believers have always held to a word-centred and word-driven view of spiritual formation. That is, our Christian walk is grounded in, directed by, and oriented toward the Word of God. This conviction flows from the belief that we have a living God who has spoken through His Word—a Word accessible to all believers for the nourishment and maturity of our faith.

Breaking Down the Book

The book is structured around six key disciplines that Bingham identifies as essential for growing in Christian maturity. At the heart of this framework is the “Reformation Triangle” of spiritual formation, which consists of three interrelated practices: Scripture, meditation, and prayer. Together, these disciplines involve hearing the Word of God, contemplating its meaning, and offering prayers shaped by its truths.

In addition to the Reformation Triangle, Bingham highlights three further disciplines that, in many ways, flow naturally from the first three. These include self-examination, enjoying God through the natural world, and delighting in Christian relationships. While these practices can be seen as extensions of Scripture, meditation, and prayer, they also serve as vital expressions of a deepening spiritual life.

Encouraging believers to mine the riches of their union with Christ, Bingham writes:

“When we come to our devotional times, then, our basic goal should be to commune with the living God through these three foundational spiritual disciplines, allowing each one to inform and flow into the other two.” (p. 193). 

I particularly appreciated Bingham’s counsel regarding meditation. Among the Puritans, there was no rigid or standardised method dictating what meditation should look like. Instead, they emphasised its purpose, rather than its form. Bingham urges us to grasp this principle — something far more significant than any silver bullet technique: 

“… we need to slow down our Bible reading. For some of us, this may be reading few chapters each day then we have attempted in the past. As we saw in the previous chapter many older Protestant writers have been less interested in the volume of our reading and more interested in how we can get the most spiritual benefit out of what we do cover.” (pp. 155-156)

 

A Challenge to the Contemporary Church

Admittedly, I felt a sense of rebuke as I read through these disciplines — both of the hurried pace of my life and the constant stream of digital noise that so often occupies my mind. While I am convinced that Reformed theology encourages a life of diligence and productivity, it must also lead us toward a meditative life — one in which we slow down to contemplate the lofty truths of Scripture, reflect deeply upon the gospel of our salvation, and delight in the beauty of God’s creation. In my view, Bingham rightly observes that if we are to resist the relentless rat race of twenty-first-century life, we must intentionally restructure our priorities and make space for stillness before God.

By far, my favourite section of this book was the final chapter ‘When Things Go Wrong.’ After presenting the pillars of Reformation piety, Bingham presents an accurate portrait of life in in a fallen world. He states what all Christians know from bitter experience:

“…spiritual struggle is a normal part of the Christian life, and no one is exempt. This is exactly what we would expect from reading the Bible, a book that testifies to human suffering on almost every page and never suggests that Christians are immune…the Bible unashamedly indicates that real believers suffer an inner spiritual turmoil that cannot be reduced to enemies outside ourselves but must, at least in part, be attributed to the lingering enemy within.” (p. 307)

Bingham helpfully reminds us that spiritual disciplines are not given to us God to burden us, but to bless us. Rather than paralysing us, they serve as the very means by which God renews and rekindles our affections for Him. Those who have wrestled with ‘quiet time guilt’ will find this final chapter especially comforting, as it that “spiritual struggle is a normal part of the Christian life, and no one is exempt” (p. 307). Only when we face this reality can we fully appreciate the means of grace for what they truly are: the divine provision by which God sustains us on our journey to the celestial city. 

Ironically, when we consume only limited portions of God’s Word, we deprive ourselves of the very gift God has given to refresh and sustain our souls on the journey of faith. As A. W. Tozer once said, “Nothing less than a whole Bible can make a whole Christian.” This is why Bingham urges believers to immerse themselves regularly in the Psalms. Within their pages, the psalmists give voice to the full spectrum of human emotion and experience—from deep sorrow and despair to joyful praise and thanksgiving. Different seasons of life stir different emotions within us, and as we read the Psalms, we are comforted by the assurance that God understands our frailty and meets us in every circumstance.

The Bottom Line

What sets the Reformed tradition apart from others is the way it keeps the Word of God central in spiritual formation. Christian growth flourishes when Scripture is held in its rightful place, and thus regularly consumed in both public and private worship. Bingham argues that if Reformed Christians desire to see genuine growth in our churches — both numerically and in spiritual depth — we must learn from the Reformers and Puritans, who laid a rich foundation for spiritual formation centuries ago. 

My prayer is that this book will be a valuable guide for new Christians who seek to establish rhythms of grace in their daily lives. I believe this book will also be a source of encouragement to Christians who feel spiritual directionless or stagnant in their walk with Christ.

For those considering a move to Eastern Orthodoxy or Catholicism, I would urge you to read this book before making that step. While contemporary evangelical churches bear little resemblance to historic Reformed churches, my hope is that a renewed interest in Reformed and Puritan literature will resurrect our deep historical heritage formed over centuries by faithful saints. For only when we once again elevate the Word of God to its rightful place will we ever enjoy the richness of communion with God as He has intended us to as His people. 

And if you prefer podcasts, I would encourage first listening to Matthew Bingham’s interview with Kevin DeYoung on Clearly Reformed. Otherwise, grab a copy of the book, read it with a friend, and allow its message to deepen your love for God and His Word. 

**I received this book from Crossway in exchange for an honest review. **