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Cruciform: Living the Cross-Shaped Life
What is the Cross-Shaped Life? It is the vertical life of loving God with all your head, heart, and hands; and the horizontal life of loving others as Christ has loved you.
Employing the symbols of the cruciform cathedral and the Celtic cross, Jimmy Davis uses personal stories, both humorous and heart-breaking, to encourage and equip the reader to gain a cross-shaped perspective on how he or she can be an active participant in God's community-on-mission.
This book casts a vision for living as disciples of Jesus who are being shaped by the cross (gospel) into people and churches who share and show the cross (gospel) by living as sons and servants of God. As we embrace the gospel in this way we can live:
- in relationship to God as seekers who exalt God;
- in relationship to other disciples as shepherds who encourage one another;
- in relationship to the resources God has given us as stewards; and
- in relationship to those who are not disciples as sowers of the gospel of grace, engaging our neighbors, the nations, and the next generation with cross-shaped words and works.
Finally, the Cruciform Life involves growing through cross-shaped spiritual disciplines and cross-shaped suffering, which together enable us to embrace and express the Cruciform Life to God, one another, and the world.
Employing the symbols of the cruciform cathedral and the Celtic cross, Jimmy Davis uses personal stories, both humorous and heart-breaking, to encourage and equip the reader to gain a cross-shaped perspective on how he or she can be an active participant in God's community-on-mission.
This book casts a vision for living as disciples of Jesus who are being shaped by the cross (gospel) into people and churches who share and show the cross (gospel) by living as sons and servants of God. As we embrace the gospel in this way we can live:
- in relationship to God as seekers who exalt God;
- in relationship to other disciples as shepherds who encourage one another;
- in relationship to the resources God has given us as stewards; and
- in relationship to those who are not disciples as sowers of the gospel of grace, engaging our neighbors, the nations, and the next generation with cross-shaped words and works.
Finally, the Cruciform Life involves growing through cross-shaped spiritual disciplines and cross-shaped suffering, which together enable us to embrace and express the Cruciform Life to God, one another, and the world.
114 pages, Paperback
First published March 23, 2011
16 people are currently reading
58 people want to read
About the author
Jimmy Davis
1 book8 followersJIMMY DAVIS loves being married to Christine, with whom he shares the adventure of raising three great kids and a Havanese puppy named Charlie. Jimmy earned an M. A. in Christian Education and M. A. in Biblical Studies from Dallas Theological Seminary, and is an ordained teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church in America. In over 25 years of ministry he has served as a pastor to youth and college students, youth-ministry consultant, church planter, pastor of discipleship, and has taught Bible courses on the high school and college levels. He has also served as a staff writer and associate editor of the Colson Center’s Worldview Church Website.
Find this author on Facebook: http://facebook.com/cruciformlife
Find this author on Facebook: http://facebook.com/cruciformlife
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
April 9, 2011
My review here: http://wp.me/pttRS-14f
June 20, 2012
A first-class book on what living in light of the cross of Christ involves. Jimmy Davis has given us a wonderful summary of the foundation of Christian living.
February 26, 2025
A Blueprint for Your Best Life Ever
Using the metaphor of a grand cathedral, constructed for the glory of God, Jimmy Davis lays out for his readers a clear blueprint for a life lived for the glory of God. I am told that the great cathedrals in the world are built in the shape of a cross. Whether that is the case or not, the author uses the cross as the model for what he calls the cruciform life. He provides a helpful diagram of the cross to describe each element of a life that mirrors the life of Jesus. Reading this book (and incorporating its principles into your self-understanding), to change the metaphor, you will have a script for living, a template for a life of consequence. This is a short book and easy to read, but, despite its brevity and accessibility, it is rich in content and, I would say, even profound. It is not simply theoretical either! The author generously shares from his own experience instances in which he learned the principles he commends. Using vivid language (you’ll find yourself writing down phrases you will want to quote) and citing a number of excellent authors (you’ll add to your want-to-read list), and anchoring every concept in Scripture, Jimmy Davis has given to us a book that I think will become a classic. If you have any desire to live a fuller, richer life for God’s glory and the benefit of others, read and reread this book. It will change your life in a most wonderful way.
Using the metaphor of a grand cathedral, constructed for the glory of God, Jimmy Davis lays out for his readers a clear blueprint for a life lived for the glory of God. I am told that the great cathedrals in the world are built in the shape of a cross. Whether that is the case or not, the author uses the cross as the model for what he calls the cruciform life. He provides a helpful diagram of the cross to describe each element of a life that mirrors the life of Jesus. Reading this book (and incorporating its principles into your self-understanding), to change the metaphor, you will have a script for living, a template for a life of consequence. This is a short book and easy to read, but, despite its brevity and accessibility, it is rich in content and, I would say, even profound. It is not simply theoretical either! The author generously shares from his own experience instances in which he learned the principles he commends. Using vivid language (you’ll find yourself writing down phrases you will want to quote) and citing a number of excellent authors (you’ll add to your want-to-read list), and anchoring every concept in Scripture, Jimmy Davis has given to us a book that I think will become a classic. If you have any desire to live a fuller, richer life for God’s glory and the benefit of others, read and reread this book. It will change your life in a most wonderful way.
