If we want to worship God rightly, we must hold right beliefs about Him. This is what Amy helps us to do in Fix Your Eyes. She covers eight categories of systematic theology, beginning with the studies of God (theology proper, trinity, Christology, and pneumatology), continuing with the studies of the Christian life (soteriology, bibliology, and ecclesiology), and ending with the study of end times (eschatology). In each chapter, Amy digs into Scripture to see what God’s Word teaches us about these categories and reveals how the Bible’s teachings lead us to worship Him.

Amy is one of my FAVORITE people to follow on Instagram (she’s one of those theologians I was talking about earlier), and I jumped at the opportunity to join her launch team for this book. She is so wise and down-to-earth, and Fix Your Eyes is the perfect addition to any Christian’s bookshelf. Whether you’re just starting to get your feet wet with theology or you’ve studied theology for years, this book is a fantastic resource to turn to when you want to learn and be reminded of the beautiful truths of God’s Word.

Amy Gannett does an incredible job of covering the top topics of systematic theology while making them readable, relatable, and applicable to our every day lives. This is my go-to recommendation for an introduction to theology!

I really liked this one! It was a compelling read and I didn't feel pulled out of the book. I wanted to keep reading.

Fix Your Eyes by Amy Gannett is makes deep theology more accessible to laypersons. With an easy-to-read style, Amy explains systematic theology in a way that is conversational. This is a great book for newer believers or people that want to have systematic theology without the academic load.

Amy’s writing is approachable yet deep. She writes from a place of rich personal study and invites you along for the journey of seeking God and studying His word.

This book is approachable for someone new to the Christian faith while also being relevant to the seasoned believer. It is conversational and easy to read, but still theologically deep and written in a relevant writing style. Fix Your Eyes would be the perfect read for someone new to systematic theology, new believers, young adults, or someone who simply wants a good theological refresher that doesn’t require a 212% “zoned in” mindset.

While the book is full of truth, it did sometimes seem to be a bit formulaic; each chapter followed the same pattern of personal life anecdote, theological truth, more anecdotal tie-ins, wrap up. It wasn’t bad, just a little boring to read at times as it was so predictable. I also have limited reading time and want to get to the “meat” quickly, so the frequent anecdotes often seemed fluffy to me.

Additionally, the book overall leaned more on the lighter read/conversational and informal style than I personally prefer in theological books. The author’s words were not heretical by any means and were definitely Biblically-based, just included more anecdotes and personal language (e.g., describing God as “chatty” in the bibliology chapter) than is my personal preference.

On the whole however, I’m glad I read this book. It was a good refresher of the systematic theology that I know but have never officially studied as such. The author's words caused me to think about some things, such as soteriology, in new ways, such as the mind boggling nature of Christ IN us and not merely handing us salvation as a trophy prize.

If you buy this book and find it’s not your style, do stick it out to the end. The last chapter (eschatology) was my favorite and so encouraging as we continue in our current political, social, and world climates.

Fix Your Eyes sets the stage for our study and worship of God by expressing the need for both emotion and intellect in our worship and theology of God.

The book provides a treasury of truths about God and the Christian faith that gives both an overview and provides a wealth of info to help us study them greater depth. These truths will strengthen our worship of God and inspire us to meditate on the truths of His character.

The book's conversational, down-to-earth writing helps communicate theology in a simple to understand manner. Because of this, it would serve as an excellent resource introducing someone to the study of God (aka theology) at a level anyone could grasp.

It would be a great choice for teens, those new to the faith or theology as well as seasoned believers desiring to inspire their worship of God. It is truly a gem of a book for its content!

Notable Chapters:

• The Trinity chapter birthed in me a desire to search out this truth about God far more deeply.
• The Christology chapter beautifully expressed so many truths about Christ that are worth reading again and again.
• The Eschatology chapter brings such hope, making known how all things will be made new by our God.

