Rating: 
Summary: THE SILVER BULLET BOOK
Review: During my apologetics class, professor J.P. Moreland said that we (his students) MUST check out this book. Richard Foster (author of _Celebration of Discipline_ and _Prayer_) calls it "the book I have been searching for all my life" (makes it sound like the "silver bullet book"). I found Divine Conspiracy to definitely live up to this hype. The title refers to God's conspiracy to undermine evil with good. Among other things, Willard discusses the fundamental problem of nondiscipleship in the church, what it looks like to be Christlike (with an excellent exposition of the beatitudes and sermon on the mount), what it looks like to be a disciple of Christ, how to become disciples of Jesus and how to make disciples of Jesus. Prior to reading the book, I thought I was well on my way towards becoming a mature disciple of Christ, but after reading it I've discovered that I'm nowhere close to where I thought I was. I realized that I have a real l! ! ong ways to go to becoming the kind of person who routinely automatically blesses those who curse, cheat, or stink-eye me or to grow so secure that I don't seek to find faults and weaknesses with people. I also have gained tremendous new insight into how I can more effectively make disciples and how local churches coud do the same. The Divine Conspiracy is a comprehensive, practical, meaty, challenging, and extremely helpful book which I pray will be widely read.
Rating:
Summary: The Master Teacher Revealed
Review: "The Divine Conspiracy" takes Jesus seriously for what he claimed to be. He was a teacher. He was not just a nice teacher but a brilliant one. In this book Dallas Willard shows how this brilliant teacher illuminates life in a way no one else ever has. Willard penetrates to the genius of the teaching and uncovers the reasons why the lifestyle Jesus advocates fits best the real world we all live in. I have been reading religious literature for 25 years and have never read a book that stunned me and gripped me like this one has. It introduces the life of the "Kingdom of the heavens" in a way that is so warm and attractive that one can sense the truth of Willard's statement [p. xvii] that "The really good news for humanity is that Jesus is now taking students in the master class of life."
Rating:
Summary: the book of the century!
Review: Dr. Dallas Willard, philosophy professor at USC and contemporary exemplar of the spiritual life with Jesus of Nazareth, has masterfully explicated to us the nature, centrality and pragmatics of discipleship. If you wish to learn from the greatest christian teacher of the 20th century, you must get this book.
Rating:
Summary: Goes deep...but gives the credit to whom it belongs....
Review: Be prepared to search your soul...the journey is well worth the effort. If you savor this book and read for "understanding" of not only the words but of how they apply to your life. You will find yourself, examining exactly how you are living out God's purposes for your life. I HIGHLY recommend using the workbook as you read along, it will give you direction and guide you past the surface of yourself to find Him living in you...and how you can live in Him. I loved Purpose Driven Life (especially for the masses) by Rick Warren. Divine Conspiracy is all that and more...in fact read Purpose Driven Life first and then prepare to DIG DEEPER with Divine Conspiracy. Divine Conspiracy is Purpose Driven Life on Steroids. Dallas' work only enhances the one true book...the Bible.
Rating:
Summary: Learn how to transform your heart, your life
Review: This book is a treasure, the most valuable book I have ever read, not counting the Bible. I say this for the following reasons:
1) The author shatters common assumptions which "consumer" Christians have about Christ's teachings. He shatters these assumptions by explaining what Christ actually taught. For instance, our primary goal should not be to change our behavior, but rather to transform the inner life of the soul, from which behavior flows.
2) He explains the reality of the kingdom now, that we are to live actively in God's kingdom now.
3) In later chapters he explains, based on what Jesus did, and taught, how we can pursue the transformation of our inner being, and truly live in God's kindom now. I'm just scratching the surface of this book. It is based on and includes many scriptures, and includes many quotes from
great Christians throughout history. Most importantly for me, I have noticed a change in me since I've read the book and become an apprentice to Christ. I have a strong confidence in Christ that wasn't there before. I sense His presence, He's real. I could go on and on. I'm giving this book as a gift to people, and have recommended it to my bible study group. Blessings to you.
