Best christian discipleship books according to redditors
We found 38 Reddit comments discussing the best christian discipleship books. We ranked the 18 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 38 Reddit comments discussing the best christian discipleship books. We ranked the 18 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
I mean, we grow closer to Christ the same way we grow closer to anyone. We spend time with them and communicate with them.
Now the question is, how do we spend time and communicate with Jesus?
I will make this challenge to you: The traditional church teaching is that we should tithe 10% of our money. Will you tithe 10% of your time? For a week (or heck go a month), will you give God 2.5 hours a day of time set aside. It doesn't have to be undivided, you may not have 2 hours of alone time each day. But will you set aside 2.5 hours for God. Maybe on your commute, listen to a sermon, not as background noise, but as a message to be learned. Set aside 30 minutes in the morning to pray and read the Bible? Dedicate your lunch to journaling or reading. Maybe, sleep less, and stay up half an hour later, and wake up half an hour earlier.
Will a 10% of time fast automatically make you closer to God, no. But if you dedicate time to growing with God, I believe you will see fruit.
Thank you for this post. I've been wrestling with a lot of similar thoughts lately, and have been feeling the same way. If anyone wants a great book on Christocentric life, one that lead me down a path of deep reflection on my own life, read Bonhoeffer's Cost of Discipleship.
I would recommend reading Blue Like Jazz
or Take This Bread they each are amazing books and both authors go through similar struggles that you described.
Please do not use [Luke 11:21 NRSV] as a proof-text for self defense. It's truly not the intention of the broader narrative. It's easy to pull one or two sentence axioms out of a text and miss the larger intent [Luke 11:14-22 NRSV].
As an Anabaptist Christian, I do not think it's ever within our rights to kill others. If we are to love our enemies, it's hard to do it while shooting at them, beating them, or harming them. I also believe that there's few things more beautiful in life than to lay down your life for a friend or your Christian convictions [martyrdom]. Christ is our moral and ethical exemplar. Tertullian rightly said, "the divine banner and the human banner do not go together, nor the standard of Christ and the standard of the devil. Only without the sword can the Christian wage war: for the Lord has abolished the sword."
A book that I have recommended and many have found helpful is a new(er) collection of essays compiled called "A Faith NOT Worth Fighting For."
As soon as you start keeping lists of things you can't do as a Christian, it's a dangerous path. That's why people start to walk away, because they find Christianity an obligation instead of a life giving journey.
There's a difference between discipline and obligation. I suggest the book "Celebration of Discipline" by Richard Foster. The book gives 12 activities that a Christian can partake in that are all positive actions. What these actions do is help you create a closer relationship with God. Having a list of things to potentially do instead of things you "can't do" is much more life affirming and fills you with energy.
For example, you don't have to worry about partying if that week you are practicing the discipline of solitude. That chapter in the book helps you to do some things completely on your own in tandem with God, allowing the Holy Spirit to enter into your very being and converse intimately. I have found these experiences truly life changing, among other disciplines.
Here is the link to the book. I highly recommend it! In the meantime, don't forget that in Christ, there is freedom. If you're able to make responsible decisions regarding drinking, partying, music, cussing, etc., then they're ok (If you're in high school, SERIOUSLY consider whether or not you can be responsible with those things before partaking in them. This is coming from a youth pastor). For me, the line is when I'm allowing something to "be my master" or control my actions. If I'm willing to lie, forego other relationships or responsibilities, or hurt someone else to get what I want I've allowed that thing to control my decisions, not my conscience or the Holy Spirit.
May the Lord of love, peace, and justice rule in your heart, OP. And may you come to understand the joy of life is not in making sure you don't do stuff, rather that it comes through the lives you change... Including your own... through what you do because of your love for Christ and neighbor. The Lord be with you.
There are a lot to choose from.
I haven't been able to find anything that approaches a comprehensive topical index. However, I am aware of this site that has made a start. The book /u/VeritasDomain mentions contains a useful index but it's not really comprehensive either. Meet the Puritans, by Beeke contains some brief descriptions of the works by each wirter, but again doesn't really lay out a comprehensive topical breakdown.
Looks like there is a need for a faithful work in this area!
EDIT: I completely forgot about this work. I don't own it or haven't ever seen it, and I have seen complaints about it being quite outdated, but I bet it would be a great start.