Finally, one of my favorite quotes from the book epitomizes the author’s mission in providing a book connecting theology and worship:

“The point isn’t that you become the expert; the point is that his invitation to know him and his world is open to you…”

The only issues I had—which caused me to give the book 3 1/2 instead of 5 stars—were uncorrected errors that still appear in the final published version.

These issues were:

• uncorrected typos
• a left out “not” that completely changed a sentence about God
• subject-verb agreement mistakes
• a few sentence fragments that left you wondering what should follow in order for the sentence to make sense (like the beginning phrase of a sentence starting with “When…” yet with nothing after to conclude it).

Despite these issues, the content of this book is excellent and I still highly recommend it; hopefully they will get the typographical issues sorted with an updated version perhaps. Regardless it is a wonderful book especially for those new to the Christian faith or theology.

Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Amy starts Fix Your Eyes (FYE) by pointing to the fact that (as RC Sproul has also famously done) everyone is a theologian. This sets up the rest of the book to show how proper theology should lead to doxology. As most of you would know by being part of this group, theology is the study of God (theos being the Greek word for “God” and ology being the Greek word for “the study of”) and doxology is an expression of worship (doxa is the Greek word for “glory” and logia is the Greek word for “written or oral expression”). So explaining this further, having a proper understanding of who God is prompts us to worship God more fully and faithfully. Amy says this on page 14 as:
"When knowledge of God and worship of him work together as God designed, we will be Christians who know God and who love him; who learn about him and respond to what we’re learning in worship; who do the hard work of studying the scriptures that we might understand God as he revealed himself and fall on our knees in surrender and affection before the God of the Bible. When we make the study of God and the worship of him non-negotiables, we have the chance to become the kind of Christians who know and love God with our whole selves."

But in order to do this, we have to know who God is, so Amy turns and spends the next three chapters talking about who God is, Christology, and Pneumatology (the study of the Holy Spirit, pneuma being the Greek word for “spirit”). When looking at who God is, we have to start with looking at his communicable attributes (the qualities of God that we also take a share in by being made in his image) and his incommunicable attributes (the qualities of God that he has and no one else has). Amy explains these attributes as, “In short, you could say the communicable attributes connect us to God, while the incommunicable attributes set him apart from us, drawing the line between creature and creator” on page 25. From there, Amy gives one of the most robust, yet simple explanations of who God is that I’ve ever read, despite the limitations of human reason to be able to explain it. A great example of this is found on page 28:
"To say that God is infinite is to say that God is beyond our greatest thoughts of him, he is higher and longer and wider and deeper than we can conceive - and to ever speak in such measurable terms gives us away."

One of the downfalls we tend to do culturally is elevating some attributes of God over others depending on what is convenient at the given moment. Amy is able to avoid that by tying them all together through his sovereignty on page 34:
"But God's sovereignty, like all of his other attributes, is tied into one another. They are all perfectly who God is, which is why God’s authority in creation is what leads him to sacrifice of the cross, the power of the resurrection, and the rule in the new creation. God wields his sovereignty in ways that are congruent with all his other attributes. He rules, yes with goodness. He reigns, indeed, with mercy. He governs, yes, with justice. He’s an uncorrupted King with a kind hand, wisely directing all that goes on in the universe."

God is all of these things and so much more. And God holding these attributes shows us our own higher calling. As Amy says on page 36:
"God’s holiness tells us something about where we get our human standards of morality and perfection, God sets that standard. But God’s goodness takes it a step further - God is not only the standard of moral purity, but he is benevolent in all that he does. From top to bottom, God is good. He is a fountain of generosity (James 1:5, John 3:16) and one in whom there is only light and not a spot of darkness (1 John 1:5), and he invites us, by the power of his Spirit, to live the same way."

While God is holy and just, his “mercy is his active compassion toward us” (page 40) and he shows that compassion by taking on the punishment for our sins. Through this, we look towards the incarnation. Jesus as fully God had all of God’s attributes perfectly, yet he lived among us and had a very human (yet sinless) experience through life. As written in Hebrews 4:15, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” While Amy doesn’t cite this verse, I think it fits nicely with what she’s written about Jesus and how the incarnation enables us to have a well formed theology of suffering on pages 83-87.

