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Learning to Love: Passion, Compassion and the Essence of the Gospel
Missionary Leaders Reveal Behind-the-Scenes Glimpses from Africa
Continuing where their book Expecting Miracles left off, this narrative draws from the last five years of the life of Iris Ministries. Woven alongside fascinating narrative from Mozambique is teaching from Heidi and Rolland that communicates the distilled wisdom about the heart of the Gospel from all their years of serving the poor.
More than any of their previous books, this one has the most to say about what Rolland and Heidi have learned about love--whether in Africa or wherever home might finding intimacy with Jesus, concentrating on the humble and lowly, being willing to suffer for love's sake, finding God's supply of utterly needed miracles, and walking in the unquenchable joy of the Lord. Every reader will find incredible challenge and refreshment in these pages.
Continuing where their book Expecting Miracles left off, this narrative draws from the last five years of the life of Iris Ministries. Woven alongside fascinating narrative from Mozambique is teaching from Heidi and Rolland that communicates the distilled wisdom about the heart of the Gospel from all their years of serving the poor.
More than any of their previous books, this one has the most to say about what Rolland and Heidi have learned about love--whether in Africa or wherever home might finding intimacy with Jesus, concentrating on the humble and lowly, being willing to suffer for love's sake, finding God's supply of utterly needed miracles, and walking in the unquenchable joy of the Lord. Every reader will find incredible challenge and refreshment in these pages.
- GenresNonfictionChristian
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
46 people are currently reading
326 people want to read
About the author
Heidi Baker
142 books99 followersHeidi Baker PhD is a Christian missionary and with her husband Rolland Baker are founders of Iris Global and the author of several books.
With her husband Rolland, Heidi founded IRIS Ministries in 1980, a non-profit Christian ministry dedicated to Jesus and service, especially among the poor. After twelve years ministering in Asia, they left in 1992 to do their PhD's at King's College London, UK. In 1995 they started a new ministry to the poor and homeless children in Mozambique.
Wikipedia
With her husband Rolland, Heidi founded IRIS Ministries in 1980, a non-profit Christian ministry dedicated to Jesus and service, especially among the poor. After twelve years ministering in Asia, they left in 1992 to do their PhD's at King's College London, UK. In 1995 they started a new ministry to the poor and homeless children in Mozambique.
Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
March 31, 2013
I was delighted to receive this book from Goodreads Giveaway!
My daughter went to Heidi & Rolland Baker's Missionary School "IRIS Harvest" in Mozambique, Africa in 2009 for three months. Her life was forever changed by this experience with the Bakers and their ministry.
This book confirms exactly the message that my daughter experienced with the Bakers.
I would highly recommend this book to read.
My daughter went to Heidi & Rolland Baker's Missionary School "IRIS Harvest" in Mozambique, Africa in 2009 for three months. Her life was forever changed by this experience with the Bakers and their ministry.
This book confirms exactly the message that my daughter experienced with the Bakers.
I would highly recommend this book to read.
April 7, 2018
Just a chance for Heidi to brag about how many churches she and her husband have set up in poverty stricken areas of Africa. I couldn't help but feel angry while reading this, particularly hearing accounts of bringing Coca-cola and Starbucks coffee to these parts of the world. I shouldn't think to strongly about it, but what good does feeding Coca-Cola to a child do, especially when once that bottle is gone all the body will want is more sugar, more, more, more.
If I was in Heidi's position, instead of speaking so highly of myself and giving these people quick gratification treats which damage the body in long term, I would educate them as to how they can live more sustainable lifestyles in their villages. Produce more food, healthy community practises such as music, art, conversation and exercise.
This book tells me that this woman is slowly destroying communities 1 fake church at a time.
If I was in Heidi's position, instead of speaking so highly of myself and giving these people quick gratification treats which damage the body in long term, I would educate them as to how they can live more sustainable lifestyles in their villages. Produce more food, healthy community practises such as music, art, conversation and exercise.
This book tells me that this woman is slowly destroying communities 1 fake church at a time.
