5.0 out of 5 stars An Interview with the Author

K.B. · October 8, 2025

Here's an interview I did with the author about his book at my blog, Kindle Afresh:I recently read a deep and thoughtful book on Christian living entitled A Heart Aflame for God: A Reformed Approach to Spiritual Formation. I reached out to the author, Matthew Bingham, to see if he would be willing to do an interview about his book. I’m delighted that he agreed!Ken Berding (KB): First, can you tell us a little about yourself?Matthew Bingham (MB): Thank you for the opportunity to share with you and your readers. I am originally from Southern California, and I currently serve as Vice President of Academic Affairs and Associate Professor of Church History at Phoenix Seminary in Scottsdale, Arizona. Before coming to Phoenix my family and I lived in the United Kingdom for 10 years. Most of that time I was teaching at Oak Hill College in London, and prior to that I served as a pastor in Northern Ireland and the southeastern United States. I am very happily married to Shelley and we have four children ranging in age from 15 to 4.KB: What prompted you to write this book?MB: A Heart Aflame for God grew most directly out of my teaching at Oak Hill College where I was asked to teach an elective on spiritual formation. I thought this was a wonderful idea, as many of our students had expressed both interest in the subject and some confusion as to where to begin. So I came into it with great enthusiasm, but my enthusiasm waned somewhat as I looked for appropriate books to assign. My academic work has involved a great deal of research into early modern England and the religious culture of English and North American Puritanism, and I have long been impressed by the warm devotional work that these men and women produced, especially during the seventeenth century. As a result, I was somewhat puzzled to find that much of the spiritual formation literature seemed to curiously ignore or at least downplay a body of literature that I had assumed would be of first importance for evangelical Protestants. This led me to dispense with the idea of using a pre-existing book for the class, and instead I turned to effectively writing my own, a process which eventually led to A Heart Aflame for God.KB: What makes this book different from other books on spiritual formation?MB: Well, in some ways, this book has much in common with other books on spiritual formation: it explores what we mean by the term and covers both its theological underpinnings and its practical application. But where this book differs from much of what’s already on offer is in its distinctively and, I hope, consistently Reformed approach to the subject. Many works on spiritual formation draw on a wide range of sources, all drawing upon very different theological perspectives. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it can become confusing for readers when theologians holding distinct and sometimes incompatible theological paradigms are blended and bundled together as though they all are basically pointing in the same direction. I believe that our approach to spiritual formation should be downstream from and consistent with our theological convictions. So, in writing A Heart Aflame for God, I wanted to provide a resource and guide to spiritual formation that was firmly rooted within and consistent with the Reformed tradition. To that end, the book draws heavily on Reformed theologians and pastors with particular attention paid to the English Puritans. In that sense, the book is something of a cross between J.I. Packer’s A Quest for Godliness (1990) and Donald Whitney’s Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life (1991).KB: Who would you say is your target audience with this book and what do you hope they will get out of it?MB: I would say that the book is written for all Christians looking to understand and explore more deeply the inner logic, theological rationale, and historical underpinnings of a distinctively evangelical Protestant approach to Christian piety. The target audience of A Heart Aflame for God includes pastors and theological students, alongside any thoughtful Christian looking for a more extended treatment of these themes. I think the book occupies an intermediate space in terms of where it’s pitched, balancing accessibility with an awareness of wider scholarly conversations.In terms of what I hope readers will take away from the book, I would say there are two overriding aims. My primary aim is that readers will be encouraged in their walk with God. I long to see Christians excited by the possibility of growing “in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 3:18) and I want them to come away with a clear, biblical vision of what that looks like and how to get there.My secondary aim is to address those within evangelical circles who are feeling the allure of non-evangelical traditions. Disillusioned and frustrated by a religious culture that, at its worst, can seem superficial and shallow, increasing numbers of Christians reared in evangelical churches are seeking a deeper, more serious Christian expression. In response to this, some recent books on spiritual formation aimed towards evangelicals have, in my opinion, strayed into methods, approaches, and influences which are out-of-step with the Reformation tradition they purport to represent. If someone wants to carefully and prayerfully leave the Protestant tradition, then, while I wish they wouldn’t, that is, of course, their decision to make. But what I find discouraging is when we encounter evangelicals who abandon their heritage without first taking the time to really understand what their heritage is actually all about. I’m convinced that the depth and seriousness that disaffected evangelicals rightly long for can be had without having to look to Rome or Constantinople.KB: You obviously spent a lot of time reading authors in the Reformed stream, especially from the early-modern period. What are some of the most important takeaways from the things you read?MB: There were many things that I found stimulating and enriching while researching this book. For example, I was fascinated to learn about the extent to which Reformed authors looked to the natural world as a rich stimulus for devotional reflection, an aspect of the Christian life that I fear we sometimes lose touch with today.But the most significant takeaway from the Reformed authors I read was their strong and unwavering commitment to the proposition that spiritual formation is based upon three core disciplines: Bible intake, meditation, and prayer. In the book, I describe these three as “the Reformation Triangle,” a term used to highlight the triangulated relationship between these disciplines that lies at the heart of historic Protestant spiritual formation. Taken together these three can be conceived as a conversation between the believer and God: we hear from God through his word; we reflect upon what we’ve heard in meditation; and we then respond to God in prayer. As the book demonstrates, among early modern Reformed and Puritan authors, these three activities were so closely conjoined that they would often be used interchangeably as though they were all actually components of one basic activity. They flow into one another and are sometimes, in practice, scarcely distinguishable, together constituting real communion with Triune God.

