KANSAS CITY (MBTS) – Midwestern Seminary celebrated the Feb. 4 release of Lest We Drift: Five Departure Dangers from the One True Gospel, the 27th book by Jared C. Wilson.
In Lest We Drift, Wilson, who serves as assistant professor of pastoral ministry and author in residence at Midwestern Seminary, warns ministry leaders against the dangers of drifting from gospel-centrality, identifying several temptations toward such drift facing the church today.
“Though the momentum of gospel-centrality seems to be waning, Jared Wilson reminds us of the perils associated with such a drift,” said President Jason Allen. “I am grateful for Jared’s work in this regard, and I pray that the Lord would use it in profound ways to strengthen both ministers and Christ’s church.”
Lest We Drift draws its title from Hebrews 2:1, which states, “Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.” Reflecting both on the gospel and on recent declines in the “gospel-centered movement,” Wilson’s book reminds readers why a fixation on Christ and His work in salvation must be central for the Church.
Wilson shared, “My hope is that readers will discover—or rediscover—the substance of gospel-centrality, apart from whatever marketing or movements it is thought to be bound up with, and that they will see it as both biblical and ministerially necessary in facing our current challenges.”
Wilson defined the core principles of gospel-centrality, saying, “The whole Bible is about Jesus. People change by grace, not by law. Our ultimate validation is found not in our performance, but Christ’s performance on our behalf.”
In the book, he addresses five contemporary temptations that lead to drift from gospel-centrality: victimhood mentality, spiritual dryness, superficiality, pragmatism, and legalism.
“These are common primarily because they are really just newer iterations of old, old challenges,” he said.
The book illuminates how each of the five temptations ironically oppose the blessings given to the Church in the gospel, such as victory, delight, and freedom. In the book, Wilson notes that focusing on the gospel is necessary for discerning the “counterfeit” gospels held out in the temptations toward drift.
Wilson said, “I do my best in the book to demonstrate how the pressure points that give rise to these forms of drift and tempt us away from the centrality of the gospel are revealed in the Scriptures. If we can chart our modern problems to the Bible, we will be better able to see our solution there.”
Lest We Drift draws from Wilson’s personal experience as a pastor and ministry leader in the gospel-centered movement over the past two decades.
He shared, “I’ve been troubled for some time by the tendency of churches and church leaders to depart from the ministry framework of a gospel-centrality they once claimed as important. But more recently I’ve been inspired to examine this kind of drift from the wider-angle view of evangelical culture.”
Wilson’s examination in Lest We Drift reflects the ongoing aim of his writing to emphasize the good news of salvation in Christ as of first importance for the Church. Wilson has authored numerous books exploring the implications of the gospel in life and ministry, such as The Pastor’s Justification, The Imperfect Disciple, and his 2024 book on writing, The Storied Life.
Speaking of Lest We Drift, he said, “As always, my hope is that people will come away from my books more in awe of Jesus.”
Ministry leaders around the world have commended Lest We Drift, expressing its timeliness and value as both a warning and encouragement.
“I am very thankful for Jared Wilson and for Lest We Drift,” writes Paul David Tripp in the foreword to the book. He added, “On this side of eternity, there is a pull inside of us to replace the gospel of Jesus with something else. The scary thing is that we do this without abandoning our theology or throwing away our Bibles. For this reason, I think this book is and will always be timely and important. Wilson has thought richly and deeply about gospel drift in ways that you will find practical, insightful, and convicting.”
Thomas S. Kidd, research professor of Church history at Midwestern Seminary, endorsed the book, saying, “This sobering book is a much-needed reminder that ‘deconstruction,’ heresy, and disqualifying public sins don’t ordinarily happen without warning. They typically begin with what Hebrews 2 calls ‘drift.’ I am grateful for Jared Wilson’s experienced, wise counsel on these perplexing issues.”
Lest We Drift: Five Departure Dangers from the One True Gospel is now available for purchase: here.