Religion and Spirituality Books

I absolutely LOVE these series. I'm now reading them for the 4th time. I love how Lund breaks down the parables and teachings of Christ to make them easier to understand. I also love the historical accuracy. He brings you into the story as if you really are there. I highly recommend these books!

This book is amazing. It has truly enlightened me as to the true nature of Jesus Christ. On one hand, He seems very conservative, but on the other, He seems so liberal! What a paradox. Lund does a fantastic job of capturing just how complex our Lord is, but how loving and accepting He is, too. Truly, He is a higher form of life, and that essence is easily portrayed in the story. There is also a very interesting fictional plot unfolding all around Jesus with the story's main characters who are the Jews and Gentiles that chose to follow Him during His earthly ministry (some fictional, some historical). If you've ever wished you could get into a time-machine and go back to the time of Christ and see Him for yourself, this book will help you vividly paint this dream in your imagination better than anything else. Plus, you'll get schooled in the biblical Gospel that Jesus taught without feeling that it's preachy. It's just Jesus. Like Him, the author invites people of all religions, beliefs, and unbeliefs to partake of his words. There's nothing to fear. Jesus is SO cool, you'll definitely feel that way afterwards if you don't already!

I have heard people say that the story of Jesus is the greatest story ever told, but have wondered how that could be when I found the New Testament so difficult to understand when reading straight from beginning to end. Now having finished this series of books I add my vote that the story of Jesus Christ is really the greatest story ever told.

Upon finishing I have felt driven to explore the New Testament again. I recently purchased a version of the New Testament which attempts a chronological harmony of the four gospels. I am amazed at how closely Lund's series shadows the chronological harmony version of the King James Version of the New Testament. Lund's work has helped me attain a level of clarity regarding the Savior's ministry that I didn't even know I was missing. Lund also did a great job in helping me understand which characters in the book are really from the New Testament, and where he was favoring certain scriptural interpretations over others. The chapter endnotes were fantastic!

Having now finished the whole series that this book belongs to I realize that without the historical insights that Lund provides into the political, social, and cultural setting of the people who lived in that area of the world at that time, I would not fully understand the life and mission of Christ as the Son of God and the Savior of mankind. For me this series is now the standard for all other historical fiction that attempts to represent the ministry of Jesus Christ, or the origins of Christianity.

I am not much of a reader. In fact, this is the first novel I have read in about 30 years. (I never seem to have the time)

Boy, did I ever pick a winner on this one!

It immediately immerses you into the lives of a Roman soldier, a Galilean family, a Pharisee and a Sadducee.

It so masterfully intwines these folks into many of the gospel stories and places you into the crowds that are following Jesus. From the Birth of Jesus, to the cleansing of the Temple, the sermon on the mount and the feeding of the multitude.

It also puts in detail the difficulties of a family split between becoming followers of Jesus and denying him, and the melting of hardened hearts.

I could barely put this thing down.

Now I am ready to take on "Come Unto Me" (Kingdom and the Crown Vol 2.)

I am now on the second book... the first book in this series is so wonderful. I takes you there to Jerusalem and Galilee. You feel as if you walk with Jesus and experience his miracles and teachings first hand. It is an ambitious achievement for the author. You learn and come to know Christ more deeply. At times it can get a bit preachy and I feel like I am in one of Lund's classrooms, but I dig it anyways (other people may not). But the story is well crafted.

I always hate it when authors take too much artistic license and try to guess what a real historical person is feeling or what their motivation is (when there isn't a written record of it anywhere and it is completely up to the interpretation of the author). I am grateful that Lund never attempts that, and for Heaven's sake, especially not with Jesus. All of the dialogue that is written for Jesus can be found directly out of the New Testament.

Read this book and come to know the Savior even more deeply than you have before.

Great application of different portions of Scripture, relating to people and specific places from the viewpoint of one who knows the land of Israel. Especially appreciate the personal applications and prayers.