Wikipedia should be able to answer basic questions. Also this book is great http://www.amazon.com/Just-War-Christian-Discipleship-Recentering/dp/1587432250
Here's some that might be worth a read, depending on the makeup of your group and the theological context of your church:
Hope these aren't all terrible suggestions!
Church discipline is something that is clearly taught in the New Testament. It is a means of grace, whereby the church seeks to restore the person who has turned from Christ to embrace a life of clear, unrepentant sin. For a good primer on why/how Christians should practice, check out God Redeeming His Bride by Robert Cheong.
I think there are a couple of fundamental issues to be addressed here. First, the church is definitely a mixed bag of issues, especially in the first four centuries. Augustine marks a sort of theological turning point; Rome is ruined, Christians gain political power, former would-be martyrs are now happy statesmen, etc.
Prior to Augustine, the overwhelming majority of the writings we have from the early church appear to be pretty much unanimously against violence, including self-defense. There is also a huge pacifist tradition that starts with Origen who headed a catechetical school, so he sort of wins the battle simply by having a lot of disciples, but he's probably the biggest landmark figure prior to Augustine on the issue of violence.
With Augustine, we find some interesting trends feeding into his thought. He's trying to reconcile Greek philosophy with the Christian narrative. Furthermore, he himself was involved in political office prior to becoming a bishop. He is not so much interested with creating a decisive break with his forays into pagan ideas, but rather he wants to do his best to synthesize them. That's not to say that he doesn't critique them at all, but he is clearly trying to hold both as much as he can. This appears to be his reason for wanting to develop a theory of "just war." We essentially have a very different position on violence because of a very different Christian situation; Augustine is a product of his time. Because he is such a prolific and skilled writer, his views take hold in the Church. He ends up really developing some core doctrines (original sin, providence, sexuality), and thus the Church feels comfortable with his ideas on violence--especially if those ideas relate to gaining political power and increasing the influence of the Church.
The question becomes whether you see the development of the just war tradition as solely a means for political gain (a cynical but by no means bad position) or an attempt for honest Christians to wrestle through the problems that come along with being responsible for leading a state (and eventually, in the form of the papacy, several states).
Regardless, there is one final issue that should be addressed. The just war theory developed by Christians is very restrictive. For example, most affirm that in cases of self-defense the use of lethal force is strictly forbidden. Also, violence is done in hopes of reconciliation, and retributive violence (such as the wars America is currently engaged in) is completely nullified. Furthermore, one wonders what the just war theory looks like when the technologies of war have advanced in ways unimaginable to the early thinkers in the just war tradition--I think it would be tough to make Augustine accept nuclear weapons, virtual warfare, firebombs, etc. (the list could really, unfortunately, go on forever).
If you're looking for a good book on the topic, Daniel Bell has recently written one that has gotten wide acclaim even from the most vocal Christian pacifists like Stanley Hauerwas. I haven't read it myself but several of my friends have and really enjoyed it (they're also pacifists). This is also a good review from a pacifist standpoint. Your friends might be interested in reading the book based on those testimonies. Undoubtedly they're familiar with Hauerwas.
Hi, so sorry this response took so long. I put it on my to do list today to find some resources for you and get back to you!
> Would you share a bit more about how are these gatherings like? I mean, what do you do? Who gets to do what? How can I lead my group into that direction?
Lead it like a church. So what we do is called three thirds. You divide your time up into 3 different thirds.
I hope that makes sense! For more stuff on house churches, I would reccomend the ministry Obey GC2
But for a good idea how to apply some of these ideas to an elephant church, I would read The Trellis and the Vine, its great and fairly helpful.
[PT 2.]
The One God of Two Testaments
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I trust Christ and when I look at the way he viewed the Old Testament, in the Gospels, constantly walking around saying, "It is Written" and "The LORD says" (even when the text he quotes doesn't specifically say "The Lord Says" [!]) I cannot see but one God in both texts. Jesus illuminates the Old as much as he does the New Testament.
Judgment and Love
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One day there will be a judgement of all people, including myself and including you.
But I am, we all are, called to show people love and mercy as Christ and the Father and the Spirit show love and mercy and to love God with everything I have. On this hang the law and the prophets.
