It's the title that gives the strength of Gordon Cheng's book away. Rather than going along with the old adage "actions speak louder than words', this latest offering from Matthias Media is all about the power of words, in particular God's word, in building up Christians and changing people's lives.

Beginning with God as the "Ultimate Speaker' and how his word changes our lives, Cheng clearly explains how the people of God have also been made "speakers'. Human words of encouragement, he argues, shouldn't be separate from the words of the Ultimate Speaker.

Biblical wisdom covers all aspects of life, whether it's losing a job, struggling in a marriage or grieving the loss of a loved one. Inside this framework the book explores different aspects of encouragement, such as how to speak words with an attitude of grace, the place of encouragement in church ministry, taking the initiative with newcomers and the value of genuinely listening to others.

Those expecting this book to contain 101 tips on how to be a world-class encourager may be disappointed. Although Cheng does give general advice on how to welcome people at church or comfort those who are in mourning, the book is not so much a "how to' of encouragement, but as a big picture of why we do it and how it fits in with seeing people grow in Christ-likeness.

To this end, Cheng puts forward a clear and compelling argument that opens up the Scriptures and interweaves personal accounts from his own experience as an encourager " all delivered with passion, humility and a little bit of cheek.

Cheng changes our preconceptions of encouragement from dispensing mere pleasantries to the importance of words, particularly God's words, in building up the body of Christ and others. All in all, a short and entertaining read that will challenge a traditional concept in Christian living.

Sophia Chua