June 23, 2018
What a great testimony of God’s goodness and our responsibility to love Him first - everything comes from that. In my opinion, many teachers speak of seeking gifts - blessings, miracles etc. One reason I respect Heidi’s ministry so is that she emphasizes how critical it is to have our focus on Him and loving Him. Mt 6:33
January 8, 2020
Powerful encouragement
Heidi Baker reminds me of a married Pentecostal Mother Teresa. She and Rolland are truly living the gospel in the midst of African pain and suffering.
Heidi Baker reminds me of a married Pentecostal Mother Teresa. She and Rolland are truly living the gospel in the midst of African pain and suffering.
April 9, 2013
I first became aware of the ministry of Heidi and Rolland Baker through a class I took in seminary. My professor (Bob Ekblad) is an activist who works with people on the margins and is passionate about the work of the Spirit. He held up the Bakers as exemplars because of their tireless work in mission and their passion for supernatural ministry. I had seen video clips of interviews of Heidi Baker but knew little about her (and Rolland’s) mission organization or their work in Mozambique. So I was excited to read Learning to Love: Passion, Compassion and the Essence of the Gospel.
Heidi and Rolland take turns narrating their work in Africa and around the world. Learning to Love tells of their experience entering into the suffering of Christ, loving people, responding to God’s leading and seeing Him work in often incredible ways. The passion and zeal the Bakers have for sharing the gospel is infectious. While many charismatic authors in the United States preach prosperity, the Bakers have given their lives sacrificially to see the people of Mozambique and around the globe come to saving faith in Christ. They speak of miracles and God’s provision but they also have really entered into the suffering of the nations they’ve served. This book is their story of ‘loving God and the person in front of you.” There mission has involved them in caring for children and orphans, planting churches, leading bush revivals, prayers of healing, digging wells, launching schools, providing needed physical care and more. Through it all they have sought to be faithful to God’s call on their life.
Yet Learning to Love was a difficult read for me. To me, the book reads like a series of support letters for Iris Ministries (their organization). They are passionate and expound on where God is working in their midst, but there seems to be little cohesive organization to their chapters. I also found that I still know very little about their mission philosophy (other than an expectancy to see God at work). I like that they are listening to the Spirit and expect miracles and are driven by a concern for the people of Mozambique, but because this book tells you the breadth of all that they do, you don’t get a sense of what their long term commitment to one place, or one group of people is like. There is more to their story which I would like to hear.
I do respect that these charismatic missioners have seen God bring healing and new life in their mission and have come to expect God’s supernatural ministry. This is the experience of the global church and too often us educated Americans seek naturalistic explanations instead of the God of Grace.
I am not sure that I can say I loved this book, but I did like Heidi and Rolland and what I heard from their story. I give this book 3 stars and am interested in hearing more about their work.
Thank you to Chosen Books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Heidi and Rolland take turns narrating their work in Africa and around the world. Learning to Love tells of their experience entering into the suffering of Christ, loving people, responding to God’s leading and seeing Him work in often incredible ways. The passion and zeal the Bakers have for sharing the gospel is infectious. While many charismatic authors in the United States preach prosperity, the Bakers have given their lives sacrificially to see the people of Mozambique and around the globe come to saving faith in Christ. They speak of miracles and God’s provision but they also have really entered into the suffering of the nations they’ve served. This book is their story of ‘loving God and the person in front of you.” There mission has involved them in caring for children and orphans, planting churches, leading bush revivals, prayers of healing, digging wells, launching schools, providing needed physical care and more. Through it all they have sought to be faithful to God’s call on their life.
Yet Learning to Love was a difficult read for me. To me, the book reads like a series of support letters for Iris Ministries (their organization). They are passionate and expound on where God is working in their midst, but there seems to be little cohesive organization to their chapters. I also found that I still know very little about their mission philosophy (other than an expectancy to see God at work). I like that they are listening to the Spirit and expect miracles and are driven by a concern for the people of Mozambique, but because this book tells you the breadth of all that they do, you don’t get a sense of what their long term commitment to one place, or one group of people is like. There is more to their story which I would like to hear.