Truly, the most frightening aspects of God's judgment is when he chose to use people to exact it upon other people. When He ordered Israelites to exact punishment on another group of people-- by killing them-- that causes nausea when I think about it. Think of how people could misinterpret this as a mandate of whatever they wish to do (think of how many people do so without those verses)! Honestly, I am more comfortable with God using bears than people for punishment. The hearts of men are wicked and self-serving. And yet, as we will see, people world-wide are judging and exacting punishment one one another regardless if they use those terms or not. And that too will be evaluated by God. It is part of the Christian faith to trust God that he will set all things right, for he has never failed us and provided our only hope in Christ Jesus, even if we don't understand why God does some of the things He chooses to do.
For first comes death, than the judgement. Everyone dies once. And God knows how everyone will die. So, in a way, God kills everyone. But is the result of humankind's sin that we will all die. It's a punishment. But he also gives life to everyone. God offers the opportunity for eternal life through Jesus. He is the source, the sustainer, the judge and the ender of everything. He who gives takes away.
Pain Ain't Easy and Neither is Theodicy
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Theodicy isn't easy. How do we balance the evil of this world, including senseless killing, with God's four "omni"s-- that is omnipresence, omnipotence, omnibenovolence and omniscience? Alvin Platinga's defense is probably the best one can hope for a solution to the problem of evil, its origins, and the pain and death of this world. And it's not even a real theodicy-- it's only this: a logical possibility. God gives us not a reason or a principle but himself. I believe Christianity is coherent but it is dishonest to say that it has a clear-cut answer for the "why" of where evil came from. It's the white-spot on the map. It does, however, have a God who is there, eternal, for every situation. And it does explain our origin, meaning, morality and destiny (more than I can say from any other world-view).
Is Belief in God Sociopathic? Are the Faithful More Irrational?
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It is not sociopathic to believe in a God who takes life as he gives it. For God is the only one who has the capacity, knowledge, power, wisdom and love all combined to be able to do this: judge, give and take away life. To deny this happens it to deny that everyone dies.
Regardless of what happens, we are called to be there for the hungry, thirsty, naked, strangers, naked, sick, imprisoned as if it were Christ himself.
But it may very well be sociopathic to believe you alone hold a personal mission to kill hundreds of bystanders contrary to Christ's command and the 10 commandments.
Due process, the legal system, not acting our own ideas of "justice" matter. Because often, your personal justice is not justice. It is at best a vendetta and as worst an obsession and unhealthy sinful desire to kill those made in the image of God for no other reason than your sinful desires. This by no means is speaking against acting out in defense or protecting the week should such a situation arise which required it. It is, however, an argument against those Christians who may see themselves as acting upon a sense of "justice" when killing defenseless citizens. In reality this justice is very likely created by man and not God. Speaking of current events, whether this shooter in Norway was a Christian Fundamentalist who believed this is uncertain to me. But, if he was, it was he, not God, who was sick.
The Myth of Religious Violence
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I would suggest, to anyone interested, reading Cavanaugh's "The Myth of Religious Violence" to challenge the notion Religion, as an independent phenomenon, is anymore dangerous than anything else like nationalism, atheism or hedonism.
(RE) Considering "Just War Theory"
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Let's remember that countries kill every day in wars. There is a difference between individual murder and military action. This, however, does not mean all ways are waged with equal moral justification or fault.
The decisions of war, as part of authority has, in this modern era, been a privileged afforded to the nations and powers which are allowed to govern by God's will. (Note, there are of course DEEP precedents for civil disobedience of unjust laws enacted by our governments-- especially those asking us to go against God's commandments or reject God himself. There are also precedents for accepting the authority of the government to punish but rejecting their right to usurp God's authority). Government officials will be judged, as we all will, for their justice in making these decisions. God once commanded Israel to go to war on his behalf but today it is our nations, whether we are French, American, British, Chinese, etc., which call us to war.
Today, we all must consider what is really worth using violence for. Nothing? Real-politik? Anything at all? As a defense measure? When there is no way to diplomatically work out a situation? When must we conscientiously object? This is a question every Christian must ask. I can provide my thoughts but no definitive answers.
And what standards do we use? Do we ever use torture to get information (I lean toward a definitive "no")? Are facilities like Guantanamo Bay ever justifiable (thought: this seems more humane than the old practice of killing such prisoners. Maybe it is an appropriate middle ground when treating those detained there for terrorist attacks the same as normal residents and providing them a trial could see them set free and back fighting against Americans, possibly with new information, in a matter of a few years?) Perhaps, perhaps not. Prisoners of war are a definite difficulty when attempting to balance humane treatment and safe policy.
Let me reveal my bias more explicitly: I do not believe in absolute pacifism. I believe in absolute love which requires us not to strike back only for personal grudge matches but realize God is the judge of all. Turning the other cheek is important-- but this passivity Jesus commanded was not staunch pacifism. He also leapt into premeditated action for the atrocities committed at the temple. Moreover, sometimes a rebuke was necessary. Jesus may have been referring to our attitude toward one another considering he rebuked the High Priest when struck by him. He didn't physically turn the other cheek.
We, as Christians, in my opinion, need to reclaim the "just war" tradition. The one which seeks to act justly even when violence is not only necessary, or the lesser of two evils, but morally preferable.
Christians need to speak up for justice in our war policies. That, again, in my opinion, means an opposition to bio-chemical warfare, land-mines, nuclear weapons usage and other military actions which do not act to kill an enemy combatant but many un-involved in the conflict for decades to come. But, of course, opinions vary. My opinion is that advocating only pacifism is neither scripturally commanded nor something which will ever be listened to by any state seeking survival. So how can we be just in a world where violence is a reality? The final question is: how can we love, show humanity, even as we go to war?
Here's one book who talks about some history pertaining to tradition of just war thought:
Just War as Christian Discipleship, Bell (... no, not Rob Bell).
May God guide us in truth, hope and love as we think on violence and reflect on his character.
Good deal. I'm adding you as a friend. Here's another that was just released that I'll be getting this month: A Faith Not Worth Fighting For: Addressing Commonly Asked Questions about Christian Nonviolence
I was leading a Disciple class at my church for a while. As well as helping out with the church middle school youth group when I can. I've had to step back a little from helping out as much as I want to. I had hopes of starting a community game night at one point. Hard to put one together when I'm the only one pushing for it.
I've volunteered with cleaning up during the week, taking care of the prayer path last year. I'm always willing to help out what I can.
/u/Demon_Nietzsche made a good point about the various interests which comprise this community. That being said, a lot of ideas here are founded on philosophy (especially continental philosophy and critical theory) and radical politics (Marxism, etcetera).
This thread from /r/askphilosophy might interest you. Here are some recommendations I gave:
> In the vein of religious existentialists, the big ones that I can think of are Søren Kierkegaard, Karl Jaspers, Martin Buber, Gabriel Marcel, Paul Tillich, and Nikolai Berdyaev. The Russians Leo Tolstoy and Fyodor Dostoevsky might also be thrown into that list.
> Postmodern philosophy, in general, can get quite complex, and very quickly, too. Here are some books I would recommend if you haven't done too much background reading:
I echo that NT Wright stuff is good. If you want something long and deep about the New Testament, check out The Moral Vision of the New Testament by Richard Hays.
You should read Life Together & Discipleship by Bonhoeffer, Prayer by Karl Barth. There are many more I would recommend, but those are great starters.
If you want to get beyond the neo-conservative reformed whatever bubble and learn an overview of the history of Christianity, I'd recommend A History of Christian Thought by Justo Gonzalez. There're 2 other volumes.
Read this!
http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Like-Jazz-Nonreligious-Spirituality/dp/0785263705
I feel like such a douche, this is always the advice I give; but it really is a good book!
Interesting, so you're saying that Max Lucado isn't endorsing Antioch by entrusting his daughters spiritual community to it's members and the pastoral leadership of it's Pastor...how about him preaching at Antioch on Sunday morning OR him writing the foreword for it's pastors most recent book: http://www.amazon.com/Passion-Purpose-Believing-Church-Change-ebook/dp/B00J7Y5MYO
As far as roaming campus spouting nonsense...care to expand on that? Did they claim to represent the church in any official manner in their conversations with you? If not then why label an entire group based on the actions of a few?
I don't think 3 girls is enough for a "youth group" really though. And that's okay. If you want to plan something for them (and any others that come along), I'd treating it more like a "small group" for youth than a "youth group".
Have them join up regularly and lead them through a Bible study. Treat them like young adults and not kids though. Teach them how to study the Bible rather than just spoon feed them the answers. Have discussions, not just lessons. Don't just treat that time like extra Sunday school. Do fun stuff, so that you and they can bond with one another. Build trust and help them to enjoy the time. Have conversations. Go places, either to spend time with one another or to serve in the community.
Read a book in discipleship, for yourself. I think what you want to provide is discipleship. Here's a pretty good one for example: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IDHWH12/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?ie=UTF8&btkr=1
Depends on the goal. Reading for understanding key concepts is different than reading to try and discern an overall story. For the former, I'd pick up a plan that explores concepts and you'll end up reading it like your Mom suggested. If you want the overall story, front to back seems to work better. My church runs small groups that use https://www.amazon.com/Disciple-Becoming-Disciples-Through-manual/dp/0687783496 to do it this way. It's much better with the videos and in a small group, but following this will guide you through and you'll touch about 68% of the verses. It starts with Genesis and ends with Revelation.
I just want to say that I totally sympathize and am in a similar season of faith right now. I've been a Christian my entire life, but right now for seemingly no reason I'm being hit by doubt the hardest I've ever been.
I'll certainly keep you in my prayers. Just remember to keep praying and staying obedient to God. Let this season of doubt lead you deeper into His word and cause you to spend more time with Him. That's the best way to foil the enemy, imo. I also find that spending more time in Christian community is helping me.
I usually encourage critique and reason in faith, but I don't think it's wrong to put down the anti-Christian literature for a while. By all means, you should revisit it when your faith is stronger and see if you can find answers to the questions posed. But when your faith feels weak, I think it's a good time to take a rest and read more Christian apologetics, as others have mentioned.
Here are three books my pastor recommended to me today, perhaps they'll be of some use to you:
The Language of God by Francis Collins
[The Reason for God by Timothy Keller]
(https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1594483493/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
Searching Issues by Nicky Gumbel
And of course, I'm currently reading Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. I actually picked up a collection of C.S. Lewis Classics that I hope to make my way through.
Donald Miller has a book in which he recounts stories of when he struggled with his faith. It's a very good read.
Blue Like Jazz: Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality
I can't believe no one has put this one up yet:
“There is something beautiful about a billion stars held steady by a God who knows what He is doing. (They hang there, the stars, like notes on a page of music, free-form verse, silent mysteries swirling in the blue like jazz.) And as I lay there, it occurred to me that God is up there somewhere. Of course, I had always known He was, but this time I felt it, I realized it, the way a person realizes they are hungry or thirsty. The knowledge of God seeped out of my brain and into my heart. I imagined Him looking down on this earth, half angry because His beloved mankind had cheated on Him, had committed adultery, and yet hopelessly in love with her, drunk with love for her.”
From the perspective of someone who wants to explore real Christian spirituality and communion, minus all the drama and bullshit that comes with using all the grey areas of the Bible to dominate your theology, I would highly recommend you find Blue Like Jazz. It's probably in your local library.
Blue Like Jazz was all the rage when I was in high school.
See, as a Christian this is frustrating for me. There are so many passages in the Bible that seem to conflict with one another. I generally try to see Jesus as a loving example of how to live your life, and I try to use him as a guide for my actions. Also, bear in mind that the Bible as a whole was written during a time in which society considered stoning a normal punishment for adulterers and it wasn't unusual for a father to sell his children into slavery. I'd like to think that many aspects of the Bible can now be rendered obsolete, simply because society has progressed so far.
I honestly think that people idealize Jesus in their own ways. Donald Miller's book Blue Like Jazz really paints Jesus in a portrait that suits me personally.
>I was thinking of just reading the Bible cover-to-cover
No, just no. Get your hands on some commentary made by notable theologian or what I'd personally do, begin with Pannenberg's Systematic Theology vol.1. Presentations of systematic theology try practically to fix the problems and questions inside Christianity, hence the name "systematic" because it tries to make it as a working system. It solves the problems one might get from reading the bible and because of this it is quite pointless to read it as you might just get more confused by doing so. Theologians have already thought the problems and conflicting ideas inside Christianity nearly two millenia so it is too enormous task to try to work it around from the ground level by yourself.
About scholars: Pannenberg is notable around Europe but he is protestant so if you are interested in Catholicism you should read Hans Urs Von Balthasar Engagement with God: The Drama of Christian Discipleship. Balthasar is most notable Catholic theologian after Aquinas.
After you have read some of the basics you might be interested of the modern debates around systematic theology like "is being an act" or in what sense God is—thsi is practically neoplatonism vs. classical theism.
Also; just don't read bible, read works of scholars and thinkers.—Scotus Duns, Thomas Aquinas, Boethius, Willaim of Ockham!
edit: I believe this would be the best book to start with: "The Oxford Handbook of Systematic Theology".
https://www.amazon.com/Open-Wide-Door-Christ-Biela/dp/0972143270
Confession by Adrienne von Speyr but it might be deeper than you want.