The Spirit of the Disciplines: Understanding How God Changes Lives

How to Live as Jesus Lived

Dallas Willard, one of today's most brilliant Christian thinkers and author of The Divine Conspiracy (Christianity Today's 1999 Book of the Year), presents a way of living that enables ordinary men and women to enjoy the fruit of the Christian life. He reveals how the key to self-transformation resides in the practice of the spiritual disciplines, and how their practice affirms human life to the fullest. The Spirit of the Disciplines is for everyone who strives to be a disciple of Jesus in thought and action as well as intention.

Customer Reviews:

Provides a Practical Theology of the Spiritual Disciplines

By Cameron B. Clark - August 15, 2001

This book, "The Spirit of the Disciplines," is part of a trilogy which includes "In Search of Guidance" (later revised and retitled "Hearing God") and culminates in "The Divine Conspiracy." Do not make the mistake of thinking that the latter book, as good as it is, surpasses and makes obsolete the other two. All three are great books in their own right and supplement each other and should be read together as the author intended. Also, Willard's books are good complimentary companions to those by Richard Foster, especially his "Celebration of Discipline" and "Prayer: Finding The Heart's True Home." In fact, in "The Spirit of the Disciplines," Willard refers readers to "Celebration of Discipline" for more practical application of the disciplines since his book's main thrust is to provide a practical theology of the spiritual disciplines which he felt was lacking in contemporary Christian literature. Another good book on the spiritual disciplines is "Spiritual Disciplines for the... read more

An unparalleled look at an underspoken topic

By Brian Douglas - July 31, 2000

Dallas Willard's examination of the disciplines of the Christian life is an unparalleled book on the subject. I have never read its equal. In Christianity today, there is so much emphasis on a quick conversion and the love and mercy of God, but rarely does a teacher speak on the difficult topic of the strain and pain and longevity of the daily walk with Christ. The disciplines of a Christian are similar to the disciplines of one running a marathon, the Apostle Paul teaches, and Dallas Willard has taken a careful examination of these disciplines. He declares that Christianity can only be a relevant guide for modern humanity if it takes the need for human transformation through the Holy Spirit seriously, and clarify and exemplify realistic methods of this transformation by modeling it ourselves as Christians. Willard goes into great detail concerning the disciplines as the method by which Christians model the work of the Spirit in their lives. He declares that they are the... read more

Good, thought provoking look at one aspect of sanctification

By David T. Wayne "aka The 'JollyBlogger'" - October 30, 2003

In the doctrine of sanctification, or Christian growth, it is customary to distinguish between God's role and man's role. Spirit of the Disciplines is focused exclusively on man's role in sanctification, or his own spiritual growth. As long as you keep that in mind and read from that perspective, this book is dynamite. However, it is useful to point out that this book is not the last word in Christian growth, or sanctification, simply because it does not deal with God's role in our sanctification. For study on God's role in sanctification you need to look to books like "Transforming Grace," by Jerry Bridges, or "Holiness by Grace," by Brian Chappel. Both books do an excellent job of bringing out the fact that God's grace is the thing that enables a man to engage in spiritual disciplines. Also, Jerry Bridges book "The Discipline of Grace," is probably the best book dealing with both God's role and man's role. I give these commercials for other books simply to prevent the... read more