I was so blessed to spend a semester studying in Israel while attending Bible college. I never realized the extent to which geography impacts Scripture. Studying in Israel brought the geography and culture to the front of my mind as I read Scripture. Anything that aids in understanding geography and culture, therefore context, is invaluable. Going Places With God reminds me of my time in Israel as it is so insightful and informative to those so easily overlooked and misunderstood portions of Scripture.

Any good realtor worth his business card knows: Location is key! In Going Places With God, author Dr. Wayne Stiles explores the link between landscape and landowner.

Dust off your spiritual hiking boots and get ready to travel the Holy Land in an entirely new way. From Eden to Egypt, look at the places of the Bible through the eyes of the Landlord. Written in a devotional format, Going Places With God leads readers to experience the trials, journeys and difficulties of mankind from Adam-the-first to Adam-the-last. Discover God in the geography of His world. Meet Him for a stroll along the paths history has carved on the crust we call Earth.

Along the way, Going Places With God will strengthen your spiritual walking muscles. . Dr. Stiles presents meaningful insights in an easy to read manner, leading the reader into a deeper understanding of the Bible and its application for daily living. Through ninety devotional studies that include Scripture references, exposition, maps, prayers and motivational quotes from leading Christians, you will be invited to take a walk with God in His backyard. I'm so glad I accepted this invitation!

Wayne Stiles brings an insightful and contextual look at the Scriptures. This devotional walks the reader through a variety of Biblical teachings rooted in the location and context of Israel. Each devotion focuses on a Scripture passage, the author's insights, a prayer and a closing quotation.
The quotations selected for the reading are good, yet unfortunately a bit narrow in scope with a significant lack of diversity in gender, ethnicity and nationality. (For example, out of the 90 devotions, only 5 devotions included quotes from women). The quotations are a very minor portion of the devotion but with such a rich tapestry of the Middle Eastern culture to build on, it is disappointing that a fuller voice was not heard. That being said, one would buy this book for the words and insights of Mr. Stiles. This book is unique in its perspective and stands apart from the average devotional book sold today. The maps and pictures are also excellent and fit quite nicely into the context of the entire book. I highly recommend this book to others.

It's challenging to capture the impact this book has had on my appreciation for the Scriptures and the geography of the Holy Land! Wayne Stiles' purposeful choice of words is like honey dripping from a wooden spoon! Each insight has depth and the applications are timely and thought-provoking! The Word of God is engaged with reverence and used in context. He incorporates maps and site photos, which is helpful for those of us who live far away from the Holy Land, or just need a reminder about geography!

Thank you Wayne for writing such a masterful devotional! In my opinion, it is second to none!

Great application of different portions of Scripture, relating to people and specific places from the viewpoint of one who knows the land of Israel. Especially appreciate the personal applications and prayers.

I was so blessed to spend a semester studying in Israel while attending Bible college. I never realized the extent to which geography impacts Scripture. Studying in Israel brought the geography and culture to the front of my mind as I read Scripture. Anything that aids in understanding geography and culture, therefore context, is invaluable. Going Places With God reminds me of my time in Israel as it is so insightful and informative to those so easily overlooked and misunderstood portions of Scripture.

Any good realtor worth his business card knows: Location is key! In Going Places With God, author Dr. Wayne Stiles explores the link between landscape and landowner.

Dust off your spiritual hiking boots and get ready to travel the Holy Land in an entirely new way. From Eden to Egypt, look at the places of the Bible through the eyes of the Landlord. Written in a devotional format, Going Places With God leads readers to experience the trials, journeys and difficulties of mankind from Adam-the-first to Adam-the-last. Discover God in the geography of His world. Meet Him for a stroll along the paths history has carved on the crust we call Earth.

Along the way, Going Places With God will strengthen your spiritual walking muscles. . Dr. Stiles presents meaningful insights in an easy to read manner, leading the reader into a deeper understanding of the Bible and its application for daily living. Through ninety devotional studies that include Scripture references, exposition, maps, prayers and motivational quotes from leading Christians, you will be invited to take a walk with God in His backyard. I'm so glad I accepted this invitation!

Wayne Stiles brings an insightful and contextual look at the Scriptures. This devotional walks the reader through a variety of Biblical teachings rooted in the location and context of Israel. Each devotion focuses on a Scripture passage, the author's insights, a prayer and a closing quotation.
The quotations selected for the reading are good, yet unfortunately a bit narrow in scope with a significant lack of diversity in gender, ethnicity and nationality. (For example, out of the 90 devotions, only 5 devotions included quotes from women). The quotations are a very minor portion of the devotion but with such a rich tapestry of the Middle Eastern culture to build on, it is disappointing that a fuller voice was not heard. That being said, one would buy this book for the words and insights of Mr. Stiles. This book is unique in its perspective and stands apart from the average devotional book sold today. The maps and pictures are also excellent and fit quite nicely into the context of the entire book. I highly recommend this book to others.

It's challenging to capture the impact this book has had on my appreciation for the Scriptures and the geography of the Holy Land! Wayne Stiles' purposeful choice of words is like honey dripping from a wooden spoon! Each insight has depth and the applications are timely and thought-provoking! The Word of God is engaged with reverence and used in context. He incorporates maps and site photos, which is helpful for those of us who live far away from the Holy Land, or just need a reminder about geography!

Thank you Wayne for writing such a masterful devotional! In my opinion, it is second to none!

I heard Larry Burkett highly praise this book years ago so I got one. I agree, this is an awesome book. read just a few pages and it will change your heart to love others more, no matter how grouchy you are at the time. I prefer the older editions of this book, they fit in my purse better

My brother sent me a copy. He liked it so much he brought fifty copies to share with friends. I in turn have purchased copies to give away. It is the Sermon on the Mount, The Gospel of John, and First John all in one by way of expounding upon Paul's great love expose. Gary Trawick.

I did not receive the book that was pictured. It was inferior quality. I returned them (I had ordered 10 as special gifts for my grandchildren)because they did not look good. the paper used was cheap paper and the print was terrible. The cover was not as pictured.

This book by Henry Drummond is a much-neglected meditation on I Corinthians 13. With kindness and gentle encouragement, Drummond walks the reader through the characteristics of love we all fail so miserably to exhibit in our own lives. Well-written and short, this book should be on the shelf of anyone who is trying to live Scripture.

Hadn't read Henry Drummond's book in years, but I recently picked it up again and re-read it and found it had lost none of its power for me. This book can be read in twenty minutes, but it's a twenty minutes that can change your perception of life and love.

Drummond, who was an inspiring liberal-thinking Christian of the 1800's, divides Paul's chapter on love in First Corinthians into three parts: "love contrasted," "love analyzed," and "love defended." He shows us what love isn't, shows us what it is, and defends it as the "greatest thing in the world." He helps us understand that it is not a burden to love - it's the easiest thing in the world!

This book is one of the most inspiring pieces of Christian literature I've ever read.

This book was extremely helpful to me. I never gave much thought to the healing ministry, mainly because it all seemed so foreign and so over-the-top. I thought all faith healers were a bunch of kooks and that miraculous healings were few and far between. It's sad that I thought all of that because I am a Christian and I grew up in a Christian home. Then I started dating this guy who felt called into the healing ministry. I was really troubled by this (and so was my family). So I started doing research. I didn't want to just bail out on anything if the healing ministry is valid, if it's real and it's of God. I came across this book and it explained it all for me. If you have doubts about the healing ministry, or you just need some more information... Read this book. It's amazing. There are some things in it than I have doubts about, but those are just small issues; trivial things that probably aren't that important. I like this book because Dr MacNutt isn't some radical, holy-rolling, throw-the-spirit-at-all-people kind of person. He is down to earth and he lays out the facts like they are. He doesn't claim to know the mysteries behind healing and even confesses that he, in no way, has all the answers. But this guy is experienced and it is well worth your time to read this book.

I believe that every Christian should read this book. It explains God's healing power in a very understandable and down to earth manner.

This is a very informative and helpful book. I recommend it for anyone striving for an understanding of hands-on healing. The book is written for any Christian, Catholic or Protestant, not just clergy.

This book has become the model I use for the healing ministry I lead.
Practical & Spirit led.

MacNutt has compiled the definitive work in Christian healing. Any church with or without a healing ministry would profit from a study of this book

Part one walks us through the usually explanations and rationale that a lot of people need as preparation for healing if they've grown up in naturalistic, materialistic educational systems. We need to be reminded of the plausibility that the transcendent God we believe in really does transcend. The only thing I might have found interesting that isn't included here would be a brief background of the philosophical foundations of modernity and rationalism, although it might not have been appropriate for MacNutt's intended audience.

Part two is an essential reminder of the necessity of faith and loving when it comes to healing. The book strikes a good balance between the theological, the practical, and the exhortative.


Part three is perhaps the most useful part of the work. It divides healing into four categories: forgiveness, emotional healing, physical healing, and exorcism. It gives careful analysis of each situation and practical approaches to prayer. I appreciate that when he comes to exorcism, he is neither dramatic nor shy.

Part four is a bit of a mishmash of last details. He gives twelve reasons why people may not be healed, talks about the presence of healing in the (seven) sacraments, and gives due consideration to the importance of secular medical care in addition to prayer.

Having watched a healing ministry be established and flourish at a church, I now wish retrospectively that this was the foundational text. Pragmatically, it is at least the notes on the growth of a healing ministry in a well-written, complete, and balanced form.

Great books to help one to grow spiritually and to understand scripture as it was intended to be understood. Also great for daily application to one's life. Very good source for priests to prepare for homilies. If you want more nourishment with regard to homilies, these books are ideal.

I love it. As a Catholic seeking daily meditations, it was exactly what I was looking for. Though the price may seem steep, buying the books as a set saved me money over buying each book individually.

In Conversation with God, is a fantastic series of books that are helping me reflect and meditate on God and His love. They follow the Liturgy and give great advice on how to deepen one's relationship with God and with those around them through daily work and family life. I don't always have a lot of time to sit down and read, however with these wonderful books I can read a couple of pages in as many minutes and feel revived and inspired. These books are for EVERYONE. If you have a need to sit and converse with God and feel peace, these are the books for you. God Bless!

A wonderful series of daily thoughts and meditations based on the Catholic readings of the day that helps you realize what's important in living a good Christian life. The best daily readings that I have come across. A must have for every home!!!!!

If you are looking to follow the liturgical year, but the Liturgy of the Hours has left you feeling like you want something more, then I can't recommend this series more highly. It is very hard-hitting, but not theologically complex. It stresses holiness, and adds praticality (not the other way around).

The author is very sacramental, very well-versed in Church teaching and the Fathers of the Church, very Marian, and very loyal to the Holy Father. He quotes scripture, Church fathers, Councils, and, of course, Josemaria Escriva. His grasp of morality and human behavior is incredibly insightful and probably comes from studying traditional Catholic wisdom in pastoral matters.

The readings tend to follow the Gospel, and even on Sundays he has separate sections for each cycle of Sunday readings (A,B,C). There is so much material here, it can provide a lifetime of reflection and inspiration.

A friend loaned her copy to me thinking I would enjoy it. I Enjoyed it so much that I bought my own plus 2 copies for family and friends. It is thought provoking, inspirational and comforting to read the Angel's messages and Doreen's comments. Anyone who is interested in confirming that Angels exist and are constantly with us will benefit from this book.

Love it! I thought it was so good, that I have given it as a gift.

Reading "Messages from Your Angels" is like getting a big hug from someone you love! It made me more keenly aware of my surroundings, i.e., music playing on the radio, the scent of someone's perfume, wind chimes "singing" in a soft breeze. It made me feel in touch with those who have passed on and helped me feel more at peace living in their absence. Pork Chops and Applesauce: A Collection of Recipes and Reflections

I bought this book in Audiobook Format. I listen to it frequently and have truly gotten answers I have searched for regarding Angels and their help. I have also purchased it for gifts for friends. It's a truly awesome book.

I love these oracle cards...I always knew the angels were around...I just found out all you have to do is ask them for help and they will be there in a mila-second.....I cannot reccommend this enough...You will not be sorry you got these...I love angels..and they love us in return...

5 stars what more can I say.

I first read this book about 5 years ago. At the time I had no idea that it would have such a dramatic effect on me. Currently, I am on my 2nd copy and will probably order a 3rd soon. (just to be sure). I cant imagine life without this book to reference, espechially when times are tough. Once, when someone asked me what 3 things I would bring to a deserted island, ( Im sure youre all familiar with that question)--this book was one of the 3 things. I have trained myself to pick up this book anytime I find myself being tossed around by any difficulty I might find myself in. I can open it to any page, and there I find helpful advice on ANY problem. Not only wisdom but Truthful, honest solutions and to every problem that has ever been known to man. All the answers are contained in its pages, and I know they are all the answers that I will ever need.

Of the thousands of books I have read over the years _The Mystic Path to Cosmic Power_ has been by far the most important, at least on a personal level. When I first read it - I came across it by chance - I felt a rather strange but pleasant emotion of inner freedom and release. Now I turn to this book whenever I feel anxious or oppressed and the weight just falls from my shoulders. Vernon presents some of the greatest spiritual truths of the ages in very clear language, without dogma, jargon, psychobabble or new age fluff. The 'cosmic power' he talks about is about peace and clarity of mind, about realisation of one's true self by breaking free from the conditioned ego or social self that we normally live from. Through the ages there have been a small number of men and women who knew Truth and Vernon was one of them. Read this book and find out for yourself. jonathancolman@hotmail.com

Mystic Path to Cosmic Power by Vernon Howard is a perfect book. It was written by an awakened man and it explains in clear language the way to become awakened. I attended classes and personally met this man and he embodied everything he taught about awakedness. He spoke clearly and directly to the ignorance that enslaved me and called it out for me to observe, and in that observation, I have seen freedom. There's nothing to "do" to awaken. There is something to see. Vernon Howard explains the darkness so perfectly that light becomes apparent. He was teaching these truths before so many others, yet his words are still the purest. If you are suffering, you need this book. Vernon will show you why you suffer and how to leave that suffering behind. Whether you suffer from guilt, loss, fear, jealousy, anger, or anything else, he will show you the thought patterns that have created that suffering and how those thought patterns can be seen through and risen above. Before I read Vernon's work I was depressed and hostile. His teachings have released me from this painful way of living. He can do the same for you.

The mystic path has never been so simplistically put into words. The wisdom of mysticism is hardily the best philosophy to explicate into tangible, solid practices. The nature of Howard's parables teach truths otherwise missed in daily life. The book hits on key events of typical life as seem from the eyes of mundane trivialities, though later boarders on the line of cultism. I must stress that this book reads well, as it's beautifully narrated through format and relevance. The end of the book leaves the reader with tough choices, being that the book easily compels the reader to 'act' by quickly adopting many of the advice scattered through the chapters, the final step might be beyond the realm of possibility for most. Whether you choose to fully implement your Cosmic Power into your everyday life and seek to conglomerate with others of the same 'mystic level', or extract key concepts in which you will utilize for selfish purposes, The Mystic Path to Cosmic Power will get you there.

Hanh quickly grabs the reader's attention and mindfully drifts off in euphamism and metaphor as he meanders over, under and through this difficult topic (difficult for most people).

Calming in his approach to death, life, beginning (no beginning) and end (no end), the author seems to have an excellent hold on his spiritual beliefs and his desire to share. For those of any and all faiths, death is a frightening subject, but Hanh paints a wonderful picture of immortality through all that a person touches in his/her life.

The only, and I stress only, misgiving I found with this short read are the over-used metaphorical analysis between human life and that of an oceanic wave. I wish the author could draw similarities shared by all breathing life organisms, rather than something as translucent as water (although I think I understand WHY he often describes life in terms of water).

I would certainly recommend this book.

I read this book after the passing of my Grandparents and it helped me deal with their passing. I recommend this book to anyone who is searching for answers about life and death. Great book!

This has been one of the most powerful books I've ever read. It helped me through the death of my father. My mother is now nearing the end of her life in this body and I'm re-reading it. I suspect that I will revisit it many times . . .

This is an incredible book. If one is not familiar with Buddhism, one must
read past some aspects of it that most of us might not fully believe, mainly, reincarnation, which Thich Nhat Hahn and other Buddhists do believe. That said, the prayers to recite for the dying, and the philosophy that nothing ever dies is invaluable. It's hard to let go of loved ones, so to think of it as simply returning to our physical elements, dissolving into the earth, evaporating to become the clouds, can give one some comfort. If you haven't read other works by Thich Nhat Hahn, I don't know if this book will be as powerful for you, but I think that anyone can gain great insight from it, and hopefully, some inner peace. I have given many copies as gifts.

I first thought the book was simple and repetitive. But when I experienced a loss and re-read the book, I finally realized how profound this book really is.
I had been dealing with the subject of death for quite a few years. (I started with the book HAGAKURE, by Tsunetomo Yamamoto. You may or may not like to check that out. It's a more stoic approach to similar subjects). Anyway, I wanted to conquer the idea of my own inevitable mortality, so that when the time comes, I will handle it with grace. So, my approach was to prepare beforehand.
As I said, I was working on my OWN mortality. It never occured to me that I might also apply it to someone else. Someone I love recently died. That was the 1st real loss that I've encountered, so I was devastated. All those years of preparing myself didn't really mean much (though at the time, I thought I was ready and that I knew it all). I had already owned a copy of this book and read it several years ago. Feeling in the pits, I decided to pull the book out and read it again, as this time it is much more applicable (since I'm experiencing loss).
The book seemed so simple beforehand. It was a quick read. Thich Nhat Hanh also seemed repetitive; I felt bored several times. This, as it turns out, was my fault, not his. He is such a good teacher that he makes everything seem so simple. However, after someone I loved very much died, I re-read this book, and I realized how profound it really is. The reason why Thich is so repetitive, is because you need to drill it into you head so that you really understand it. It's like learning how to count to ten. No one is born knowing how to count to ten. But you drill it until the day when you know it all by heart. Trust me, this book is more profound than it seems; do not just read through it and think that it's all obvious and that you already know it. Reading and learning is not good enough; you have to experience it!
It's like this: death is not real. You cannot create something out of nothing, and you cannot become nothing from something. It's not the reality of things. (Physics will agree with that, for you scientists out there). The problem is that we're deluded. This delusion creates in us a false sense of reality, and that leads to our suffering. We fear death because we think we become nothing. We fear death, because we do not understand it. The problem is that we've learned the wrong way; we need to unlearn our delusions and see death as it really is: simply a change in form. Basically, it's moving on. We want to stay in one place, but the fact of the universe is that it is always changing. We are deluded into remaining stagnant in a universe that, let's face it, is not going to stop and wait for us.
This book helped me immensely in my loss. But it's neverending; you can't just reach a certain point and then stop; you'll lose it. You have to keep going. It's one of those books I will always keep with me. Get this book beforehand, and slowly introduce it into your life and try to apply it. Don't wait until you experience a loss. You will be too devastated. It's never too late to prepare youself for what's inevitable. It will greatly diminish your sense of despair. That much I can gaurantee.

We purchased twenty copies which we used as a text book for a 13 week class at church, mixed men and women. The thrust of the class was to help the students know what is involved in finding, mentoring, teaching, and releasing a disciple in a one-on-one long term committed relationship. The book made a good back drop for the course in so far as it gave us a track to run on, since none of us had taught this subject before. As the teacher, I found several of the chapters to be spot on target and I used them pretty much exclusively for about half the course. Other chapters however were either weaker in content or just didn't cut to the specific deliverable I wanted to get across, so I supplemented with independent material. Several of my students had gone to the church website (Xenos) to check it out and were a little worried about the "casual" approach to ministering. Our church takes a more conservative approach and some behaviors that are considered culturally permissible, like smoking, course language, etc. we tend to frown on and believe the Holy Spirit through the process of Sanctification will cleanse the mature believer of. We therefore don't condone or model those behaviors in an attempt to woo the non or immature believer into sticking with us. Fortunately almost none of this came out in the book. Moreover, the book (and Xenos fellowship) rely heavily on "cell churches" which we also do not subscribe to. This method did come out in the book and so I had to customize the content for my class when it did. This was not a problem though. All in all, I'm glad I chose the book because it lived up to its "organic" name. That is, it got right to the heart of mentoring one on one, as opposed to many books I've seen that are more "clinical" or targeted to my own discipleship and walk with the Lord. This book definitely got us into the messy "human-ness" of one man pouring his life into another man, or woman to woman.

I really liked the book. It had the right theological framework necessary to grow God's people and care for the flock as well as providing very practical advise for helping those that want to engage in discipleship at different levels.

I found the section on professional counseling rather difficult. I lean toward Biblical counseling which empowers God's people to counsel at different levels. I cringe at the advise most people get when they see psychiatrists. The problem is real, however. You were brave enough to speak about it. I would think something not so sophisticated speaking about this might be more appropriate for the readers of this book.

Your section on quality conversation and friendship making will surely be helpful to some.

It is a good basic book that helps people trying to make discipleship work in their cell groups.
I already started talking about your book and will pass it on to some of our pastors

For a number of years now I've been working on a practical how-to book on discipleship. Dennis McCallum has beaten me to the punch with Organic Disciple Making. He's written the most practical book on how to disciple people I've ever read.

Time and time again I find myself saying, "Yup, he nailed that one; that's how it works." For example, early on the book covers the subject of modeling and its key role in making disciples. Later it delves into the practical questions of how you counsel and disciple through various issues or how you deal with blocks in their development.

For example McCallum distinguishes the difference between weakness and resistance and the appropriate response of a disciple maker. A disciple struggling with weakness generally needs encouragement, whereas a disciple who is resistant often needs confrontation and possibly discipline.

I loved that the book had a whole section on coaching and I loved that its counsel is both biblically grounded and rooted in the everyday experience of someone who leads 250 home churches. I've read so many books on discipleship and few drill down to address the questions ordinary people have as they struggle to help their disciples grow.

All of us who have committed ourselves to following Jesus and representing his name need to learn how to make disciples. It was the last thing he asked us to do before leaving the earth. If you as a Jesus-follower feel like you need help in learning how to do this in a way that feels natural, do yourself a favor and get Organic Disciple Making.

If you want to make a lasting impact for Jesus Christ, this book is a must. McCallum and Lowery give Biblical, insightful, and practical ideas on how to promote and achieve Chritian formation in others. Not many have the gifting to lead thousands. Very few are effective at preaching to hundreds. Yet helping disciple one or two other Christians is something every Christian can do.

In the long tradition of The Lost Art of Disciple Making, Multiplying Disciples, and Disciples Are Made, Not Born, Organic Disciplemaking: How to promote Christian leadership development through personal relationships, biblical discipleship, mentoring, and Christian community is designed to do more than tell about the need for making disciples of Jesus. This is a book that painstakingly provides a path from start to finish.

This book has the potential to be used by small group coaches to disciple and develop small group leaders. With today's small group ministries launching groups with leaders just a step ahead of their members, this could be a very helpful resource providing a pathway for mentoring.

In its pages you will find more than stories of how it's working at Xenos. You'll also find the practical steps needed to begin a disciplemaking ministry in your own church. More importantly, you may find the inspiration to look for one life to pour into. After all, that is the point.