Something I especially appreciate about FYE is that Amy doesn’t downplay the importance of the Holy Spirit or treat pneumatology as a topic to gloss past until we get to the “real stuff.” She naturally starts her look at the Holy Spirit in Genesis 1:2, pointing to the “Spirit of God hovering over the waters,” but she doesn’t stop there. Amy points to several parts of the Old Testament where you can clearly see the Holy Spirit being active in the lives of God’s people, as God is calling them (and us) to be people of the presence (a reference to Exodus 33:12-17), being marked by the presence of God’s Spirit.

By far, my favorite chapter was on soteriology (kind of a duh, for those that know me and have been reading my Guides the last 2 years). The thing that makes FYE unique in how it handles soteriology is that she centers the entirety of it around our union with Christ. On page 121, she makes the distinction that “salvation isn’t a gift that [Jesus] worked hard to earn only to hand it off to you and me as we place our faith in him; he is the gift.” Then she explains more in depth on page 122:
"Like the center of a wagon wheel, the doctrine of union with Christ is what supports every other doctrine that encircles it. Justification is the result of our being united to the Justified One; adoption is the result of our being united to the Son of God; our sanctification is the result of being united to the Holy One. All of the gospel, the entire message of salvation, find their source and substance in this eternal doctrine of union with Christ."

This is only obtained by grace through faith. Though, Amy is intentional to note on page 127 that “what is essential is not the quality of our faith, but the reliability of the one in whom our faith is put.” As Jesus himself says in Matthew 17:20 that faith as little as a mustard seed could move mountains.

A natural implication of the doctrine of our union with Christ is that through our union with Christ, we are also brought to union with one another. On page 177, Amy explains it as:
"God saves sinners and immediately includes them in the congregation of the saved. This is why historic theologians were right when they insisted that there is no salvation apart from the church. What they were not saying is that individuals in the church are the ones handing out salvation; what they did mean is that there is no way for someone to be saved without becoming a part of God’s people, the church. Put another way, there’s no way to be united to the Son without being united to everyone else who is united to him - meaning his people."

Among the historic theologians that held this view was Cyprian of Carthage, who said, “You cannot have God as your Father unless you have the church for your Mother.” The church is vitally important to our spiritual lives because God designed us to live communally amongst people who encourage us to pursue him. Many of the practices that are beneficial for Christian life are best experienced in the context of community.

The last chapter of FYE discusses eschatology and I honestly wish I could just copy and paste the whole chapter here for you guys because it is just so rich, but I’ll leave you with a couple of quotes. The first plays well with the theological implications of our union with Christ and is found on page 206:
"This is the culmination of our union with Christ. Those who are in Christ in this world will be found in Christ in his holy city. This is why it’s called the “consummation” of all things: because the union we have with Christ in salvation now will take its fullest form as we savor our richest intimacy and inseparable oneness with him."

As we look to the consummation, we can enjoy our union with Christ and with each other through the ordinary joys of the Word, Sacraments, and corporate worship. As Amy notes on page 218:
"If the Marriage Supper of the Lamb is what awaits us, then you could say that we are enjoying the rehearsal dinner of that wedding feast each time we set the table for our family and our community."

Fix Your Eyes was exceptionally encouraging. Amy shows a healthy view of law and gospel while pointing the reader towards godliness. The way she describes God and points to his attributes truly prompts you to worship, adoration, and appreciation. This book is a great read for new believers and mature believers alike. I’d say the reading level is probably fit for readers 16 and older. You do not have to be a woman to appreciate this book at all. It would also be great for a small group study and there’s a free discussion guide for that on Amy’s website. All in all, I truly loved reading FYE and happily give it 5 stars out of 5.