5.0 out of 5 stars A refreshing and necessary work on spiritual formation

K.R. · September 18, 2025

Matthew C. Bingham’s A Heart Aflame for God is such a refreshing and necessary work on spiritual formation. Rather than offering another set of trendy “spiritual practices,” Bingham turns our attention back to the Reformation and the Puritans, showing us how they approached Christian growth in ways both biblical and deeply practical.What I love most about this book is how it addresses a real problem in contemporary evangelicalism. Many believers are active in ministry, full of programs and events, yet still struggle with what it actually means to grow in Christ. Some even look outside evangelicalism—toward Roman Catholicism or Eastern Orthodoxy—because they feel those traditions provide a deeper spiritual life. Bingham’s central argument is that we don’t need to look elsewhere. The resources for rich, lasting spiritual formation are already ours in the Reformed heritage. This alone makes the book worth reading.The book is clear and easy to follow. In Part 1, Bingham lays the foundation by explaining what “spiritual formation” means and how it connects with the five solas of the Reformation. I appreciate this because it roots the whole discussion in Scripture and theology rather than personal preference. He reminds us that true growth must always align with the gospel of grace, not with self-reliance or empty rituals.Part 2 introduces what he calls the “Reformation Triangle”: Scripture, meditation, and prayer. These are presented not as optional extras but as the heartbeat of Christian piety. Here’s where the book shines in practicality. Bingham doesn’t just talk about reading the Bible—he explains how the Reformers and Puritans practiced careful listening to God’s Word. He doesn’t simply recommend meditation—he shows how believers can reflect deeply on Scripture so it sinks into the soul. And when it comes to prayer, he ties it back as a natural response to hearing and meditating on God’s word. Aside from this, I also like that he avoids making these practices sound mechanical. Instead, he presents them as living habits that cultivate joy and holiness.In Part 3, Bingham broadens the scope. He explores self-examination, the role of the natural world, and Christian relationships. I found the chapter on self-examination especially helpful. When self-reflection can easily turn into self-centeredness, the Puritans modeled a healthy way of looking inward—always with the goal of turning back to Christ. The chapter on nature surprised me, too. I didn’t expect a Reformed book on spirituality to spend time here, but Bingham shows how appreciating God’s creation can fuel worship and gratitude. And when he discusses Christian relationships, he emphasizes the importance of mutual encouragement and accountability—something many modern Christians miss when they view growth as a purely individual pursuit.Part 4 tackles challenges. These chapters resonated with me because they acknowledge the hard realities: our spiritual lives involve both body and soul, and there will be seasons of weakness and failure. Rather than glossing over this, Bingham gives thoughtful guidance for connecting our physical lives with our spiritual disciplines and for persevering when growth feels slow or even absent. This honesty makes the book pastoral and realistic, not idealistic.Another highlight is the way Bingham draws on Puritan writers. He doesn’t just reference Calvin or Owen in passing; he brings their insights to life, showing how they wrestled with the same questions we do today. The Puritans wrote with a spiritual intensity that is almost absent in modern Christian literature, and Bingham makes their wisdom accessible for today’s readers. If you’ve ever wanted to dip into Puritan writings but felt overwhelmed, this book is a clear and engaging guide.From a practical standpoint, one advantage of the book is its balance. It’s not overly academic, yet it doesn’t oversimplify either. Bingham writes for students, pastors, and serious Christians who want more than surface-level advice. Each chapter blends historical insight with personal application. You finish a chapter not only knowing what the Reformers taught but also how you can apply those lessons to your own walk with Christ.Personally, what stood out to me is how the book addresses the so-called “sanctification gap” in evangelicalism. For decades, evangelicals have been great at outreach and activity but often shallow in nurturing spiritual depth. Bingham’s answer is not to reinvent the wheel but to recover what has already been tested and proven faithful—the Reformed and Puritan practices that shaped generations of believers. That recovery is timely and sorely needed.In the end, A Heart Aflame for God calls us to return to the basics, to the God-ordained means of grace that foster real transformation. If you’ve ever felt confused about spiritual growth or dissatisfied with shallow methods, this book offers clarity. It reminds us that the Christian life is about keeping the heart, working out salvation with fear and trembling, and growing in the grace and knowledge of Christ—just as Scripture commands.I’d recommend this book especially to those who feel stuck in their spiritual lives, to students of theology who want to see doctrine lived out, and to pastors who long to guide their people toward deeper maturity. It’s also a great entry point for anyone curious about Puritan spirituality but unsure where to start. To put it simply: Bingham retrieves a forgotten treasure and places it back in our hands. Read it slowly, take its lessons to heart, and you’ll find yourself not just learning about spiritual formation but actually experiencing it.

5.0 out of 5 stars A Heart Aflame

R.G. · August 20, 2025

This was the best book I've read in at least a year. For those looking for a reliable treatment on "spiritual formation" (with discussion on whether we should even use that phrase) from a Reformed perspective, this is the best I've read. Bingham marshals serious research to make a cogent, compelling, and inspiring argument that the only way to truly grow closer to God is through the Reformed tradition, because that is the biblical tradition. Toward the end, Bingham also provides some expert analysis on pseudo-Reformed, Eastern Orthodox leaning thinkers like James K. A. Smith. He strongly demonstrates that Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox reliance on ritual and tradition cut true formation off at the knees. Though praying in certain postures or making other gestures isn't prohibited in the Bible, it isn't taught either. When we begin to teach these things alongside biblical prescriptions, the inevitable result, as we see in the East and Rome, is that the heart of Christianity is always weakened. It may beat, but for how long? A heart aflame is a guide to get it pumping again.

Please handle with care or do not send damaged product

S.C. · May 2, 2025

it was a damaged product when received