The Scandal of the Kingdom Workbook: How the Parables of Jesus Revolutionize Life with God

by Dallas Willard

There is a striking difference between the way that most churches operate today and the way Jesus the conducted his ministry when he was on earth. Most churches today spend their time and resources trying to get people to come into their doors and join their fellowship. But Jesus didn't concern himself with trying to get followers. One time, he even responded to such a request by saying, "Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head" (Matthew 8:12). The implication to the person making the request was  Do you really want to be my follower and lead that kind of life?

Instead, what we find in the Gospels is that the message Jesus taught—and in fact the sole message of the New Testament—was the nature and availability of the kingdom of God. It was now accessible to all people, both Jews and Gentiles alike. Jesus revealed much of these scandalous truths about God's kingdom through parables. Yet while these parables constitute some of his best-known teachings, they are also some of the least understood. Even the disciples weren't always sure what they meant.   

Perhaps this is why they asked Jesus, "Why do you speak to the people in parables" (Matthew 13:10). Jesus responded by saying, "Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, not to them" (verse 11). Jesus knew that while the kingdom of God was available to everyone, not everyone would have the desire to go through the work to "ask, seek, knock" and "receive" the truths that had come to bring (see Matthew 7:7–8).

The Scandal of the Kingdom Workbook, which accompanies the book of the same name, presents carefully curated new material from the late Dallas Willard to help readers understand the heart of Jesus' key parables, why Jesus chose story to communicate life's deepest truths, and how these stories are still revolutionary (and even shocking) in showing us how to live out God's kingdom on earth today. With the rich insights and biblical scholarship common to all of Willard's works, this guide will help

Become more passionate about living the gospel in the full scope of Jesus' vision for themBetter share their faith with those who have become disillusioned with ChristianityUnlock the excitement of living in the upside-down kingdom of GodThe Scandal of the Kingdom Workbook is for anyone

Wants to explore Jesus' teachings but are confused about what his parables meanLoves Dallas Willard's classic works such as The Divine Conspiracy and Life Without LackEnjoys deep teachings about spiritual formation from authors such as John Mark Comer, Richard Foster, and Eugene PetersonWants to share the gospel just as Jesus did during his ministry on earthThe truths of God's kingdom are available to us. Yet like the disciples, we must recognize that questioning, contemplating, and savoring the meaning of Jesus' stories are an important part of the journey.

192 pages, Paperback

Published October 15, 2024

About the author

Dallas Willard was a widely respected American philosopher and Christian thinker, best known for his work on spiritual formation and his expertise in phenomenology, particularly the philosophy of Edmund Husserl. He taught philosophy at the University of Southern California from 1965 until his death in 2013, where he also served as department chair in the early 1980s. Willard held degrees in psychology, philosophy, and religion, earning his PhD in philosophy from the University of Wisconsin–Madison with a focus on the history of science. He was recognized as a leading translator and interpreter of Husserl's thought, making foundational texts available in English and contributing significantly to the fields of epistemology, philosophy of mind, and logic.
Though a serious academic, Willard became even more widely known for his books on Christian living, including The Divine Conspiracy and Renovation of the Heart, both of which earned major awards and helped shape the modern spiritual formation movement. He believed that discipleship to Jesus was an intentional process involving not only belief but transformation through spiritual disciplines like prayer, study, solitude, and service. For Willard, spiritual growth was not about earning God’s favor but about participating in the divine life through active cooperation with grace.
His teachings emphasized the concept of apprenticeship to Jesus—being with him, learning to be like him—and his influence extended to ministries such as Renovaré, the Apprentice Institute, and the Dallas Willard Center for Spiritual Formation. He served on the boards of organizations like the C.S. Lewis Foundation and Biola University, and his intellectual and spiritual legacy continues through Dallas Willard Ministries and academic institutions inspired by his work.
Willard was also a deeply personal writer who shared candidly about the challenges of balancing academic life with family. Despite his own admitted shortcomings, those closest to him regarded him as a man of deep love, humility, and grace. His enduring impact can be seen in the lives and works of many contemporary Christian thinkers and writers, including Richard J. Foster, James Bryan Smith, and John Mark Comer. As both philosopher and pastor to the mind, Dallas Willard remains a towering figure in the dialogue between rigorous thought and transformative Christian practice.

Reviews

[Stinger · Rating 3 out of 5]

helpful questions in the workbook I used while teaching through Jesus's parables in my Sunday school