I do respect that these charismatic missioners have seen God bring healing and new life in their mission and have come to expect God’s supernatural ministry. This is the experience of the global church and too often us educated Americans seek naturalistic explanations instead of the God of Grace.
I am not sure that I can say I loved this book, but I did like Heidi and Rolland and what I heard from their story. I give this book 3 stars and am interested in hearing more about their work.
Thank you to Chosen Books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
May 3, 2014
I read Learning to Love, in exchange for review from Bethany House. The book was written by Heidi and Rolland Baker and published by Chosen Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
The book discusses ministry in Africa. The authors founded Iris Ministries (since 1980) and are located in Mozambique. The book's introduction discusses how Iris Ministries was started in the United States and later expanded to the Philippines, Indonesia, and Hong Kong. They finally did mission work in Mozambique in the 1995. The authors mentioned a little girl, amputee, whose grandma wanted her stoned to death because the girl lacked use to the family. The girl had to sell her body for food and water. The authors realized helping her was an act of love.It was the gospel. I loved the story. It was compassionate, moving, inspirational. It was God's hand moving mountains. Showing love to someone don't require much. People need help, despite outward appearances. God can use anyone to do his work, his will. God can use anyone for the glory of the Kingdom.
I chose the book because it was different. I been reviewing more books lately, which has an higher purpose. I do not always need to read fiction. I can read Christian, Business, Childrens, etc. I can read books, which build me up and expand my knowledge base. The first 20 pages grabbed my attention big time. The book had four sections: passion and compassion; joy and suffering; going even lower; and not by might. The book was also less than 200 pages with Adobe Digital Editions. The book also has beautiful pictures of children throughout the book. The pictures are in black and white.
The book discussed God's love, joy, faith, hope, goodness, grace, mercy, compassion. It also discussed serving others. The book also discusses developing a relationship with God. This was a great read. The book also discussed Heidi and Rolland's mission work in Africa. A wedding was the start of part 1. The authors helped plant churches, worked with the deaf, fed the hungry, and brought recorded and print bibles to the pastors and the communities. The book also discussed the downfalls of doing God's work. The authors discussed how three pastors was beaten and how the government confiscated homes. Trucks were destroyed and had an angry mob wanting to stone a pastor. Doing the work of the Lord is not an easy one, but the rewards are great.
Finally, I liked the time to reflect at the end of each section. The time to reflect presents a bible verse for mediation.
The book discusses ministry in Africa. The authors founded Iris Ministries (since 1980) and are located in Mozambique. The book's introduction discusses how Iris Ministries was started in the United States and later expanded to the Philippines, Indonesia, and Hong Kong. They finally did mission work in Mozambique in the 1995. The authors mentioned a little girl, amputee, whose grandma wanted her stoned to death because the girl lacked use to the family. The girl had to sell her body for food and water. The authors realized helping her was an act of love.It was the gospel. I loved the story. It was compassionate, moving, inspirational. It was God's hand moving mountains. Showing love to someone don't require much. People need help, despite outward appearances. God can use anyone to do his work, his will. God can use anyone for the glory of the Kingdom.
I chose the book because it was different. I been reviewing more books lately, which has an higher purpose. I do not always need to read fiction. I can read Christian, Business, Childrens, etc. I can read books, which build me up and expand my knowledge base. The first 20 pages grabbed my attention big time. The book had four sections: passion and compassion; joy and suffering; going even lower; and not by might. The book was also less than 200 pages with Adobe Digital Editions. The book also has beautiful pictures of children throughout the book. The pictures are in black and white.
The book discussed God's love, joy, faith, hope, goodness, grace, mercy, compassion. It also discussed serving others. The book also discusses developing a relationship with God. This was a great read. The book also discussed Heidi and Rolland's mission work in Africa. A wedding was the start of part 1. The authors helped plant churches, worked with the deaf, fed the hungry, and brought recorded and print bibles to the pastors and the communities. The book also discussed the downfalls of doing God's work. The authors discussed how three pastors was beaten and how the government confiscated homes. Trucks were destroyed and had an angry mob wanting to stone a pastor. Doing the work of the Lord is not an easy one, but the rewards are great.
