Renovation of the Heart: Putting on the Character of Christ

Tho this was a study book the information is good meat for all Christians. I highly recommend this book. Five stars.

This study is great for Youth Group small groups, especially (but not necessarily) if you have read the actual book. I am a Youth Pastor at an average sized church and am taking our youth leadership team (teens that are leaders in the group) through this study. it certainly does not have the depth of the full book exegetically speaking, but it is still quite deep and provides for wonderful points of conversation and in turn has given way to wonderful growth for our teens. I absolutely love Willards teaching and his passion for Christians to live as Christ! if this is something you want to see in your youth then this is the study for you!

I am returning ...to order four more copies of "Renovation of Heart" by Dallas Willard.A prominent member of the University of Southern California Medical School and his wife introduced me to Willard three years ago by giving me a copy of "The Divine Conspiracy." I enjoyed the book immensely. (I have since bought four copies of it for others) Once done, they suggested I get a copy of "Renovation.." I did so in mid-2002 but took a year to get around to it. Wish that I had read it sooner. I have just finished reading it and can report that I found the book totally absorbing. I am a business executive and find Willard's words relevant to the times, not just in business, but for all walks of life in our society. I was going to skip the last sections on the Congregation but ended up reading them. I am glad I did. He makes some great points on what Churches should be, as many have lost their way. Those of us who consider ourselves part of the Church can work not only for our own "Renovation of Heart" but for that also of the Church. Willard shows us what to focus on. There are other reviews here that do a better job in reviewing content. My purpose is only to say that this book is not just for members of the religious, or those who consider themselves religious, but for all. I have gained immensely from reading this book...a book I will read over and over again.

See below for what Richard Foster (renowned author of _Celebration of Discipline_) has to say about this stellar book.I (Richard Foster)want to stress the importance for you of Dallas Willard's new book, Renovation of the Heart. I want to be sure you know what a treasure this book is. To a small group of us Dallas once said '(and here I am quoting him from memory)', "Without a proper theology of God and a proper ontology and anthropology of the human self, religion will always degenerate into superstition or legalism, and often both." Well, Renovation of the Heart gives us the very best "ontology and anthropology of the human self" found anywhere.This teaching is so very important. Today people throw around words like "soul," "spirit," "heart," "will," etc. without the slightest idea what they mean. Well, this book explains exactly what such terms mean. It gives us a clear, biblical understanding of the depths of the human self. Even more, it gives us a clear, biblical understanding of how our inward selves can be deeply transformed so as to take on the character of Jesus Christ. You see, we all have been spiritually formed, but usually our formation has been in very bad ways. Indeed, we are "de-formed," if you will. And we need to be "re-formed," that is to say, we need reformation. Even more, we need "trans-formation."But to effectively and consciously enter into this spiritual forming, re-forming, trans-forming process we need a clear understanding of the human self. An ontology and anthropology of the self. Exactly what is the heart, the spirit, the will, the mind, the body, the soul? How are they to be spiritually re-formed and what is their role in our overall spiritual formation? Now, this understanding is given to us in Scripture, but it is not given systematically. The Bible could not accomplish what it needed to accomplish and do it systematically. But we do need to understand what the depths of the person are, and then we need to relate this to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and its transforming power. Then we need to relate all of these matters to the larger social realm. All of this is given with precision and care in Renovation of the Heart.Have you gathered by now that I (Richard Foster) hope you will get this book? Even more, I hope you will read it carefully and prayerfully . . . even more still, I hope you will apply it to the warp and woof of your daily life.

"Dallas Willard changed my life with his book Divine Conspiracy and his guidance in Renovation of the Heart has drawn me ever closer in my relationship to Jesus Christ. Dr. Willard's thoughtful style and incredible insight into the heart and soul of human beings has helped me to see where I have kept myself from being a true disciple of Jesus. When asked if they are Christians, many people cite their denominational affiliation. The true question is one of the heart or spirit. Can we, through an inner transformation of our heart, mind, soul, and being, be transformed into Christlikeness? Can we heed his call and follow in his footsteps? In Renovation of the Heart, Dr. Willard explains that "we must never forget that the indispensable first step in caring for the soul is to place it under God.... Spiritual formation for the Christian basically refers to the Spirit-driven process of forming the inner world of the human self in such a way that it becomes like the inner being of Christ himself." Moreover, "Our walk with Christ, well learned, is a burden only as wings are to a bird or the engines are to an airplane". Dr. Willard speaks to those seeking a better understanding of their spirit and how it can be radically transformed into Christlikeness. If you truly intend to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, if you truly want to see your life made new, if you desire to have the kingdom of God be a right-here-and-right-now experience, then this book is a must read and I'm sure that you will be as passionate about it as I am. One word of caution; reading Renovation of the Heart and embracing the concepts and ideas held inside will radically change your life (just as Jesus intended). "