Rating:
Summary: THE SILVER BULLET BOOK
Review: During my apologetics class, professor J.P. Moreland said that we (his students) MUST check out this book. Richard Foster (author of _Celebration of Discipline_ and _Prayer_) calls it "the book I have been searching for all my life" (makes it sound like the "silver bullet book"). I found Divine Conspiracy to definitely live up to this hype. The title refers to God's conspiracy to undermine evil with good. Among other things, Willard discusses the fundamental problem of nondiscipleship in the church, what it looks like to be Christlike (with an excellent exposition of the beatitudes and sermon on the mount), what it looks like to be a disciple of Christ, how to become disciples of Jesus and how to make disciples of Jesus. Prior to reading the book, I thought I was well on my way towards becoming a mature disciple of Christ, but after reading it I've discovered that I'm nowhere close to where I thought I was. I realized that I have a real l! ! ong ways to go to becoming the kind of person who routinely automatically blesses those who curse, cheat, or stink-eye me or to grow so secure that I don't seek to find faults and weaknesses with people. I also have gained tremendous new insight into how I can more effectively make disciples and how local churches coud do the same. The Divine Conspiracy is a comprehensive, practical, meaty, challenging, and extremely helpful book which I pray will be widely read.
Rating:
Summary: THE FIVE OF ALL FIVES!!
Review: This is the Five of all Fives. This book blew my mind. I realy should read it again and again and again. Anyone who desires to know what it really means to be a follower of Christ should read this book. This is the one of the Best Books I have ever read.
Rating:
Summary: Best Book I've Read . . . Ever
Review: Willard's style is not for the faint of heart. He is a philosophy professor, after all. That makes for a very precise, every-word-counts style. So prepare to take some time to work through this. But here's the deal: You will be MASSIVELY rewarded.
'The Divine Conspiracy' is quite simply the richest book on the spiritual life I've ever read. Willard walks through the Sermon on the Mount in a way that makes it absolutely come alive. After reading this, you realize Jesus was, indeed, 'the smartest man who ever lived.'
This book changed the way I look at life and the way I live my life. It would be incredibly difficult for me to string together enough superlatives to do this book justice; so I won't even try. Just know that a careful reading of this book is likely to transform you in incredibly significant ways.
Rating:
Summary: Goes deep...but gives the credit to whom it belongs....
Review: Be prepared to search your soul...the journey is well worth the effort. If you savor this book and read for "understanding" of not only the words but of how they apply to your life. You will find yourself, examining exactly how you are living out God's purposes for your life. I HIGHLY recommend using the workbook as you read along, it will give you direction and guide you past the surface of yourself to find Him living in you...and how you can live in Him. I loved Purpose Driven Life (especially for the masses) by Rick Warren. Divine Conspiracy is all that and more...in fact read Purpose Driven Life first and then prepare to DIG DEEPER with Divine Conspiracy. Divine Conspiracy is Purpose Driven Life on Steroids. Dallas' work only enhances the one true book...the Bible.
Rating:
Summary: The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life In God
Review: Deep waters so get out your waders and put on your thinking cap -- this is NOT trivial reading. But if you're serious about understanding the Christian life, the Divine Conspriracy is possibly THE book to read. Among many other things, Willard turns the common interpretation of the Sermon on the Mount, i.e., another set of standards we must attain to in order to please God, on its head. Contrary to what we've misunderstood, it is not a narrowing funnel of higher achievements we have to meet, but a real life illustration of who the kingdom is ALSO available to. In New Testament society the meek, the poor in spirit, etc. were looked down upon and considered "less than". Jesus points to these people and says, "No, blessed are these." Willard makes this so easy to see, you just want to sigh with relief. I also liked what he has to say about Jesus being the smartest man in the world. Willard's prose is beautiful and . . . he has a nutty sense of humor as well. You'll like the ending he coins for The Lord's Prayer.
| 