This book feels like Bible study over coffee with your best friend. I read it over a longer period of time because it is so rich in wisdom and truth that I really wanted to mull over and think about every sentence Amy wrote. We are all theologians, and Amy does a wonderful job giving a primer and overview of the many doctrines we as Christians believe in. The author has done the most spectacular job of helping the reader apply theological concepts to everyday life. This book will deepen your knowledge of God, which will in turn spur on your love, affection, and worship of Him. I have never highlighted a book so much and I know I will return to it on many occasions to reference the material and use it to explain the foundations of the Christian faith (soteriology, pneumatology, ecclesiology, etc). A stunning book and I couldn’t recommend it enough. Put it at the top of your reading list!

A favorite quote: “God’s people - you and me and every individual united to Chris in faith - are members of God’s flock, his church. We are vulnerable and foolish, and he guards us. We are limping and weak, and he carries us.”

Fix Your Eyes: How Our Study of God Shapes Our Worship of Him by Amy Gannett

Theology. It can be hard to understand, but we all have one. We are all theologians without even realizing it. That is what this is about.

But this is a different kind of theology book. If you have ever read a big 1000+ page book explaining theology, you know how dry and confusing they can be. There are definitely passages of Scripture that are hard to understand, but then there are theologians who are even harder.

That isn't the case with "Fix Your Eyes." This book is more concise and understandable. It doesn't read like a textbook. There are examples and language that is easier to relate to than a traditional theology book. Amy writes in a way that makes things clearer. We can never truly understand God, but this book definitely defines things in a way that the "layperson" can understand.

The chapter on the Trinity is incredible. We don't completely understand the Trinity, so Amy attempts to define what God is not and how if we didn't have a Triune God, he wouldn't be able to Love, Create, Have Community and so on.

This book would be an amazing resource for the new Christian, a discipleship relationship, or if you just don't have the time or brain power to read a huge theology book.

You could read this chapter by chapter or go to a specific topic you want to learn about. The chapters are pretty long (there are only 8) but so worth it!

A friend introduced me to Amy last year and I've enjoyed her perspective on ministry and life. She loves theology and it's refreshing to have another female voice in what seems to be a male dominated field. Which is why i'm a little disappointed that the publisher didn't have theology in the subtitle...

What Amy has listed in her IG bio is a better representation of what you will find in this book - Fix Your Eyes: How Theology Shapes Our Worship. In each chapter, Amy unpacks various ologies (like pneumatology, the study of the Holy Spirit, soteriology, the doctrine of salvation, and ecclesiology, the nature and structure of the church) and how those truths might impact how we honor and worship God.

I read this in little chunks over several months. I will probably go back and reread her chapter on the trinity and end times - there were many interesting nuggets to chew on. Whether it's was presented as a caution or a celebration (probably both), one of the things I keep thinking about is Amy's point that everyone is a theologian - we all have certain things we believe about God. But "it's imperative that we take an intentional look at our theology and ask: Does it align with Scripture? If I already have a theology, is it any good?"

I really loved this book. It's hard to find Christian books that say something new, or old things in new ways, but this felt fresh and inspiring to me. I will definitely be rereading and recommending this book to others.

Amy’s style of writing is easy to read and follow along. She gave personal illustration that I could easily relate to. The topics she covered were different than I had originally was expecting. She covered biblical theology that isn’t always covered in church circles. I especially appreciated her study of the church. Having painful church experiences in my own past I really appreciated and found encouraging her teachings on how God views the church. I would recommend this book to anyone who is new to the faith or is looking for a unique and different spin on biblical theology.

Amy Gannett begins with the startling but absolutely true assertion that YOU are a theologian. Given that “theology is what we know and believe about God,” the concept of God you carry around, the beliefs that impact the way you live and work—this is your theology. Fix Your Eyes: How Our Study of God Shapes Our Worship of Him may just transform you from a mediocre theologian into a very good one.

If you want to begin working from a skillful and accurate belief system, start with an open Bible and a copy of Fix Your Eyes. If you are concerned that your thoughts on God have strayed from the tethering truth of scripture, Gannetts’s work is a great reset button for your soul. It is a great gift to receive ultimate truth that forms and informs the ten thousand choices that shape every single day.