Finally, I liked the time to reflect at the end of each section. The time to reflect presents a bible verse for mediation.
May 1, 2013
Heidi and Rolland Baker have learned to make themselves available to the Holy Spirit, to obediently follow where he leads, to open their arms in love, and step out in faith no matter what that looks like. The result is that people's lives around them are forever changed. "Learning to Love" recounts many of their experiences serving Christ in Mozambique and what they have learned in the process. I absolutely loved the teaching and the stories that flow from this book, from stories of practical love shown by things like drilling wells for thirsty villagers, to miraculous healings of people who are blind or sick or emotionally damaged. While the book has several main themes, readers should expect to enjoy the book as a series of vignettes rather than a straight-forward biographical account of the Baker's lives. This is a book that deserves to read through more than once to allow the authors to challenge you in your own faith, and to take risks such as they have done, and see God respond in his power and his grace. I love where the authors write the following:
"Where does the kind of faith that soars come from? It comes from love, from knowing who Jesus is, from understanding what he thinks of you and realizing who he has made you to be. When you are in love you have power. When you start to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, you start to get full of God and full of understanding that whatever He asks you to do, you can do; that wherever He asks you to go, you can go.....Passion: It makes us unstoppable".
If we all lived in radical obedience to God like the Bakers do, the world would be vastly different indeed. Oh Lord, give me that same passion!
I strongly recommend this fascinating and well-written book, and award it 4 out of 5 stars.
Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Chosen, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
"Where does the kind of faith that soars come from? It comes from love, from knowing who Jesus is, from understanding what he thinks of you and realizing who he has made you to be. When you are in love you have power. When you start to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, you start to get full of God and full of understanding that whatever He asks you to do, you can do; that wherever He asks you to go, you can go.....Passion: It makes us unstoppable".
If we all lived in radical obedience to God like the Bakers do, the world would be vastly different indeed. Oh Lord, give me that same passion!
I strongly recommend this fascinating and well-written book, and award it 4 out of 5 stars.
Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Chosen, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
April 5, 2013
I’ve been procrastinating on this review. I really, really wanted to like this book, but in the end, the honest fact is that I struggled to read this book and even once I finished, I never really enjoyed it. However, I am certain that my dislike of it is personal and really shouldn’t be taken into account when judging the book. So how to go about reviewing it?
Let me explain where I’m coming from. First, I read a lot. As in generally a book a day. Secondly, I studied writing and literature all through high school and college. Third, I actually do a fair amount of writing. So when I encounter a book that has no discernible structure, plot, or even central idea, it drives me up the wall. I don’t read books for a scattered handful of short vignettes. I might read a collection of short stories, but even there, the stories tend to be longer than a few paragraphs.
Learning to Love reminded me of when I stumble across an interesting blog and go back to the beginning and read through the post. (And yes, doing that bothers me too.) Very little tied together. Some wasn’t even in chronological order. Were all the little snippets an interesting look at mission work in Africa? Absolutely! If they had brought them together as a narrative would I have loved the book? Yes! Was there anything about the actual content that bothered me? No!
So I didn’t like the book. But I disliked it for a very personal and probably very petty reason. The structure proved an insurmountable problem for me, but that in no way makes Learning to Love a bad book. Anyone who enjoys missions stories and doesn’t get hung up on things like grammar and structure should really check it out. It just wasn’t for me.
My thanks to Bethany House for providing me a copy of Learning to Love in return for my honest opinion of the book.
Let me explain where I’m coming from. First, I read a lot. As in generally a book a day. Secondly, I studied writing and literature all through high school and college. Third, I actually do a fair amount of writing. So when I encounter a book that has no discernible structure, plot, or even central idea, it drives me up the wall. I don’t read books for a scattered handful of short vignettes. I might read a collection of short stories, but even there, the stories tend to be longer than a few paragraphs.
Learning to Love reminded me of when I stumble across an interesting blog and go back to the beginning and read through the post. (And yes, doing that bothers me too.) Very little tied together. Some wasn’t even in chronological order. Were all the little snippets an interesting look at mission work in Africa? Absolutely! If they had brought them together as a narrative would I have loved the book? Yes! Was there anything about the actual content that bothered me? No!