June 8, 2011
A Cruciform life is a life that is reflecting the cross. It is a you-first heart that focuses on God and his purposes for his glory. It is all about the glory and the glory living. Just like in sports, their is glory when a team comes together for the purpose of winning and taking the crown. The same should be done in our christian life as well. Davis does a fine job of what a cruicform life looks like and how easy it is to fall into traps of self-righteouness and a work-centered living. The story of the prodical son was a great example of that. I think the key phrase of this book is As we become more and more conformed tothe image of Christ, we increasingly live as a son and love as a servant. We can have the same confidence and contentment in our relationship with the father as Jesus did when we live a cross centered life powered by the Gospel. The gospel was in every chapter of this book and reminds you of the salvation by God's grace and not of anything we do. It also touches on our dependence on the Father for cruciform living. A constant awarness of our relationship with the Father. A great book that has everything to do with the cross and nothing to do with me but complete surrender.
April 11, 2011
Jimmy lays a great, thoughtful foundation for the reality of the spiritual disciplines. He emphasizes that we are all being spiritually formed in one way or another... As Bob Dylan so aptly put it,
"But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You’re gonna have to serve somebody
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody."
In the same way, we are being formed by somebody, by the choices we make moment by moment in our lives.
As I reflect on the message of this great book, I am reminded of a quote by E. Peterson: “Each step we walk, each breath we breathe, we know we are preserved by God, we know we are accompanied by God, we know we are ruled by God; and therefore no matter what doubts we endure or what accidents we experience, the Lord will guard us from every evil, he guards our very life.” A Long Obedience in the Same Direction, p. 45 (based on Psalm 121)
"But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You’re gonna have to serve somebody
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody."
In the same way, we are being formed by somebody, by the choices we make moment by moment in our lives.
As I reflect on the message of this great book, I am reminded of a quote by E. Peterson: “Each step we walk, each breath we breathe, we know we are preserved by God, we know we are accompanied by God, we know we are ruled by God; and therefore no matter what doubts we endure or what accidents we experience, the Lord will guard us from every evil, he guards our very life.” A Long Obedience in the Same Direction, p. 45 (based on Psalm 121)
August 1, 2011
What shape is your faith in?
Jimmy Davis’s challenging little gem of a book invites us to consider living a cruciform life, that is, a life formed by the cross of Christ. A quick read with a long impact, Cruciform Life describes how we were created and redeemed to be cruciform and then shows us what a cruciform living looks like. With engaging stories and solid Scriptural teaching, this is a book I will return to over and over to remember the gospel call of discipleship.
Jimmy Davis’s challenging little gem of a book invites us to consider living a cruciform life, that is, a life formed by the cross of Christ. A quick read with a long impact, Cruciform Life describes how we were created and redeemed to be cruciform and then shows us what a cruciform living looks like. With engaging stories and solid Scriptural teaching, this is a book I will return to over and over to remember the gospel call of discipleship.
December 30, 2013
The Christian life and the spiritual disciplines that accompany it are often mysterious and elusive to professing believers. Davis addresses this with a reminder that “living for Jesus” is not self-empowered effort but grace-dependent service in the power and truth of the cross. Christian service isn’t to earn God’s favor; it reminds believers that they have God’s favor in Jesus. Though brief, Davis writes with winsomeness that endears readers and encourages them to rely on Christ.
August 9, 2024
So practical, lots of little take home nuggets. My favorite: we don’t engage in Bible study, prayer and other disciplines to try to please God. We do them so we can hear from Him how pleased He is with us because of what Christ has done for us on the cross.
April 30, 2011
Excellent! Review coming soon.
December 12, 2011
A solid, personal book on basic Christianity
December 8, 2012
I do have this book in e-book format and just started reading this afternoon. Great book to read! It will make you cry because it did make me cry in this book.
November 21, 2015
Very helpful illustration of what a Cross-shaped life looks like. Last chapter shows this life applied.
June 2, 2020
A short, clear introduction to a life that God intends for his people to live!
December 30, 2022
Good little bits at the end about suffering and making sure we are doing our spiritual habits by grace and not looking at the habits as idols.
March 14, 2024
Nice read! Written by one of the former pastors of my church. I love particularly how he uses moving examples from his own life to explain different lessons throughout the book.
June 29, 2011
This book was quite predictable, an easy read. It really wasn't all that deep, and to be honest, I read it so fast, I didn't become interested enough in it. I know the message was good, about living an outward mission based, "you-first" life, instead of a "me-first", but the book never really caught on to me.
August 11, 2011
New author. New publisher. Both are dealing with some growing pains in their early efforts, but I expect great things in the future!
May 6, 2017
Davis does a solid job of reminding us that the cross should shape our lives. Cruciformity is one of the most challenging themes I've encountered over the years. I was most shaped by Michael Gorman's Cruciformity (the condensed version, Inhabiting the Cruciform God, was most helpful), which is a tough read.
I was hoping Davis would be a bit more "academic" in nature. It's a solid, helpful book for young believers but doesn't go deep enough.
Great stories. Keen insight into daily living. Helpful diagrams.
I was hoping Davis would be a bit more "academic" in nature. It's a solid, helpful book for young believers but doesn't go deep enough.
Great stories. Keen insight into daily living. Helpful diagrams.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews