Transformation: Discipleship that Turns Lives, Churches, and the World Upside Down

by Bob Roberts Jr.

Author and pastor Bob Roberts Jr. is one of the architects of what church and Christian community can become in this new century. His unique approach to Christianity is based on what he calls T-Life (transformed life), which leads to a T-World (transformed world). Drawing inspiration from early church history and the emerging church in the developing world, Roberts envisions a new way of engaging the local church to achieve common goals. He calls for building a church culture rather than a church program.
Glocal churches create disciples who, transformed by the Holy Spirit, are infiltrating today's culture on a global and local scale. In Roberts's terms, when we establish a relationship with Jesus Christ and begin applying his principles, we experience T-Life (transformed life). Transformation begins with a growing, interactive relationship with God that includes personal and corporate worship. This, in turn, results in community. As community serves others, transformation has both a global and local (glocal) impact and creates T-World. Transformation redefines the focus and practice of the church, not from external bells and whistles, but from the internal transformation of the very character of its people.

Genres: Church, Christian

193 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 1, 2006

Reviews

[Rhemaboy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a game changer

If you are tired of Church as normal ( whatever that is) then this book is for you, be prepared to go on a journey and see the potential for church within you and THE CHURCH...its our time to shine and turn the world upside down! My question for you is this, are you ready????

[Jacob · Rating 4 out of 5]

The basic premise of this book is that when people are being transformed by Christ the natural result will be a church that reproduces itself and engages the world locally and globally. The author, Bob Roberts, has done just that. He has planted 80 churches in the last decade or so, all of which are dedicated to impacting the world.

He did not address the question of competition, especially with mainline denominational churches. Do we just assume that there is an endless need for MORE churches? I was also put off by the language of "adoption" - as in a church can adopt a people group [which has an implied sense of hierarchy]. But the man and his churches are doing great things for the Kingdom of God.

Not from this book, but Bob Roberts once said, "We do not serve to convert, we serve because we have been converted." I really like that philosophy.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Roberts' book reminded me that churches are the missionary, a concept I heartily endorse as my family and I church plant in Western Europe. We, like Roberts, want to build mission into the DNA of our church from the moment it conceives. Roberts' insight into the Kingdom of God is refreshing, convicting and necessary.

With all the talk of emerging strategies, I found it refreshing that Roberts returned to the radical biblical text to challenge modern and postmodern readers to think strategically and in a self-sacrificing way.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book on the Church's responsibility to the community around it and the world beyond it. It emphasized personal relationships and a new way to look at missions. Instead of missionaries or professionals doing missions, missions should be done by the laity through business. The Church's responsibility is to mobilize people to have a glocal impact for christ.

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read. Has a lot of the same type of stuff as most new "emergent" reading has, but there are a few sections that really hit home. Thbis guy has a good out-look the future and mabey is way ahead of the way we as the church should look into service and our place in the world.

[Aaron Carpenter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great ideas and great motivation for planting church-planting churches that embrace the confluence of personal transformation, biblical community, and global impact. Sadly, the writing suffers from a lack of cohesion, making it difficult for the reader to follow the author's train of thought.

[Ryan Fisher]

Bob Roberts Jr. is pretty inspiring in his vision and has a great capacity to motivate.

[Nick Woodall · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book. If a church is world-minded it can help lots of people, including those locally.