So I didn’t like the book. But I disliked it for a very personal and probably very petty reason. The structure proved an insurmountable problem for me, but that in no way makes Learning to Love a bad book. Anyone who enjoys missions stories and doesn’t get hung up on things like grammar and structure should really check it out. It just wasn’t for me.
My thanks to Bethany House for providing me a copy of Learning to Love in return for my honest opinion of the book.
April 10, 2013
This book was not what I expected. I was really excited to have the opportunity to read and review it, but in all honesty, I struggled through it.
Heidi and Rolland Baker share some INCREDIBLE stories of their ministry in Mozambique. These stories are awe inspiring and, well, incredible! They are very interesting to read and fun to imagine what it’d be like to be there with them. I really enjoyed reading the unique stories of struggles living in that region of the world, and to read about how those struggles and challenges were overcome.
I confess, I felt like the book was almost an “advertisement”…I really couldn’t put my finger on specifically why I felt that way, but I’ll try. The stories were shared, and as I said, they were amazing stories. It almost felt like the book was written to say “look what we did, our ministry is the best”. There was no inspirational call to action, and I didn’t feel motivated to go out and do good in my world after reading…like I had expected to. I also felt like the stories were sort of randomly placed, and that made it tough for me. I kept reading story after story, looking for a common theme, and waiting to read how they all tied together, but I didn’t feel like they did.
I didn’t DISlike this book, but I admit, it didn’t capture me like I’d expected it to. I’m giving it 3 stars: I liked it okay.
*I received no monetary compensation for my review. I was provided the audio books free of charge from Baker Publishing in exchange for my review. The opinions are 100% mine!
Heidi and Rolland Baker share some INCREDIBLE stories of their ministry in Mozambique. These stories are awe inspiring and, well, incredible! They are very interesting to read and fun to imagine what it’d be like to be there with them. I really enjoyed reading the unique stories of struggles living in that region of the world, and to read about how those struggles and challenges were overcome.
I confess, I felt like the book was almost an “advertisement”…I really couldn’t put my finger on specifically why I felt that way, but I’ll try. The stories were shared, and as I said, they were amazing stories. It almost felt like the book was written to say “look what we did, our ministry is the best”. There was no inspirational call to action, and I didn’t feel motivated to go out and do good in my world after reading…like I had expected to. I also felt like the stories were sort of randomly placed, and that made it tough for me. I kept reading story after story, looking for a common theme, and waiting to read how they all tied together, but I didn’t feel like they did.
I didn’t DISlike this book, but I admit, it didn’t capture me like I’d expected it to. I’m giving it 3 stars: I liked it okay.
*I received no monetary compensation for my review. I was provided the audio books free of charge from Baker Publishing in exchange for my review. The opinions are 100% mine!
August 17, 2019
Was inspired
There was nothing I disliked about this book. While you are reading you can feel the love that Heidi has for the people she shares her life with. I am impressed that this is a family endeavor. Heidi’s children will always remember the time they spent together spreading the love of Jesus Christ
There was nothing I disliked about this book. While you are reading you can feel the love that Heidi has for the people she shares her life with. I am impressed that this is a family endeavor. Heidi’s children will always remember the time they spent together spreading the love of Jesus Christ
May 13, 2013
What does love look like?
That is the question that Heidi and Rolland Baker are attempting to answer in their book Learning to Love. They take you on a journey through all of the amazing things that God has done to show them His love for them and for the people that they serve and love in Mozambique. Heidi and Rolland are in Mozambique to share Christ with the people, and their love for Him and the people shine through this book. They also strive in this book to show us how Christ can move in our own lives in miraculous ways if we are willing to let Him.
I found this book to be an interesting read. As someone who has always had an interest in the field of missions, I enjoyed reading the stories of the Baker’s experiences in Mozambique. To me, they were the best part of the book. They also encompassed most of the book with a few chapters being dedicated only to those stories.
