Ten things that are special

Growing number of evangelicals today are not at all keen on the idea of anything being thought of as ‘special’. They do not like the idea of special people, special days, special seasons or special anything else. Yet surely, fear of specialization should hardly characterize people that serve a God who has singled out one special planet in this vast universe to be inhabited; who has chosen one special species, to be his focus; and from among whom he has chosen one special people, believers in the Lord Jesus Christ to be redeemed. In this little book, Gary Brady considers a number of areas where an acceptance of the idea of special will be both in line with what the Bible expects and hopefully will help Christians live their lives chooser to Christ. Areas covered include the doctrine of election, special or particular atonement, the call to pastoral ministry, the Lords’s Day and the doctrine of revival. This may appear at first sight to be a disparate collection of topics, but what ties them together is the way that, in each case, it is often resistance to the idea of anything being special that leads to a misunderstanding of the biblical teaching.

“The idea of this book is fresh and arresting; your appetite is whetted immediately! The writing is clear, the styles engaging, the arguments persuasive, the illustrations helpful, and the time spent reading profitable. Begin at the beginning and carry onto the end, or dip in here and there. Either way, you will find things helpful both for private meditation and for discussion with others.”

DAVID CAMPBELL, Pastor, North Preston Evangelical Church.

“The author demonstrates with clarity and a thorough grasp of his subject, that God has decreed everything about being a Christian special. There is something profoundly appealing about this special-ness; and how we thank God for it!” 

ROGER FAY, retired gospel minister, Yorkshire”

Gary Brady is the author of several books, including the Day One title, The Priesthood of all Believers. From 1983 until 2026, he was the paster of Childs Hill Baptist Church, London. In 2026, he and his wife moved to their native Wales, to be nearer their five sons and nine grandchildren.