Pursuit of knowledge about God is a love-enhancing pastime, so chapters on the Trinity, Christology, Pneumatology, Soteriology, Bibliology, Ecclesiology, and Eschatology feel more like worship than work. There’s nothing dry or dusty about leaning into truth about a God who has spoken and invited us into the present-day proclamation of his name and the advancement of his kingdom.

Amy Gannett has written an immensely readable, inspiring and thought-provoking book. Theology is a tough subject so to say that she made it readable is really something! I did not find myself having to read a passage over and over again because I did not understand it (like I did for some other theology books I have read.) But instead, I often stopped just to think about it. I found myself highlighting many many sentences.

I will consider getting this title for the church library.

I love Amy on Instagram and this book was an understandable read on theology and how it relates to life! Great for those new to theology or as an encouragement to those who have been following Christ for a while.

"Jesus is the one who gives shape and substance to our theology. He is the one who pulls theology out of the abstract and reveals it for what it was meant to be all along: knowledge of God that spills over into love for him. And it is Jesus who gives rootedness to our worship, grounding it in his character and nourishing it by his Spirit."

"Fix Your Eyes" by Amy Ganett demonstrates the  importance of a balanced union between our doxology (worship) and theology (knowledge) of God.
It is written in accessible language and is filled with anecdotes that are 'down to earth' and relatable.

Some portions drew my attention more than others, simply because those were topics I've been thinking through/wrestling with, even if subconsciously. (I was sometimes surprised by which chapter headings drew my eyes😉).

This would make a wonderful resource—even if you don't read it all the way through—simply to have on your shelf to reference whichever chapter is applicable to what you're wrestling with or studying, at this time.

Theologically rich, but digestible and applicable for all Christians. I struggle with both theology and Christian living books. Theology books often get so lost in the weeds that they become unhelpful for actual Christian living. And Christian living books get so lost in stories that they have little to do with theology or the Bible. This book combines the best of both worlds.

It is almost a theological primer. It begins in the introduction explaining how all of us are already theologians. The only question is whether or not we are good theologians. It then connects how theology should and does impact our worship of God.

The book is not concerned with teaching you the minutia of theology. It is concerned with teaching you things that lead to worship. That is rare, but necessary for a work of theology. I really adored this book. It is accessible for almost all believers. I don't think that those who are nervous around theology should be scared off. But there is much to gain for those more theologically, or academically inclined. She works hard to point why these theological ideas should lead to our worship.

This book would especially work as a Bible study, a community group, or a whole class. I'll be recommending it to my church.

Thanks to netgalley for the ARC.

Introduction: The Necessary Marriage of Theology and Worship
Chapter 1: Theology Proper: Worshiping the God Who Is
Chapter 2: The Trinity: Worshiping God Triune
Chapter 3: Christology: Worshiping God Incarnate
Chapter 4: Pneumatalogy: Worshiping God the Spirit
Chapter 5: Soteriology: Worshiping the God Who Saves
Chapter 6: Bibliology: Worshiping the God of the Word
Chapter 7: Ecclesiology: Worshiping the God of His Body
Chapter 8: Eschatology: Worshiping the Coming King

I loved this book and I think it will be one I return to year after year. I am not a theologian and this was the first theology-based book that I’ve read. Amy makes complicated terms easy to understand. She provides examples and stories from her own life that had me laughing - but ones I related to exactly and helped me better understand concepts. Additionally, she provided great overview of theology in ways that made it approachable so everyone can be a theologian. My favorite chapters were the ones over the Holy Spirit and the end times. Amy’s intent was to point readers back to God so as they learn, they want to worship! Thanks for such a great read.

This is a book you will want to gift all your friends.

Fix Your Eyes is rich in theology, digestible and you don’t have to feel like you need a seminary degree to enjoy it.

Often times we can confuse high theology with lack of emotions and emotional experiences with lacking a biblical theology but Amy beautifully writes about how it all is part of our worship of God.

I loved the writing style so much! The analogies used to break down theological truths really meet you wherever you are.