While the stories were wonderful, I found that the book didn’t really show me or teach me more about how I can love others here where I am at. It did cause me to reflect more on my relationships with Christ and others, but it lacked something…I guess what I am getting at is that for me while I loved the stories, I had trouble applying it to my life.
That is the question that Heidi and Rolland Baker are attempting to answer in their book Learning to Love. They take you on a journey through all of the amazing things that God has done to show them His love for them and for the people that they serve and love in Mozambique. Heidi and Rolland are in Mozambique to share Christ with the people, and their love for Him and the people shine through this book. They also strive in this book to show us how Christ can move in our own lives in miraculous ways if we are willing to let Him.
I found this book to be an interesting read. As someone who has always had an interest in the field of missions, I enjoyed reading the stories of the Baker’s experiences in Mozambique. To me, they were the best part of the book. They also encompassed most of the book with a few chapters being dedicated only to those stories.
While the stories were wonderful, I found that the book didn’t really show me or teach me more about how I can love others here where I am at. It did cause me to reflect more on my relationships with Christ and others, but it lacked something…I guess what I am getting at is that for me while I loved the stories, I had trouble applying it to my life.
September 9, 2019
"It takes courage to go, but it can take more courage to LET GO. Let go of your way, let go of being the answer. You and I are not the answer, my friend, GOD IS. If we live like this, if we will let go of the reins we think we have to hold on to, if we TRUST GOD as we finish our assignments, it will mean fruitful labor." This quote spoke to me, as I struggle with control and fear of the unknown. I am learning every day to surrender to God - to lay myself low before God - to trust in Him and not in me. Following God's command to share the Gospel in difficult places takes courage. Heidi speaks eloquently about courage and faith, and she reminds us that none of us are "qualified" to be missionaries. God can use anyone to do something amazing; all that is required is obedience.
Good messages throughout the text. The book is essentially a summary of the mission work provided by Iris Ministries in Mozambique, Africa.
Good messages throughout the text. The book is essentially a summary of the mission work provided by Iris Ministries in Mozambique, Africa.
April 8, 2013
This is an incredibly inspiring story about a group of missionaries serving in Mozambique, but also an encouragement for what we can do wherever we are. Heidi and Rolland Baker are the founders of Iris Ministries, through which they see God miraculously feed over 10,000 children every day. They have also started over 10,000 churches, Bible schools, and primary schools. They describe their day-to-day activities, in which they travel to different villages to show the Jesus Film, preach, heal, and love everyone they come across. Their aim is to stop for the one in front of them, to show love through action and meeting basic needs.
The stories in this book are amazing. God's power is ... read the rest here: http://shopgirl152ny.blogspot.com/201...
The stories in this book are amazing. God's power is ... read the rest here: http://shopgirl152ny.blogspot.com/201...
October 24, 2013
I loved this book. It is the story of Heidi and Rolland Baker who minister to the poor in Mozambique , Africa . This book is full of supernatural miracles that Heidi and Rolland have experienced while living among the needy and poor but what I love most is their simple message of love. The message is this: love God with everything in you and love others out of that love. Then the book goes one step forward to ask, "What does love look like?" And to encourage us to Stop for the One.
January 7, 2016
In true Heidi Baker fashion, this book jumps from here to there and everywhere; when the paragraph or section or chapter starts, you have no idea where it is going. However, every sentence, every paragraph, every chapter is so full of truth and challenge that you can't read one of her books without coming away changed. Watching Heidi and Rolland love like Jesus teaches us all how to love in the same way, stopping for the one.
November 13, 2012
Heidi and Rolland are an amazing couple doing great things for the kingdom of God in Africa. I am so inspired by her and her works. She tells more of her story here and breaks down Philippians 2 again and again. How could they not get a 5 star?
March 26, 2016
I received this book from FirstReads. I wanted to like it, but the writing was all over the place and never told a coherent story or made a coherent message.
June 1, 2016
Such a great book, written in almost a diary form. Gives personal insight into what life is like in Mozambique, and how God is moving mightily there.
August 20, 2016
Intressant med vittnesbörd. Kopplingen till undervisning till vissa delar simplifierad.
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