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Book Review: Spirit of the Disciplines, by Dallas Willard
Author: D. Brown
"Am I a disciple, or only a Christian by current standards?"
In his book The Spirit of the Disciplines: Understanding How God Changes Lives (Harper Collins, out since 1991), the above is a question Dallas Willard urges Christ-followers to ask themselves. He asserts that, "Examination of our ultimate desires and intentions, reflected in the specific responses and choices that make up our lives, can show whether there are things we hold more important than being like [Jesus]. If there are, we are not yet his disciples."
To say Spirit of the Disciplines is a profound book might be an understatement. It is packed full of wisdom, common sense, and insightful explanations only a teacher of Willard's stature could communicate effectively. After all, Willard is not only an author and a minister, but also a philosophy professor, and all his books reflect that. (He also authored The Great Ommission, The Divine Conspiracy, Hearing God, and several others.)
Spirit of the Disciplines examines and explains-with microscopic detail-the inner workings of Christian thought, motivation and action. But Willard doesn't stop at merely detailing how we as humans might be able to live like Jesus. He inspires the reader to not just read and think on the possibilities of living a better spiritual life, but to really try it in daily life.
He prefaces his work by stating, "The modern negative critique of Christianity arose in the first place because the church was not faithful to its own message-it failed to take human transformation seriously as a real, practical issue to be dealt with in realistic terms." With this in mind, Willard lays out practical "methods for the spiritual life," referred to as the Spiritual Disciplines by church fathers and the religious for centuries, and dares you to see if practicing these disciplines actually helps transform your life. (And from personal experience, I might add, it does!)
He details how seven "Disciplines of Abstinence" (things like solitude, silence, fasting, frugality and others) line up with I Peter 2:11 that says "Abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul." He then goes on to eight "Disciplines of Engagement" (like study, worship, service, prayer and others help you live out Mark 2:11, in which Jesus says "...Take up thy bed, and go thy way." Of course, Willard provides exhaustive scripture references to back up every single discipline that he recommends you to try. And he also gives helpful advice on how to overcome certain considerations for practicing the disciplines within today's real life. Willard also adds that it's not only possible, but necessary, to bring theology out of the study room and into the streets where it can be lived out on a daily basis.
Willard asserts that, "One specific errant concept has done inestimable harm to the church and God's purposes with us-and that is the concept that has restricted the Christian idea of salvation to mere forgiveness of sins. Yet it is so much more." He also says that "Jesus calls us to follow him-to follow him now, not after death."
All in all, I cannot recommend this book enough to anyone who is even the slightest bit interested in actually living according to the teachings of Jesus, instead of just believing all the right things. This is a book that truly altered the motivation for my life, and I wholeheartedly urge you to read it.
Keep in mind that, as most of Willard's writing, this is not necessarily an easy read. It is not baby food. It is pure filet mignon for anyone who appreciates fine spiritual dining. You must take it bite by bite, and approach it like you would a deep-thought-inspiring study or devotional, rather than a quick-read story for entertainment. And that is what Dallas Willard is known for: Stirring up deep thoughts on those things that motivate us on the deepest levels of our lives. But, once again, he doesn't stop with just causing you to think. He urges you to act.
So act: Go buy Dallas Willard's Spirit of the Disciplines. And take your time reading it and learning how to live out Jesus' teachings...but only if you want to change.
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