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Summary: Worth a second read as well!
Review: Willard has produced a wonderful and inspired book that puts Jesus back in our daily lives like no other since R. Patton's "THE Autobiography". The second reading reveals nuggets of hidden wisdom that the first reading may not reveal. Highly recommended.
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Summary: Check this one out of the library.....
Review: I purchased this book based upon the reviews from amazon.com and a Christian magazine "pick list". Given the excellent reviews, this book was not what I expected. While I admire the depth and breadth of material Dallas is trying to cover, the book suffers from poor readability. (For a readability comparison, check out Lucado's "Just Like Jesus" book). Given lots of patience, I have no doubt that one can learn quite a bit from Dallas Willard's writings. Unfortunately, that much patience is "not one of my virtues".
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Summary: COMPLETELY INSPIRED WRITING! HEART SOFTENING!
Review: THE BOOK WAS RECCOMMENDED TO ME BY MY PASTOR AS I AM GOING THROUGH A HEART RENDING MARITAL/FAMILY CRISIS. I WAS SOWING LEGALISTIC RULE FOLLOWING AND REAPING ASHES. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE THIS BOOK HAS SHOWN ME WHAT IT REALLY MEANS TO SOW CHRIST FROM THE HEART. I CAN LAUGH AT THE INCONGRUITY BETWEEN THE QUEST FOR NOBLE HUMAN DIGNITY AND HOLINESS AND THE ACTUAL FACTS THAT SURROUND HUMAN REALITY. NO MORE RULES, ANGER AND CONTEMPT, JUST PRAYERFULL LOVE.
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Summary: An Outstanding, compelling, and life-changing book!
Review: Dallas's provides a fundamental paradigm shift in the way one thinks about life. Begining with clarifying how we think about God and who we understand him to be, Dallas moves to the how our lives can be transformed as we "seek to live our lives, as Jesus would if he were in our place." This book clearly belongs next to Augustine, Luther, Kempis. A well worth reading. . .again and again!
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Summary: Astounding and gracious; leading to the Kingdom among us.
Review: If you are drawn to the unflinching truth-telling of Bonhoeffer, the razor sharp reason of CS Lewis and the gentleness of St. Francis, you will find a treasure in Willard who explores what it means to truly seek the Kingdom of God by changing the affections of our hearts. I commend it to you (as I am to many!) as the most deeply challenging, gracious and practical book I've ever read.
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Summary: Already planning to read it again...
Review: Dallas Willard provides a comprehensive and well-reasoned articulation of what it means to be a Christian. This is a wonderful book which I would recommend to both "new" and "old" believers. The only drawback is that, like most scholars, Willard tends to be so thorough that he is likely to loose many who could benefit from his treatment of the subject, but who can't find it in themselves to plod on through the many pages. But perseverance will reward!
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Summary: Insightful, Challenging, and Convicting
Review: I was practically born in a church pew and thought I had heard and read all there was in the Christian church! How wrong I was!Never before have I heard the concept of discipleship explained so eloquently. Dr. Willard (who I had the privilege of meeting in college) tackles subjects that have confounded theologians for years, such as the Beattitudes, and combines scriptural references with God-given logic to arrive at insights that are elegant in their clarity and simplicity. Dr. Willard destroys that too-often-held belief that intellect and Christianity cannot go hand-in-hand. He reminds us that Jesus was not only a Savior, but a brilliant teacher and scientist as well. And He reminds us that the path to church growth is not all about marketing that grows the numbers, but about a discipleship program that grows the people. My husband and I bought four copies to give to the leaders in our church -- we hope that can be the first step to transforming our local congregation of converts into dynamic disciples.
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Summary: Most significant explaination of the Gospel of Jesus Christ
Review: Dallas Willard consistantly describes the simple teachings of Jesus in such a way that I am able to understand and apply them to my life. In contrast to the current WWJD craze, Willard suggests that we can neither imagine what Jesus would do nor be able to do it if we knew what it was, until we begin to live the life he lived. That is, life in the kingdom of heaven. I said I would no longer try to be a Christian if there was no more to it than trying to be better. That is when I discovered the lessons in this book. Now I am an ordained pastor.
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Summary: good message, but doesn't get to the root of the problem
Review: This book has lots of sound biblical exegesis, which is refreshing. It also makes the point that faith in Jesus that is the real thing is a matter of living in the kingdom of God here and now as well as forever. And that is the whole point of faith in the God of the bible. The author touches on the subject of the meaning of the Atonement, pointing out that the sacrifice of Jesus as the open door to faith, our justification, is just the beginning. But since he doesn't re-evaluate the accepted definition of the Atonement as the satisfaction of the justice (righteousness) of God, he does not seriously address the common belief that to believe in the sacrifice of Jesus as payment for our sins is all that is or can be required of us as the qualification for communion with God now and forever. What I believe we all need to understand is what Jesus actually accomplished on the cross. There is a book now available through Amazon.com called The Meaning of Biblical Sacrifice by Bezalel that seriously attacks this subject once more - but this author has the answer. Jesus did not die to "pay for" sins. Jesus showed us the heart of God by becoming one of us and suffering and dying on a cross so that we might know God as a human being identical to us in His capacity for suffering. Now we can trust that there must be some reason for our suffering and be reconciled to God. And having seen God in the form of man, we can now take our identity from Him and follow in His steps. That is the reason His sacrifice has transforming power, while the sacrifice of animals did not, though both sanctified the believer.
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Summary: Not hype but real discipleship
Review: The Divine Conspiracy, along with Dr. Willard's other books, is one that every Christian should read at least once, and refer to zillions of times. It's not entertainment or hype,as some reviewers, apparently, would have liked. Neither is Dr. Willard trying to win some kind of popularity contest. What he does so faithfully and eloquently, is show the reader what discipleship looks like by examining the words of Jesus. He compels us to walk with the living Christ, learning from Him how to walk, talk, think--how to live. Dr. Willard causes us to re-examine our understanding of what it means to be "saved", to be a follower of Jesus, and to be a Christian. I approach Dr. Willard's books knowing that he will provide pearls of wisdom and I am so very grateful and encouraged to him for his work and his example.
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